There is currently a larger nurse-to-patient ratio than most nurses would like. Along with the stress and long hours associated with the career choice of nursing, nurse burnout is a very common complaint in today’s society. Nurses often complain of being short staffed and having too large of a patient load. Interest in this topic comes from wanting to pursue management at some point in my career and working on a floor in which a second shift nurse could have twelve patients. Not only will nurses feel better, but better patient outcomes occur when units are better staffed.
Mariama Koroma 09-22-09 Topic: The Impact Of Shortage Of Nurses Thesis Statement: The need for professional nurses is growing but the number of nurses continues to decline; this paper will take a careful look at the impact of the shortage of nurses in health care delivery. The growing professional shortage presents the most significant problem for the health care system today. An adequate supply of professional nurses is vital in ensuring access to quality in health care now and to the patient in the future. Study has shown that the labor market has undergone significant changes during the last decade. According to the study in the early 1990s(……………………………...) there was national shortage of professional nurses(…….).
Henry is not so convinced and as the procedure looms closer he asks his nurse to help him make a decision on whether or not to go ahead with the procedure. The conclusion will involve how the nurse negotiates with Henry and what outcomes will be possible for Henry and his daughter. It is the responsibility of the nurse and multi-disciplinary teams to identify and protect vulnerable patients. Defining what is vulnerable is very difficult; The Department of Health (DOH ) describe a vulnerable adult as “a person aged 18 years and over, who is in receipt of or may be
a pilot study by the National Nursing research unit, at King’s College london, has shown that interruptions are contextually dependent on ward layout, patient care, trust or ward protocols and the seniority of the nurses undertaking the tasks involved. interruptions affect staff cognitively by interfering with working memory, causing lack of focus (Potter et al 2005) and invoking feelings of frustration and stress. however, it must be noted that interruptions in healthcare settings may sometimes be essential to good staff communication so that harm and error can be minimised or eradicated. 22 February 2010 | Volume 16 | Number 9 The evidence of the contribution to medication administration errors of interruptions to nurses’ work examined by the authors included systematic
There is not enough nurses educated and trained to handle such an influx and the salary of current nurses is under debate. Another trend that is contributing to the nursing shortage is the wages nurses are receiving. Though wages have increased for nurses over the years, they are still behind inflation (Business Week, 2007). Nurses are still expected to give a high-rate of care to their patients in difficult working conditions like being understaffed or overworked. For the amount of work a nurse is expected to do and to do in such difficult working conditions, pay is an important factor to consider when entering this profession.
Policy problem and goal: The quality of health care provided by nurses at hospital facilities has always been a point of controversial discussion in the United States (US), and even more so with the decline in the availability of qualified nurses and an increase in nurses that are overworked. The US, often referred to as a mecca for its world class hospitals and patient care facilities, is facing the worst shortage of qualified nurses in its history. Most hospitals in the nation are running on reduced nursing staff and often have to overwork their nursing staff to meet the demands of patient care. Research has shown that by reducing the number of nurses, patient outcomes deteriorate and length of stay increases (Garretson, 2004). Reducing nurse staffing can lead to overworked nurses, low staff morale, less patient satisfaction, and errors and more malpractice suits, which can raise the costs much more than hiring more nurses (Garretson).
Running head: NURSING STAFF SHORTAGES Nursing Staff Shortages: Why is There a Problem and What Can be Done to Solve It? Wendy Allen Troy University NURSING STAFF SHORTAGES ABSTRACT Nursing staff shortage is a large problem in today’s healthcare environment. There are fewer nursing students as a result of their being fewer nurses. The population is aging, which is creating a larger demand for healthcare services. Healthcare organizations are finding it difficult to provide quality healthcare services in a timely manner due to the nursing staff shortages.
However, when speaking to a client, using jargon and medical terms can be considered as inappropriate and confusing for the people involved. When Patients come into a hospital, they are concerned with their health and they would want to know as much information as a nurse can give them. By using the correct language, and knowing how much information to divulge, a nurse can positively contribute to the care of their client. (Wright, Lorraine M.; Leahey, Maureen. 2009).
Verbal communication is either done face to face or on the telephone. Non-verbal communication is done through body language, hand gestures and movements; which takes up to 80% of communication. (Wadsworth, 2009). If you are unable to communicate in a good manner with a patient this could damage the relationship between the two and result in the patient unable to have a level of trust with the nurse. The purpose of this essay is to explore the importance good communication skills has within the nursing profession.
Some medications must be given at specific time, so it imperative to provide the medication to the patient at the correct time. In conclusion, nurses are the first and last line of defense in reducing medication errors. When administering medication nurses should practice the five rights of medication which are the right patient, the right drug, the right dose, the right route, and the right time. (Choo et al., 2010) No matter how much experience a nurse has, they are still humans and may make mistakes, but medication errors are preventable. Taking simple steps such as following the “five