Challenges Facing Nurses

2672 Words11 Pages
There is little doubt there are serious issues facing the health care system and nurses alike. Three challenges facing nurses in the contemporary Australian health care system will be discussed. Firstly, the media often denigrates the shortages of beds, doctors and nurses within the health care system. Secondly, the ethical issues facing nurses and thirdly, the issues men face in nursing going relatively unnoticed. Having effective nursing staff can only bring a positive health outcome to people. However a better understanding of not only the staff shortages but also the ethical issues facing staff and the issues men face in nursing is vital to bringing those changes about. (Jackson & Haigh, 2009, pp.003-005)

In recent years, there has been a decline in nursing numbers across the whole of Australia and the impending aging of the baby boomers the demands for nurses can only grow.
Staff shortages have been put down to minimum entry openings in nursing schools and the baby boomers (nurses) who are reaching the age of retirement. This creates a snow ball effect; Nurses are leaving due to the added pressure being placed on them as older nurses retire and not enough new nurses replace them. By fixing just one of these issues will not place the health care system in any different position. (Nutt, 2009, p.1)
Nutt (2009 .p.1) stated that with the spot light firmly on nursing shortages, state governments across the country are under added pressure to revisit and amend legislation to combat nursing shortages by providing grants which are relevant to nursing schools in order to boost the number of students.

With the effect on staffing due to these issues it is obviously going to have an impact on patient care and further bed closures, perhaps even closure of some hospitals in smaller regions.
Cowin & Jacobson (2009. pp 20-24) state the Rights of nursing shortages

More about Challenges Facing Nurses

Open Document