Nursing Shortage: Reasons and Consequences

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Questions and Answers

What percentage of nurses feel exhausted and discouraged when they leave work?

50% (correct)

75%

40%

60%

According to the survey, what percentage of nurses would not recommend their profession to their children or friends?

75%

54% (correct)

40%

50%

What is a consequence of nurses' increased workload?

Increased job satisfaction

Adverse nurse and patient outcomes (correct)

Increased retention rates

Improved patient outcomes

What percentage of nurses feel the quality of nursing care has declined over the last 2 years?

75% Signup and view all the answers

What is a reason for nurses' dissatisfaction with their work?

Frequent overtime Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of nurses would not feel comfortable having a family member cared for in the facility in which they work?

40% Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the consequences of a nursing shortage?

Burnout Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested to regulate the nursing profession?

Establish training standards and competency exams Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the reasons for the current crisis in the nursing profession?

Baby-boomers are retiring before being replaced Signup and view all the answers

What is a suggested role for governing boards in addressing the nursing shortage?

Becoming more involved in overseeing the quality of care Signup and view all the answers

What is a suggested way to address the lack of reimbursement incentives for quality care?

Establish effective reimbursement incentives Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of not having enough nursing faculty in nursing school programs?

A backlog of qualified applicants waiting to begin nursing school Signup and view all the answers

What is a result of inadequate nursing staffing?

Increased patient safety Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of the nursing shortage that affects patient care?

Absenteeism Signup and view all the answers

What is correlated with decreased RN staffing?

Increased medication errors Signup and view all the answers

What is a suggested way to address the lack of funding for clinical training costs?

Increase funding for clinical training costs Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of broadening nursing assistants' responsibilities?

A negative effect on the quality of information available to physicians and nurses Signup and view all the answers

What did the Australian study by Twigg et al. (2011) examine?

236,454 patient records and 150,925 staffing records Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Nursing Shortage Overview

The nursing shortage has been exacerbated since 1990, impacting care for nurses, patients, and families.
Concerns about care quality and hospital safety are prevalent among both nurses and families.
Increased dissatisfaction among nurses is linked to staff cuts, mandatory overtime, and the use of assistive personnel, culminating in adverse outcomes for both nurses and patients.

Survey Insights

75% of nurses perceive a decline in the quality of care at their facility over the past two years.
40% are uncomfortable having family members treated at their workplace.
54% would not recommend nursing as a career to their children or friends.
50% of nurses report feelings of exhaustion and discouragement after work.

Consequences of the Shortage

Major issues stemming from the nursing shortage include burnout, fatigue, turnover, and absenteeism.

Regulation and Licensing

Standards for safe patient care are essential yet complex to implement.
Competency certification exams for nursing personnel are needed to ensure high standards.
New regulatory measures include closing beds when RN staffing falls below certain levels and identifying qualified staff for clinical tasks.
Mandatory overtime is prohibited; state legislatures are encouraged to form nursing commissions.

Financing Challenges

Lack of effective reimbursement incentives hampers quality care and nursing services.
Funding shortages affect clinical training and education costs for nursing.

Governing Boards' Role

Governing boards must play an active role in overseeing care quality in healthcare facilities.
Senior nurse executives should regularly attend board meetings to convey nursing issues.
44% of nurses feel disheartened by the limitations to care they can provide, and 40% feel powerless to implement necessary changes.

Current Crisis Factors

Retirement of baby-boomers without adequate replacements is a significant challenge.
Insufficient nursing faculty in educational programs limits student enrollment.
Backlogs of qualified applicants waiting over a year to enter nursing schools create staffing shortages.

Evidence of Impact from Staffing Issues

Inadequate nursing staffing harms patients and their families by affecting their recovery, increasing hospital stays, and raising the risk of readmission.
Low staffing correlates with heightened patient safety issues, including increased morbidity and mortality rates.

Safety Concerns

Decreased RN staffing leads to more medication errors.
Nurses with only an associate degree are significantly more likely to face violations compared to those with a BSN.
Expanding nursing assistants' roles can compromise the quality of information provided and increase medication errors.
Heavy workloads force nurses to delay critical tasks, undermining their capacity for empathetic care.

Research Findings

An extensive study analyzed over 236,000 patient records and approximately 150,000 staffing records, highlighting the significance of staffing levels on patient care outcomes.

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Description

Learn about the reasons behind the nursing shortage, its impact on nurses' workload and patient outcomes, and measures to retain nurses. Explore the challenges faced by nurses, patients, and families.