The Nursing Shortage

The nursing profession is facing a shortage; experts believe that it will reach a crisis level in the next 10 to 15 years. Many of our colleagues are preparing for retirement, while others leave the field for various reasons, making this a problem that requires a lot of attention.
The Journal of Nursing Administration states in an August 2008 issue that “Research clearly links baccalaureate prepared nurses to lower mortality and failure to rescue rates. The latest studies published confirm the findings of several previous studies which link education level and patient outcomes. Efforts to address the nursing shortage must focus on preparing more baccalaureate prepared nurses in order to ensure access to high quality, safe patient care.”
According to a 2008 study by Johnson & Johnson, when patients and families are affected by illness, they instill a great level of trust in nurses. Nurses are on the front-line of health care, providing the comfort, care, and support that families need to heal. By the year 2020, more than 500,000 registered nurses will be needed to meet the fast growing demands of the nation's health care system. Interest in nursing careers remains strong, but nearly 30,000 qualified applicants were turned away from more than 400 entry-level nursing programs in 2008.
How do we resolve this shortage issue? It can be agreed that addressing this healthcare problem and fixing it will result in better patient care. All objectives should be geared towards providing the best patient care to the members of our communities.
According to an article by Johnson and Johnson, enrollment in nursing programs is on the rise for the eighth consecutive year. While this increase indicates a positive trend, it is not enough to meet future nursing workforce demands. Although the enrollment increase is welcome, there are insufficient to meet the projected demand for nursing clinicians, educators and researchers needed for the future. Lack of faculty, clinical sites and classroom space, along with budget cuts at nursing colleges are recognized as the main reasons for not accepting qualified applicants. For nursing schools to effectively address the current and future nursing shortage, ways must be found to expand student capacity and accommodate all qualified applicants.
A collective effort is required to find resolve to the nursing shortage, including using the current workforce more efficiently, retaining RNs that are currently employed, and expanding the size of the future workforce by funding educational programs and recruiting diverse population.
Christopher Musillo Esq. of the Hammond Law Group states in his immigration blog that many have looked at immigration reform as a means of solving the nursing shortage. Foreign nurses are eager to come to the United States and pursue careers in this field. Currently the US government has placed a retrogression act, making work visas unavailable to foreign nurses. This law prevents foreign workers from being able to render their services across all areas of the healthcare system.
Mr. Musillo continues to inform that several individuals are concerned that employing foreign trained nurses will decrease the amount jobs available to nurses who are citizens of the United States. Statistic have proven that there should be no cause for alarm due to the rapid turnover rate of nursing jobs, along with the inability of nursing schools to accept qualified applicants, and the projected increase of the nursing shortage. The problems involving nursing and staffing is both a short term as well as a long problem, and foreign nurses can be used as one of the ways to resolve this issue.
In conclusion, there are several objectives that influence different types of legislature to provide a better quality of care for patients. Having proper conditions, as well as adequate staffing will increase hospital efficiency, and decrease countless mistakes that are made as a result of lack of personnel. Efforts must focus on the fact that there is nothing more important than the health of individuals.



References
American Association of Colleges of nursing (2009). Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet. Retrieved on July 12, 2009. From: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media/pdf/NrsgShortageFS.pdf
Hammond, John S., Keeney, Ralph L., Raiffa, Howard (1999). Problem. Making Smart Choices. Boston, MA, Harvard Business School Press, p. 15 – 28.
Hammond, John S., Keeney, Ralph L., Raiffa, Howard (1999). Objectives. Making Smart Choices. Boston, MA, Harvard Business School Press, p. 29 – 43.
Johnson & Johnson Servicing Inc. (2008). Nurses Shine as America's Most Trusted Profession. Retrieved on July 12, 2009. From: http://www.discovernursing.com/newsletter_view.aspx?id=77
Musillo, Christopher Esq. (2009). National Nurses Week. Hammond Law Group Blog. Retrieved on July 12, 2009. From: http://hammondlawgroup.blogspot.com/