The Nursing Shortage

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how, if nurses were paid more, treated better and not overworked, they would be more productive, actually get more work done, not leave the profession at such an alarming rate and new nurses would also join the profession. The paper examines the issues of managed care, money and the demands that are put on the time that a nurse has each day. The paper concludes that there seems to be a correlation between salary problems, job dissatisfaction and the amount of nurses that are leaving the profession.

Outline:
Problem Identification
Policy Alternatives
Policy Alternative Evaluation and Recommendation
Policy Implementation Plan
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"For many years, nurses have taken on more than they were actually trained for. Some of this was caused by interest in others and the desire to help them. Unfortunately, some of it was also caused by the lack of funding that these nurses receive. Nurses often have to do more because hospitals are short-staffed and short-handed."
"This is detrimental to the patients, but also to the doctors and nurses involved, because many of them are overworked and underpaid for the amount of care that they give on a daily basis. Providing hospitals with more funding for nurses would improve morale and assure that the patients are getting the best care possible. This care would come from trained and competent staff that are not upset, unhappy, sleep-deprived, depressed, or any of the other things that can go along with the strains that can come of working too long of hours for too little money over a long period of time."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Aiken L., et al. (2001, May/June). Nurses' Reports on Hospital Care in Five Countries. Health Affairs. 20(3):43-53.
• Beu, B. (2002). Nursing Issues. The Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses. Retrieved from http://www.aorn.org/journal/2002/novhpi.htm
• Mee, C. L. & Robinson, E. (2003, January). What's different about this nursing shortage? Nursing.
• Needleman, J., et al. (2002, May 30). Nurse-staffing levels and the quality of care in hospitals. New England Journal of Medicine. 346(22): 1715-1722
• O'Leary, J. & O'Leary, P. (1999). What is the future for nurse executives? Nursing Administration Quarterly, 23, 4-10.

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