Solutions to Shortage of Nurses in Healthcare Sector - Essay Example

"Solutions to Shortage of Nurses in Healthcare Sector" is a wonderful example of a paper on care. Considered as one of the most important aspects in the sustenance of life, healthcare has in the past been faced with numerous challenges that have significantly contributed towards the reduction in quality delivery. Of the various challenges that the healthcare sector faces, the shortage of nurses has indeed been one of the greatest. The shortage of professional nurses, which remains a great challenge in the healthcare sector, is caused by a number of factors that if properly tackled, could change the face of the healthcare sector immensely. Despite the shortage of nurses proving to be a challenge in the sector, there are a number of solutions that would work to tackle the challenge.

Some of the solutions include proper recruitment and retention mechanisms, improvement of the nurses’ working conditions, better remuneration for the nurses, and providing nursing awareness to students for more to pursue nursing courses (Starnes-Ott and Kremer, 2007). Considering the harsh working conditions faced by those in the nursing profession, many nurses usually opt to have early retirements in order to venture into other activities that are considered more satisfying than the poor environment in healthcare. Additionally, poor remuneration also contributes towards the increased exodus from the practice. With a change in the welfare management of the nurses, it is evident that the shortages being faced currently would substantively reduce (ESHC, 1992). Nurses usually work tirelessly and through sacrifice in order to provide the best of healthcare services, and therefore, should receive an equal appreciation through receiving better pay for the services they render (Coates, 2004).

            Currently, a number of healthcare institutions are in the process of implementing some of the strategies that prove to offer solutions towards the increased shortage of nurses that is currently being faced by a number of the institutions. Some institutions have instituted medical colleges within the institutions, which works to offer sufficient qualified nurses to curb the shortages that they currently face. Despite facing a few challenges, the strategy has picked well, only requiring some adjustments in order to fully cater to the shortage. The offering of better remuneration and incentives to nursing employees has also contributed towards the reduction of the nurses’ shortage in a number of healthcare institutions (ESHC, 1992). Better treatment of nurses creates a better working environment for the nurses and hence acts as a retention strategy that limits instances of early retirement by nurses in order to venture into other activities that offer better pay in comparison to the peanuts in the healthcare sector (Starnes-Ott and Kremer, 2007). Increased creation of awareness among students has also proved to be a working strategy that is currently under implementation in many healthcare institutions. Previously, there had been a notion that nursing career was marred by a number of challenges, and therefore, a number of students preferred other courses to nursing. With increased awareness among the students about the benefits of pursuing nursing as a career, a majority of them are currently enrolling in various medical schools to pursue nursing courses (Robinson, 2010).

            Despite the numerous alternatives developed to curb the rising shortage of nurses in the healthcare sector, the most effective plan that would go a long way into providing a lasting solution is the provision of universal healthcare services. With the provision of a healthcare system of service delivery, a number of factors that currently contribute towards the creation of shortages in the healthcare sector are limited. With a universal system, services are subsidized, which significantly makes improvements in the sector (Robinson, 2010). Additionally, the working conditions and remuneration of nurses are also catered for as the government plays a substantive role in the management of the system, which indeed improves the services (Coates, 2004). A good example of the universal healthcare system is the Obama Care that is currently under implementation.

 

 

 

 

 

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