Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Introduction on nurse shortage
Competency based interview essay
Essay on transformational leaders
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Introduction on nurse shortage
What is happening to our health care system? Things are not looking up for those in the nursing profession as the nursing shortage is expected to intensify. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projections, in 2022 there will be 1.05 million job openings Registered Nurses (RNs). Currently the turnover rates in hospitals are 8.9% to 34.3%, with a national turnover rate on average of 16.5%, a 1.8% increase from 2012 (Colosi, 2014).There are several factors that affect the shortage, such as: lacks of instructors to enable more people to enroll in nursing school, people are coming up for retirement, and an increase in turn over (Rosseter, 2014). Now is the time for leaders and managers in nursing to step up and not only recruit …show more content…
Using competency based interviews managers can identify team members that would fit in culturally; it includes behavioral questions and includes other nurses for a team interview (Cummins, n.d.). The expectations and rules the managers set should be communicated before offering a position, by doing so everyone who chooses to accept the position knows what is expected and should be held accountable to maintain those expectations. In addition managers maintain budgets, make sure staff is trained properly, monitor patient centered care, and, make sure team members have what they need to work efficiently (Frandsen, 2013 p.6). Managers need to know what needs to be done, how to do it, be able to make an action plan, carry out the action plan, focus on opportunities, and hold staff and themselves …show more content…
These types of leaders listen and help make the nursing unit like a family helping each other grow. Transformational leadership also builds relationships in addition to motivating team members through a shared vision and mission. Team members respect these types of leaders and are loyal to them. A democratic leader focuses on how to improve things when a mistake is made, instead of focusing on the person who made the mistake. Using all of these a tributes leaders can play an important role in retaining staff (Cummins,
The nursing shortage in the healthcare setting, can result in decreased quality of care with the patient and this can have a significant impact on the financial aspect of the organization. As time changes, there are more acute illnesses being presented in the hospital as a result of the patient prolonging to seek medical treatment. The delay in seeking medical treatment often stems from the patient not having health insurance and seeking home remedies as an alternate method of treatment. When the patient present to the hospital with multiple acute illnesses, the staff should be skilled, ready and available to render the necessary treatment for the patient. The idea of nursing shortage, poses the risk and outcome of poor
There is a shortage of all health care professions throughout the United States. One shortage in particular that society should be very concerned about is the shortage of Registered Nurses. Registered Nurses make up the single largest healthcare profession in the United States. A registered nurse is a vital healthcare professional that has earned a two or four year degree and has the upper-most responsibility in providing direct patient care and staff management in a hospital or other treatment facilities (Registered Nurse (RN) Degree and Career Overview., 2009). This shortage issue is imperative because RN's affect everyone sometime in their lifetime. Nurses serve groups, families and individuals to foster health and prevent disease.
The shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States has been a cyclical topic dating back to the 1960s. Only recently have employers in certain regions of the nation stated a decline in the demand for RNs. Consequently, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2014) report on 2012-2013 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, American nursing schools denied admission to 79,659 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2012. The reported decrease in job availability and rejected admissions has left many individuals to question if the nursing shortage still exists. On the other hand, some experts project that the United States will be short more than one million RNs by 2020 (Dolan, 2011). Although some parts of the country are in less of a demand than others, it is undeniable that there is a national shortage of RNs.
Recent literature reports that there is a nursing shortage and it is continually increasing. Data released by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2011) projects that the shortage, would increase to 260,000 by the year 2025. AACN (2011) also reported that 13% of newly registered nurses changed jobs and 37% were ready to change within a year. A study conducted reports that there is a correlation between higher nursing workloads and nurse burnout, retention rates, job dissatisfaction and adverse patient outcomes (Vahey & Aiken, 2004). Among the nurses surveyed in the study, over 40% stated that they were suffering from burnout while 1 in 5 nurses intended
The nursing shortage most likely does not mean a great deal to people until they are in the care of a nurse. The United States is in a severe nursing shortage with no relief in sight due to many factors compounding the problem and resulting in compromised patient care and nurse burnout. Nursing shortages have been experienced in the past by the United States and have been overcome with team effort. However, the current shortage is proving to be the most complex and great strides are being made to defeat the crisis before it becomes too difficult to change. Researchers anticipate that by 2010, the United States will need almost one million more registered nurses than will be available (Cherry & Jacob, 2005, p. 30).
Current literature continues to reiterate the indicators of a major shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States. The total RN population has been increasing since 1980, which means that we have more RNs in this country than ever before (Nursing Shortage). Even though the RN population is increasing, it is growing at a much slower rate then when compared to the rate of growth of the U.S. population (Nursing Shortage). We are seeing less skilled nurses “at a time of an increasingly aging population with complex care needs and an increasingly complex technological care environment” (Mion). According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Department of Health and Human Services, it is estimated that “more than a million new and replacement nurses will be needed over the next decade” (Diagnosis: Critical).
Within the nursing environment one thing that is certain is the constant changes in policies and procedures. It is imperative for the nurses to receive a certain level of support from their nurse leaders (Mullarkey et al., 2011). Establishing and creating human relationships is key in a well-balanced nurse leader. The transformational nurse leader is a perfect example of trustworthiness. This leadership style brings her staff together to work as a team while keeping them on track to reach the finish line (Mullarkey et al., 2011). The transformational leader honors good relationships while leading by example (Mullarkey et al., 2011). This gives staff in any healthcare setting the opportunity to trust in their nurse manager and work as a well-rounded employee (Mullarkey et al., 2011).
Since the 1990’s, the interest in nursing and the profession as a whole has decreased dramatically and is still expected to do so over the next 10-15 years according to some researchers. With this nursing shortage, many factors are affected. Organizations have to face challenges of low staffing, higher costs for resources, recruiting and reserving of registered nurses, among liability issues as well. Some of the main issues arising from this nurse shortage are the impact of quality and continuity of care, organizational costs, the effect it has on nursing staff, and etc. However, this not only affects an organization and community, but affects the nurses the same. Nurses are becoming overwhelmed and are questioning the quality of care that each patient deserves. This shortage is not an issue that is to be taken lightly. The repercussions that are faced by both nurses and the organization are critical. Therefore, state funding should be implemented to private hospitals in order to resolve the shortage of nurses. State funds will therefore, relieve the overwhelming burdens on the staff, provide a safe and stress free environment for the patient, and allow appropriate funds needed to keep the facility and organization operational.
The prolonged shortage of skilled nursing personnel has been a serious concern to the healthcare industry, and this shortage has impacted the quality of care delivery. In addition, nursing turnover has also exacerbated the problem of nursing shortage. Nursing shortage has been blamed on many nurses retiring and less younger nurses joining the occupation. There is also an increase in life expectancy (baby boomers) leading an increase in both physical and mental ailment with subsequent demand in nursing care. Nurses are also leaving nursing profession because of inadequate staffing, tense work environment, negative press about the profession, and inflexible work schedules. Even though nursing is a promising career and offers job security, the
...ills of the manager can be divided into simple categories of: leadership skills, people skills, budgeting and finance, quality of care skills, and information technology skills. According to Porter-O’Grady (1997, 1999), he observed that advanced knowledge of technology has provided and changed the traditional hierarchy of leadership (Susan O. Valentine, 2013). Today’s technology takes grammar, spelling, and punctuation to a new level of error prevention, which can help reach out to key individuals and other staff member’s. For nurse managers, people skills include interviewing new employees and conducting staff meetings with others on future employees. Understanding the financial state of a health care unit is vital in finding a way to help keep other nurses and to keep them satisfied. Managers should analyze the situation and the budget crisis of all employees.
In the leadership position, the nurse manager must be concerned with reducing incremental overtime for the common good in order for the unit to stay as it is and to prevent drastic changed that will make the nurses on the unit unhappy. The nurses are assigned hours based on availability and as a leader the nurse must realize that the overtime adds up and will eventually lead to decreased availability in hours and possible layoffs from the unit; therefore it is essential to complete tasks such as assessments, administering medications, documenting and providing basic care within the allotted time. When positive leaders create an encouraging and positive environment, then the nurses are more likely to comply. The nurses on the unit want to be motivated and inspired and that is where a leader can come in and give them encouragement and emphasize that they all want to achieve the same goal of providing excellent care in an appropriate amount of time, the end result is that there will be more hours available and rewards for those who are following the lead. The nursing manager cannot accomplish the task alone and as a leader, she must believe in the nursing team and each of the nurses on the unit to work towards the decreasing the incremental overtime. By believing in other people she can encourage the staff nurses and offer assistance by asking how they can work together to achieve this goal. Another important characteristic of a leader is being synergistic and bringing the team together to work towards the same goal. The nurse manager can bring the nurses together by reinforcing that it is a team effort and asking the nurses to step up and offer assistance when someone
AACN Element #II -I: Apply leadership skills and decision making in the provision of culturally responsive, high-quality nursing care, healthcare team coordination, and the oversight and accountability for care delivery and outcomes
Nurses have always been an undervalued asset to the health care industry; however, there is always a great need for them. With more uninsured Americans requiring safe, affordable medical care, the pressing issue of nursing education is not a priority (Aiken, 2011). Recently, there have been modifications taken place toward the current nursing shortage, the decrease of nursing graduates, a workforce that is becoming older, and other factors that influence nurse educator shortage (Baker, Fitzpatrick, & Griffin, 2011). Nurse educators are required to advise students, complete research, and perform committee work all while teaching (Baker, Fitzpatrick, & Griffin, 2011). They also have multiple jobs outside of practicing nursing and teaching. Nurse educators have stressful roles that hold many expectations, yet there is no independence in making their own decisions concerning things. Aiken (2011) suggests that the best way to begin combatting this shortage should include increasing the number of nurses who hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing from 50% to 80% by 2020 (p. 196). Forty-eight percent of nurse instructors are expected to be aged 55 and older and are predicted to retire by this time. (Baker, Fitzpatrick, & Griffin, 2011).
One of the negative trends heighted by HAP (2014) was that the number of licensed general acute care hospitals has declined by 13 percent since 2003. Unfortunately, this trend can increase the likelihood of adverse patient outcomes as there will be a lot of pressure on the hospitals. The number of acuity patients would outweigh the number of available hospitals needed to treat patients. Consequently, there would be poor patient outcomes. Keenan and Kennedy (2003) in the research, The Nursing Workforce Shortage: Causes, Consequences, Proposed Solutions, argued that acuity patients who in the past would have continued the early stages of their recovery in the hospital will now be discharged to skilled nursing facilities or to their homes as a result of the decline in acute care hospitals.
The Future of Nursing Being a registered nurse affords one the option of working in many diverse healthcare settings. In any practice setting, the climate of health care change is evident. There are diverse entities involved in the implementation and recommendation of these practice changes. These are led by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the Institute of Medicine (IOM), nursing campaign for action initiatives, as well as individual state-based action coalitions. Nurses need to be prepared and cognizant of the transformations occurring in health care settings, as well as the plans that put them at the forefront of the future.