Many people think that there are enough nurses to go around in our nation but this is not the case. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, there will continue to be a nursing shortage that could affect the millions of Baby Boomers who are quickly reaching age 65 and up. Their healthcare needs are rising every day and so are the costs of their care. There is a need for more nurses to fill positions so that our nation’s citizens will have proper healthcare for a better life. One reason for the nursing shortage is the retirement of some of the older nurses from the profession. Here are other factors behind the nursing shortage.
Not Enough Nursing Faculty
Another reason for the nursing shortage is inadequate faculty at nursing departments within universities and community colleges. As a result there have been increased limits on the number of students who can be accepted into nursing programs. To solve this problem, more retired nurses and healthcare administrators with nursing backgrounds can teach nursing at colleges. When this happens more aspiring nurses will have the chance to study nursing as a major. Nursing departments should also do more to recruit faculty members through social media, job fairs and nursing conferences and through TV and radio advertising.
Current Nurses Are Burned Out
It’s not just older nurses who are leaving the profession. There has also been an increase in the number of younger nurses leaving due to stress and burnout. One source of stress is the inadequate staffing at many hospitals and this leads to longer work hours and bigger workloads for today’s nurses. The nurses are not always able to handle the number of patients they treat and this causes job dissatisfaction. Maybe if the hospitals would revamp their scheduling or hire additional staff, this problem could be rectified.
Patient Care Suffers Due to Nursing Shortage
When a decrease in nurses occurs, the patients often suffer. In a study from the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2011, there seems to be a link between inadequate nursing staffing and lower quality of patient care. The study went further and stated that there was even an increase in patient deaths due to this problem. The researchers examined 198,000 records of patients and found that understaffed hospitals increased illnesses among patients.
So What Can Be Done?
You can help reduce the nursing shortage by becoming a nurse if you feel that nursing is your calling. Start by enrolling at a university or community college and once you do this you would get licensed by your state. Talk to loved ones and friends who are nurses and inquire about job openings at their places of employment. Look at nursing online job boards and update your resume periodically. Another idea is to increase recruitment efforts towards men since traditionally this occupation has been filled by women. In conclusion, nurses are often the first line of defense in patient care and as more people enter this field, the better patients will be.