Nursing Shortage According to Nictitas, Middaugh, and Aries (2106), nurses are the largest segment of the healthcare workforce and are indispensable when it comes to quality patient care, patient safety, and patient satisfaction. It is projected by 2020; there will be a shortage of over 500,000 nurses (Nictitas, Middaugh & Aries, 2016). A shortage of this magnitude will have a negative impact on our healthcare system. This paper will attempt to reflect on the issues that have resulted in the nursing shortage and discuss the future of the nursing profession.
History and Issues The nursing profession, which has primarily been a profession for women, has been around since the 1800’s. Unfortunately, nurses have not always been well
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The nursing faculty shortage has compounded the nursing shortage since there are not faculty to teach the students. According to Nardi and Gyurko (2013), over 75,000 applicants to nursing programs are denied acceptance due to lack of nursing faculty, clinical sites, and budget constraints. Factors that influenced the faculty shortage included: aging faculty, reduced qualified members in the hiring pool, poor salaries, lack of funding for full-time positions and job dissatisfaction. According to Allen (2008), the nursing shortage will continue to increase healthcare cost, increase the potential risk of harm or injury to patients and decrease access to …show more content…
The nation’s health is at risk and nurse should be encouraged to continue their education. Advancing educational levels help to prepare nurses for leadership roles and encourage autonomy in the nursing profession and practice. With health care policy constantly changing it is imperative nurses begin to design and advocate for healthcare policy to decrease or eliminate health care inequities. The American Nurses Association’s current definition of nursing is “the protection, promotion and optimization of health abilities prevention of illness and injury alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities and populations” (Nickitas, Middaugh & Aries, 2016, pg.