Project-Methodology: The nursing shortage - NHS - Research Paper Example

Nurses are a valuable resource in the health sector and form part of the most important staff in the health sector. Inadequacy of nurses is caused by many factors. One of the most prevalent factor is the reduction in enrollment rates in nursing institutions. This reduction is leading to the existence of an ageing workforce which is inefficient and inflexible in the current routines and work schedules. Another cause of nurse shortages is poor work environment and staff welfare. Working environment is an element in any profession.

Good working conditions and environment gives employees morale and motivation to work hard thus leading to better service delivery. Another cause of nurse shortage is the closure of nursing institutions. In recent years, cases of closure of nursing institutions has been on the increase and is causing strife in the health sector. In addition to this, the temporary nature of the workforce used in the health sector is also causing nurse shortages. The NHS is using bank nurses and agency nurses in supplementing the available permanent nurses.

This scenario is causing challenges in scheduling and staff management and needs to be changed. Shortage of nurses has many effects to patient care and patient wellbeing. It has led to an increase in mortality rate, poor patient care, overcrowding in emergency rooms, poor physician satisfaction, poor patient satisfaction, and poor service delivery. This research report gives a detailed analysis of each of the impacts and gives the necessary precaution measures that will curb this problem. Nursing shortages in the 21st century is a growing problem in many countries (Vincent 2010).

Although many nursing institutions have been set up to curb this problem, the number of nurses in health facilities across the country is worrying. According to a report published by Royal College of nursing, at least 20000 nurses are needed to