Nursing Shortages

All regions, every state and the nation face a ruthless shortage of a multitude of health care workers. The health care workforce is searching hard to fill the gaps. The factors that contribute to these shortages are diverse and intricate, and have the potential to demoralize the condition of quality health care.

Among the many workforce shortages the health care industry will face is in nursing. A shortage in the nursing field will affect the industry as a whole, from the administration, allied health and physicians. It is easy to see how a nursing shortage is something that should be avoided and remedied. One of the many external factors that are leading to the nursing shortage is the increased number of baby boomers, or the aging population (Courchane, 2011). It is estimated that approximately 78 million baby boomers will reach the age of 65 by the year 2030, which makes them eligible for Medicare (Courchane, 2011).

The aging population is both a positive effect and a negative effect to the health care work force. As the population ages, there will be a number of health care workers that will be retiring, and a need to fill those positions. However, this will also negatively impact the work force because it will cause the shortages to be greater and harder to fill more positions.

With a nursing shortage, the nurses that are working have to work longer hours and more shifts (Courchane, 2011). This causes nurses to be unhappy, tired and over worked. Patients tend to see these types of things, especially when it comes to their quality of care. Other staff, who work with the nurses, can also feel and see the over tiredness, and how they are over worked as well. They receive the blunt end of it.

Without the appropriate number of nurses to take care our many patients, the quality of care is going to come to an all time low. One way to help fix the shortage is to recruit and improve the education programs offered for nursing. Universities and education programs that offer nursing programs currently do not have enough staff or teachers for these programs, and have to turn away applicants. It is important, if the shortage is to be fixed, to properly staff these programs, recruit for educators, and recruit for possible applicants and then train them properly.

As a worker in the health care industry, you learn that patient care and satisfaction always comes first. With a shortage of workers, it is hard to maintain their satisfaction and care. The quality of care is the first thing that is damaged, and that is the most important thing about health care.

References

Courchane, C. (2011, June 6). With nurse shortage looming, America needs shot in the arm. Retrieved from The Washington Times: http://www.washingtontimes.com