The Nursing Shortage - Essay Example

The nursing shortage problem is made worse through poor retention strategies of healthcare institutions. Taken as a whole, nursing professionals expressed better job and career satisfaction than professionals from several of the other fields. Finally, the average age of RN’s is on the rise. Moving on to the action required for easing the pressure on RN’s and preventing the shortage of RN’s in the long run, the authors recommend finding the means to eliminate the poor workplace environment for nurses; take measures to improve the contributions made by nursing to patient safety and quality of care of patients; maintain a long term perspective in all these aspects; take steps to enhance the capacity of nursing education programs; and accept that the nursing work force can change for the better.

In conclusion the authors suggest that complacency on the issue of nursing shortage should be avoided, and that nursing professionals can be assured of the recognition of society for their contributions, which would lead to society taking measures for improvement in work related issues of RN’s. . act on nursing, the changes required, and the transformational leadership that is required for leading the requisite changes in the profession of nursing. Nursing is an embattled profession in the U.S.A.

fighting the battle of nursing shortage. Yet, the policy solutions that have been set forth do not provide any positive feeling. In the opinion of the author this may be due to the negative nursing affectivity with which the problems faced by nursing is perceived. What is required is to perceive the requirement for nursing professional as a consequence of the generational changes that are occurring in American society. and the opportunity that it presents for nursing. An opportunity has been presented to nursing, but by living in the past of complaining about the shortage of nurses, and crying for more nurses, nursing is missing the boat.

Nursing leadership needs to recognize that there have been changes in the health delivery systems that have enhanced the complexity in the health delivery system. Consequently nursing has to change accordingly by arming itself with better expertise and competencies. This is the transformation thinking that is required in nursing leadership. The challenge can be met only by thinking out of the box, so that the profession is transformed into one capable of meeting the diverse and complex needs of society.

These diverse and complex needs include on one side profit of shareholders and return on investment on one side and cost considerations for the healthcare service users on the other hand. In conclusion the author opines that inculcating humanistic values with a focus on patient well-being is the need in the modern healthcare system. Nursing in collaboration with the medical profession is in a position to balance cost effectiveness with