Nursing Shortage: Significance To Healthcare Administration

Nursing Shortage Name Institutional Affiliation Nursing Shortage Introduction Registered nurses (RNs) form the biggest group of health care workforce in the US and they play an integral role in healthcare delivery. Effective RN staffing is critical in promoting health care delivery and it confers personal benefits for the patients and fiscal advantage for the health organizations (Cox, Willis, & Coustasse, 2014). Health care services in the US are substantially advancing, but the challenge in staffing is limiting delivery of quality health care. The shortage of RN personnel varies across the country. Since 1998, the US has been experiencing a shortage of RNs, which mainly attributed to the increasing sick and elderly population and aging nurses (Goodin, 2003). The increasing demand for RN has continued to surpass the supply from the nursing colleges. Furthermore, there are similar challenges in the training institutions as a result of the scarcity of faculty members (Allen, 2008). The unprecedented shortage of nurses in the country is a matter of concern among various stakeholders in the healthcare industry. Subsequently, this has led to various studies conducted by organizations and the government to determine the implications of the RN shortage and how the issue can be addressed (Keenan, 2003). The models developed present some limitations, but the forecast shows that the national shortage will be 300,000 to one million nurses by 2020 (Goodin, 2003). A key challenge for the health care system is that the decline of RNs coincides with the increased need for their services due to a large aging population. Consequently, there is a need for strategic measures that will increase the number of RNs to reduce the difficulty and cost of health care that is influenced by the shortage (Keenan, 2003). Notably, the nursing shortage is not only an issue in the US, but across many countries in the world, which might make it difficult and competitive to import professionals. Recommendations from an array of studies show that the healthcare industry needs to develop innovative interventions by rethinking the education and recruitment models, with the intent of ensuring the supply meets the demand. The intent of this paper is to investigate the implications of the nursing shortage and how leaders in the healthcare are engaging to resolve the issue. Purpose of the Research The success of healthcare services is centered on the effective participation of nurses. Challenges of nurse staffing make it difficult to deliver care due to work overload on the available workers. Consequently, this leads to work burnout, stress, lack of job satisfaction and turnover, while others quit the profession. Studies on nursing staffing show that the quality of patient care in all healthcare facilities is linked to the availability and engagement of the RNs in care services. In this light, understaffing contributes to poor patient outcomes and compromises the quest for personalized quality healthcare delivery. A review by Keenan (2003) shows that increased hours of RN care per day leads to improved patient outcomes, which is also associated with shorter lengths of stay and reduced risk of getting new infections such as Urinary Tract Infections, Pneumonia, Cardiac arrest, and even death while in the hospital. Further reviews by Keenan (2003) shows that an additional client per nurse was linked with seven percent rise in the chances of a patient to die from complications such as shock or pneumonia. Insights from these studies show that an adequate number of nurses is critical in sustaining the effectiveness of care services. In this light, the purpose of this research is to inform on the challenges of nurse staffing and the benefits of addressing the nursing shortage. The study is imperative to facilitate the improvement of patient outcomes, personalized care, value-based care, and addressing the challenges faced by nurses in delivering care services due to work overload. Research Questions What are the factors determining the availability of RNs? What are the implications of nursing shortage? What are the mitigating factors of the nursing shortage? Methodology The study is accomplished by implementing a qualitative research approach that involves a literature review and interview. The literature review offers an analysis of various studies that are investigating nurse staffing and nurse shortage in the country. The sources include peer-reviewed papers, corporate and government reports, conference papers, and othe...