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Leadership and Management for Every Nurse
Importance of communication in nursing profession
Literature Review: The Impact of Nursing Shortages
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As the nursing shortage increases, the number of bedside nurses will decrease, which will place a burden on the nurses that remain within the hospital settings during a time that patients’ illness is more complex. For instance, patients are present within the hospital several types of diseases that require a variety of communication skills to obtain essential data to address the patients need. An example of this was presented within a simulation: The patient recovering from myocardial infarction (MI), a stent placed, diagnosed diabetic, blind, and living alone. This patient presents a multisystem of illnesses that require intense teaching and assistance from multiple sources; therefore, the patients’ outcome depends upon a multidisciplinary
Although nurses do not wield the power of doctors in hospital settings, they are still able to effectively compensate for a doctor’s deficits in a variety of ways to assure patient recovery. Nurses meet a patient’s physical needs, which assures comfort and dignity Nurses explain and translate unfamiliar procedures and treatments to patients which makes the patient a partner in his own care and aids in patient compliance. Nurses communicate patient symptoms and concerns to physicians so treatment can be altered if necessary and most importantly, nurses provide emotional support to patients in distress.
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).
In most aspects of life the saying “less is always more” may ring true; however when it comes to providing quality care to patients, less only creates problems which can lead to a decrease in patient’s quality of life as well as nurse’s satisfaction with their jobs. The massive shortage of nurses throughout the United States has gotten attention from some of the most prestigious schools, news media and political leaders. Nurses are being burnt out from their jobs, they are being overworked and overlooked. New nurses are not being properly trained, and old nurses are on their way to retirement. All the while the rate of patient admissions is on the rise. Nurses are reporting lower satisfaction in their job positions and hospital retention rates are at an all-time low, conversely this is affecting all patients’ quality of care. As stated in the article Addressing The Nurse Shortage To Improve The Quality Of Patient Care “According to an Institute of Medicine report, Nurses are the largest group of health care professionals providing direct patient care in hospitals, and the quality of care for hospital patients is strongly linked to the performance of nursing staff”.
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.
“Communication is the heart of nursing… your ability to use your growing knowledge and yourself as an instrument of care and caring and compassion” (Koerner, 2010, as cited in Balzer-Riley, 2012, p. 2). The knowledge base which Koerner is referring to includes important concepts such as communication, assertiveness, responsibility and caring (Balzer-Riley, 2012). Furthermore, communication is complex. It includes communication with patients, patient families, doctors, co-workers, nurse managers and many others. Due to those concepts and the variety of people involved, barriers and issues are present. Knowing how to communicate efficiently can be difficult.
Nurses around the world collaborate with various providers and partners to address multiple challenges in the community. With emphasize on health promotion and disease prevention, nurses have an important role in delivering nursing services in the community and in the home. Challenges that impact the overall health of the community can arise from unequal access to health care or lack of insurance causing individuals do not receive healthcare. However, all nurses can help improve health outcomes and help to prevent and manage diseases. With the help of community health nurses, public health nurses, and home health nurses, the ability to provide safe and effective care for all sectors of health is possible.
In the nursing profession, communication is a tool to be used effectively in shift-to-shift report to ensure continuity of care and patient safety (Matic, Davidson, & Salamonson, 2010, p. 184). Benson, Rippin-Sisler, Jabusch, and Keast (2007) explain “for a report to be meaningful, the information passed along to the receiver must be done in a way that is effective and efficient; otherwise, the point of communicating the information may be lost” (p. 80). The Joint Commission (TJC) defines barriers in communication as a leading threat to patient safety (Matic et al., 2010, p. 185). Patient safety and continuity of care can be maintained by implementing a handoff communication tool and bedside nurse-to-nurse handoff.
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).
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.
Communication encompasses a wide range of processes such as the exchange of information, listening, posing of questions (Fleischer et al., 2009) or use of body language. In a healthcare environment where there are constant interactions among nurses, doctors, patients and other health professionals, professional and effective communication is important in ensuring high quality healthcare standards and meeting the individual needs of patients.
Communication is one of the processes needed in humans. Without communication we can not meet our survival needs and relationships in our daily lives. Plus it is also a means of sharing information or feelings between two or more people. It is used to criticize human relations including nursing career capacity. This communication process especially effective builds a trusting relationship between patient and nurse.
The medical field changes so fast that the past is mostly irrelevant to what is to come. Nursing is one of the fields within the medical field that must adapt to all the changes that will occur over the coming years. As Margaret McAllister said it in Newton’s Cradle: A Metaphor to Consider the Flexibility, Resistance, and Direction of Nursing’s Future, “Nursing does not have a crystal ball with which to see the future with certainty and know what challenges and opportunities it will face in the years ahead” (McAllister 2013). Throughout the last 15 years, there has been several changes within the medical field and its progress especially with the advancement of technology. Not only that but the way nursing has evolved including dress code, the amount of effort given, care provided, the education
Nowadays patients have complex medical needs that tend to require the attention of multiple healthcare professionals. When a patient is under
Nursing is a very complex career. It involves several different kinds of skills. Perhaps one of the most important skills is communication. In the healthcare setting, there are multiple disciplines that come together to care for patients. With this kind of care, communication between each discipline is crucial to ensure that everyone is properly caring for the patient. The nurse is the health care provider that is at the bedside of the patient the most and has the most direct contact with the loved ones of the patient.
Thinking about going into the nursing field? If so I hope you are the type of person who