Analysis of Nursing Care in the US - Term Paper Example

? Introduction Health care in the United s is presented by many separate ized entities. Health care amenities are mostly possessed and managed by the private segment. Health insurance is now mainly obtainable by the government in the public sector, with 60-65% of healthcare condition and expenditure coming from programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, the Children's Health indemnity Program, and the Veterans Health Administration. Nursing is a healthcare profession focus mainly on the care of individuals, relations, and communities so they may reach, preserve, or recuperate optimal health and excellence of life from conception to death. Nurses work in a large variety of specialties where they job separately and as part of a team to assess, plan, put into practice and assess care. Nursing Science is a field of knowledge based on the assistance of nursing scientists throughout peer-reviewed academic journals and evidenced-based practice (Murray, 2007 ). Defining the Issue Active debate are being carried out about health care reform in the United States concerns questions of a right to health care, right of entry, fairness, competence, cost, option, value, and quality. Some have argued that the organization does not bring equivalent value for the money spent. The USA pays twice as much yet lags in the rear other wealthy nations in such measures as infant death and life expectancy. Presently, the USA has an elevated infant mortality rate than most of the world's industrialized nations. This paper is aimed to identity the main health care issue prevailing in United States and how does that issue effect nursing practice (Higginbottom, 2010). Political Background Millions of sick people who cannot have enough money for medical care are greatly pouring into emergency rooms, which by law cannot send them away. Adding to the misery, by 2015, the National Coalition on Health Care anticipated that the government will have to double healthcare expenditure to $4 trillion per year, or 20% of the nation’s budget. With millions of uninsured people incapable to access proper healthcare, overstretched hospitals and increasing costs, America’s healthcare system is in danger (Steinwachs, 1994). Social Background The USA is the only well-off, developed nation that does not make certain that all citizens have exposure (i.e., some kind of private or public health insurance). In 2004, the Institute of Medicine report observed "lack of health insurance causes approximately 18,000 needless deaths every year in the United States." while a 2009 Harvard study anticipated that 44,800 excess deaths occurred yearly due to lack of health insurance (Elizabeth Morrow, 2012 ). Though the United States has the most costly healthcare system in the world, 47 million Americans have no health insurance. Healthcare is the nation’s leading economic sector, accounting for over $2 trillion in annual expenditures four times larger than national defense (Ginzberg, 1998). Yet millions cannot have enough money to take care of their health requirements. And the prospects are getting poorer. During the past eight years, insurance premiums have almost increased, resulting in health insurance increasing farther out of reach for millions. Growing medical bills are gradually more leaving families drowning in debt. Unfortunately, one-half of all personal bankruptcies are originated by medical bills, according to the organization of Health Care for All (Melanie Jasper, 2008 ). Economic Background The U.S. spends a high percentage of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on healthcare than other developed countries; in 2003, it was 15%, versus an average of 8.6% in the OECD nations (the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, a grouping of major industrialized countries). The United States also use more per capita than any other industrialized country, spending $5,635 per capita in 2003, versus the OECD’s $2,307. And joined with high expenditures is the elevated cost of care for individuals. The reasons for the towering cost of care in the U.S. include factors such as the increasing cost of expertise and prescription drugs, and high administrative costs from the countries multifaceted multiple payer system. Approximately one-third (31%) of all healthcare dollars are spent on managerial costs. Further, another 10% of U.S. expenses are spent on “self-protective medicine”, the expensive tests by doctors, afraid of missing anything, who risk being sued for misconduct (Elizabeth Morrow, 2012 ). Ethical Concerns Foreign nurses that travel from developing countries to fill the nursing scarcity of urbanized nations follow their own economic, career, and lifestyle interests but there are risks for immigrant nurses. Regrettably the media and scholars alike have remained comparatively silent on the ethical concerns connecting the possible exploitation of foreign nurses. On the height of national sovereignty and universal equality, there are ethical concerns about the pull of developed nations on developing countries' skilled workers and assets (Mcmanus & Pohl, 1994). U.S. inducements such as signing bonuses can be seen as endorsing a brain drain. The recruitment incentives and improved wages with benefits were aimed at motivating people to adopt the nursing profession (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee , 2012, p. 314). Nursing shortages have been linked to these factors which are: patient workloads, Increased risk for fault, thus compromising patient safety, Increased risk of diffusing infection to patients and staffs (Barton, 2009), Increased risk for occupational injury, raise in nursing proceeds, thereby leading to better costs for the employer and the health care system, Increase in nurses' awareness of unsafe working conditions, contributing to augmented shortage and hindering local or national staffing efforts. According to Dr. Butts that “I believe that nurses and advanced practice registered nurses are not educationally adept in ethics for professional ethical practice for two reasons” (Chism, 2012 ) Possible Options/Alternatives for Resolving the Issue Experts offer many theories as possible solutions. One that seems to be gaining support is a single-payer scheme, a common form of government-provided healthcare, comparable to Canada and certain Western European nations. Under this scheme, the federal and state governments play the main role in providing healthcare. Advocates of this thinking consider it will resolve the problems of cost, access and fairness (Emmis Communications, Jun 2004). Other solutions include growing Medicare to the entire populace. Some favor price controls and imposing strict budgets. For instance “the lack of affordable drug therapy for individuals and the cost of coverage through public programs such as Medicaid have prompted state actions, including price control legislation and antitrust cases” (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee, 2012, p. 423). Others suppose that free market antagonism is the way to go. A general thread exists among the well-liked solutions accessible: to make a better healthcare system. There is a reason for every effect. Many concerned people and groups put effort to resolve problems by dealing with the symptoms rather than the cause. The country’s healthcare problems will not be resolved by more money, easier admission to providers, a more well-organized administration, greater government participation, or any other resolution that address the symptoms. (Higginbottom, 2010) True advancement will be achieved only when people take personal liability for improving their health. This involves consuming an appropriate diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, living less traumatic lives and, most prominently, obeying the laws and principles of God, which were intended to benefit human beings both physically and spiritually (Elizabeth Morrow, 2012 ). These changes insist a level of character and promise so lacking today. Too many are eager to blame “the system” for their troubles rather than take personal liability. Until these steps are taken which will put up sound lives, resulting in vibrant health and, consequently, a lesser need for healthcare the crisis will not be solved (Murray, 2007 ). Option/Alternative to Have the Greatest Impact on the Profession of Nursing The U.S. healthcare system is fatigued by a constant nursing shortage that threatens the excellence of patient care (McFartane et al., 2004) even as tens of thousands of people are turned away from nursing schools, according to specialist. Here’s what the U.S. must be doing to begin receiving more nurses into our overworked hospitals. 1. Streamlining Nursing Education: We require nursing schools, teachers, and apprentice space. Preparing graduates with the required competencies for assuming a leadership role in the development of health policy also requires that students must be provided with opportunities to contrast with the major contextual factors and policy triggers which will influence health policy making at several levels (Chism, 2012 ). 2. Implement Nursing Residencies: Doctors enjoy a three to four year planned residency after graduation to help evolution into physicians. Nursing grads are getting decreased with little or no training. As a result, 20% of new nurses give up within the first year. One hospital reported decreasing their turnover rate from 22% to 10% after 18 months. 3. Encourage everyone to Become Nurses: Groups such as Nurses for a Healthier Tomorrow elevate attention in nursing groups for high school and middle school students, aiming male students would also assist. According to Ms. Klemezak, in her interview every nurse and every nursing student to select one and become active in any way possible (Chism, 2012 ). References Chism, L. A. (2012 ). The Doctor of Nursing Practice. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Elizabeth Morrow, A. B. (2012 ). Handbook of User Involvement in Nursing and Healthcare Research. John Wiley & Sons. Emmis Communications. (Jun 2004). Save The World. Atlanta . Melanie Jasper, M. J. (2008 ). Effective Healthcare Leadership. John Wiley & Sons. Murray, P. J. (2007 ). Nursing informatics 2020. IOS Press. 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