Nursing Faculty Shortages - Assignment Example

Running Head: NURSING FACULTY SHORTAGES Nursing Faculty Shortages of the of the Nursing Faculty Shortages Historically, the nursing profession was perceived as an excellent choice for persons seeking, a flexible, challenging, and well-paying career. However, over the past decade enrolment into the profession has steadily declined. One must, therefore, ask why nursing staff has lost its appeal towards profession. Research suggests that several factors have contributed to declining enrolment, increased job dissatisfaction, and competition with other career opportunities. These factors include: work demands increasing and leading to burnout, increased complexity of work, not having enough time. Certainly in the past nursing, as portrayed by the media was not promising as it reflected casual or part-time work, and downsizing. Canada today is in the midst of a serious shortage of nurses that will continue to worsen in years to come. A comprehensive study was published by the Canadian Nurse Association that predicts a shortage of 59000 to 113000 nurses by the year 2011. At the same time while the demand continues to rise, fewer individuals are pursuing the nursing profession. Furthermore, the nursing workforce continues to grow older, in 2007 57966 nurses were over 50 years, compared with 48838 in 2002 a 19% increase. This issue in particular was chosen because of its relevance within the institution, as well as worldwide. After asking several nurse what they perceived to be the greatest issue, they all stated: lack of staffing as their primary response. The American Health Association conducted a poll in which, labor and nursing staff issues were the second biggest concern of senior healthcare officials. Nursing is known for having long hours, less pay, and a very stressful job. Older nurses leave the field as retirees. Because of decline in number of nurses, and constantly expanding hospital industry, the need for more nurses is growing rapidly. An average age of nurses is 44years. When senior nurse retires or decides to leave, there remain fewer qualified nurses even if the hospital wants to recruit more nurses they will still need time to learn the job and system. Another issue is less number of women are coming in nursing profession, as the economy has left the doors open for women where they can explore other trades or professions. A Nurse typically is responsible to take care of patients in a hospital 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With most women having kids at home, it is not very easy and appealing for them to work in this field where they have to take care of other peoples needs too. Residential health care, domiciliary care, and ambulatory services are relatively easy alternatives for a lesser stressful and in some instances higher paying job and their nurses get more time in order to balance their work and family life. According to a research almost 60% of nurses are apparently working outside hospitals. 40% of women are now registering themselves at medical schools and nursing seem to be the only alternative for women if they wanted to join the healthcare industry. Another reason for nurses to leave this profession is not enough staffing, that results in, having the nurses work heavier workloads. This was obvious as on several occasions a nurse would call in sick in the early morning, the supervisor not being able to find a replacement would ask the nurses to increase their already heavy workload. ‘Its a vicious cycle because nobody wants to enter a profession where you are overworked’. (Kramer, Marlene, 2005, pg188) In most of the hospitals nurses get paid the same amount of money whether the nurse to patient ratio is four to one or some times ten to one. Nurses that work in high nurse to patient ratios areas should be compensated as because of high number of patients nurses take the increased risk of patient safety. In order to make an impact on the nurse workforce, money needs to be redirected to make a significant change (Joint, 2006, pg.47). In a survey nurses were asked if they like their profession. Most of the nurses answered that they wished they get time to get out. As they tend to work so much, they dont have the necessary time to go back to school and learn another trade. When those nurses were asked what they don’t like about it, they didnt know where to begin. Generally, in order to properly identify and correct the problem, system needs to listen to the nurses. When we talk about why nurses are leaving their profession, there is another profession that needs to be assessed and modified in some ways. That profession is the medical profession it self. Physicians are taught that medicine dominates nursing because of societal values. The knowledge of processes of the body is far more than the ability to care for the diseased body and therefore medicine is valued more than nursing. Studies suggest that nursing is some where hidden behind medicine. Uncommonly, nursing is positioned and portrayed with respect to its relationship to scientific and medical discourse. The problem is not only how a physician views nurses, but how they view themselves. Nurses often times view themselves through the medical and scientific mode, an extension of the physician and at times feel undermined about the relevance or importance of what they do. This can be one of the many reasons that nurses lose or fail to develop an appreciation or value of the intrinsic worth of the work they do daily.( Jane Summer, 2007, pg 164)         Another researcher explained some of reasons for nurses leaving the profession, and reasons for the decline of people choosing the nursing profession as a career. The results of the survey showed that although there was a perceived increase in the staffing levels, it was still not adequate for good patient care. From 2005 to 2007 the nurses also observed a reduction in mandatory overtime, but an increase in the amount of voluntary overtime. Personally, few nurses perceive the main reasons for the shortage of nurses involved inadequate salary or benefits, but was more directly related to undesirable hours, and negative work environment. Following are the general recommendations for the shortage of nursing staff. These recommendations include: 1. To retain older and experienced registered nurses is very important. 2. Recruitment of new staff nurses, from a student’s perspective the graduate program is an excellent idea and opportunity for new grads as it allows for transition into a new position. 3. Professional development is an important aspect of nursing because in order to maintain the highest quality of care, ongoing professional development is necessary in order to enhance and advance their ongoing education and skills to keep up with the ever-expanding base of knowledge. 4. Respect and recognition. 5. Communication between management and staff 6. Increased work environment. And 7. From a student’s perspective compensation for the money spent enrolled in one of the most expensive faculties. References  Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Health Care at the Crossroads: Strategies for Addressing the Evolving Nursing Crisis. (Oakbrook Terrace, IL, JACHO, 2006). Jane Summer, PHD, RN; Judith Townsend-Roccbiccioli, PhD, RN Why are Nursing Leaving Nursing Nursing Administration, Volume 27 ,2007, No 2.pp164-171 Kramer, Marlene PhD, RN, FAAN; Schmalenberg, Claudia MSN,RN Revising the Essentials of Magnetism Tool: There is More to Adequate Staffing Than Numbers (2005) Journal of Nursing Administration Volume 35(4) P 188-189. Following are the sources Kramer, Marlene (2005) Journal of Nursing Administration Volume 35(4) P 188-189. There are numerous examples of nursing shortages and their effect. The example I wish to discuss relates to the patient and caregiver(s) directly complaining of lack of staffing. In caring for patients both on the inpatient and outpatient units I had been told on several occasions that the lack of staffing was taking its toll. This was evidenced in that some patients were not getting bathed as frequently as they should, the call bell would continue and that patient would complain that they had been calling for a long time, and not enough time was given to actually sit down and talk to the patient and caregiver(s). Recommendations in this case would include. Another example encountered during my practicum involves not enough staffing, therefore, having the nurses work heavier workloads. This was obvious as on several occasions a nurse would call in sick in the early morning, the supervisor not being able to find a replacement would ask the nurses to increase their already heavy workload. Furthermore, nurses were asked to remain an extra 4 hours where possible, or to come in on a day off. Joint 2006 Hospitals, Nursing schools, and the federal government need to take a closer look at enhancing hospital budgets and funding to create positions and scholarships for all levels of nursing education. It is recommended to provide accelerated programs and lower costs for nurses to achieve a higher level of education. These recommendations will in turn increase productivity throughout healthcare organizations because nurses are learning and building skills while actively working. It will also build hands on experience. The last recommendation is to establish financial incentives for investing in nursing. There are very few hospitals that have incentives to invest in the nursing staff and to improve patient safety and quality of care. For instance, nurses are paid the same whether their nurse to patient ratio is four to one or ten to one. Nurses that work in areas of high nurse to patient ratios need to be compensated due to high numbers of patients they take on and the increased risk of patient safety. In order to make an impact on the nurse workforce, money needs to be redirected to make a significant change. Jane Summer 2007 When looking at why nurses are leaving the profession, there are two other professions that need to be assessed and modified. The first one is the medical profession. Physicians are taught that medicine dominates nursing because of societal values. "The knowledge of processes of the body are far more then the ability to care for the diseased body and there fore medicine is valued more than nursing”. Chambliss has suggested that "nursing is hidden behind medicine". Researches indicate that uncommonly, nursing is positioned and portrayed with respect to its relationship to scientific and medical discourse. The problem is not just how physicians view nurses, but how they view themselves. Nurses often times view themselves through the medical and scientific mode, an extension of the physician and at times feel undermined about the relevance or importance of what they do. This can be one of the many reasons that nurses lose or fail to develop an appreciation or value of the intrinsic worth of the work they do daily. This further erodes the ability to "balance the negative demands with the positive rewards or meaningfulness of the work." The last organization that contributes to the nurses unhappiness is their own professional organizations. Nurses were born of the ideal that promoted abnegation of self in tender duty and obligation to others. In the past, great emphasis was placed on the physical care less rather then on the "whole" patient; in time the emphasis was placed on the whole patient which let the nurses focus on the emotional, psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patient. This in turn led to the involvement of the nurses emotional, psychosocial and spirituality. Any nurse has the possibility to fail if physicians, patients and administrators do not recognize the importance of the emotional, spiritual and psychosocial elements of nursing. Nineteenth century nursing or modern nursing as she calls it was premised on obedience and hard work. This could be one of the main obstacles in nursing if we are still referring to nineteenth century nursing as modern nursing. Technology, nurses and patients have evolved, it is high time for our own organizations to evolve as well. Read More