Nursing Shortage

Paper Summary:

This paper studies the causes of a 6% nursing shortage presently existing in the USA, and makes proposals as to how it can be overcome. The paper also studies proposals put forward to deal with the problem of heavy workloads, which include expansion of nursing programs, improvement of salary packages and relaxation of immigration rules. The author states that, although in the future the issue may resolve itself, hospital authorities need to act to lower the high nurse turnover rate to overcome this shortage.

Outline:
Abstract
Statement and significance of the issue
Related issues and consequences
Proposals for addressing the issue
Prospects for the future
Explain and justify your position on the issue

From the Paper:

"In the United States, there are approximately 2.9 million Registered Nurses comprising the largest job group in provision of healthcare. Nurses are the primary providers of hospital patient care caring for the sick and infirm. Nurses assist in medical procedure, enforce physician's instructions administer drugs and dress wounds. Nurses provide patients with an education in issues of healthy living and wellness as well as any current or chronic disease process and treatments. Nurses usually work along side other medical practitioners as staff nurses and are surely the backbone of the health care system (Goldsteen & Jonas, 2007). However, in recent years there has been a vast shortage of nurses in the healthcare industry that is expected to intensify dramatically as baby boomers age and the need for healthcare grows.
"Research shows that approximately 72% of hospitals reported a nursing shortage at their facilities. It is believed that by the year 2020, over 44 states and the District of Columbia will be experiencing a shortage of registered nurses (Aiken et al. 2001). In 2000, the Department of Health and Human Services indicated that the demand for R.N. will reach 2 million while only 1.89 million were available resulting in a shortage of 110,000 or 6%. The department made the following projections that by 2020; the shortage of R.N. in relation to demand will reach 29% with over 1 million nursing positions will remain vacant (Chaguturu, 2005)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Aiken, L., Clarke, S., Sloane, D., Sochalski, J., Reinhard, B., Clarke, H. (2001). Nurses report on hospital care in five countries. Health Affairs, 43-52
• Asworth, P. (2000). Nurse Doctor Relationships: Conflict, Competition or Collaboration. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, 127-128
• Auerbach, D., Buerhaus, P., Staiger, D. (2007). Better Late Than Never: Workforce Supply Implications of Later Entry Into Nursing. Health Affairs, 178-185
• Borda, R. N. (1997). Factors influencing turnover and absense of nurses: a research review. International Journal of Nursing Studies , 385-394.
• Bower, F., McCullough, C. (2004). Nurse Shortage or Nursing Shortage: Have We Missed the Real Problem? Nurse Economics , 200-203

More papers on Nursing Shortage:

• Analytical Essay # 142071 : "The Impact of the Nursing Shortage"
• Analytical Essay # 130386 : "Approaches to the Nursing Shortage"
• Article Review # 142462 : "The Nursing Shortage: A New Perspective on a Persistent Issue"
• Analytical Essay # 132709 : "Nursing Shortage in the United States"

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