An Analysis of the Effects of the Nursing Shortage on the Nursing Profession and Patient Care

The aging Baby Boomer population poses challenges for healthcare systems around the world Resulting from the rapid growth of senior citizen patients who are in need of continual medical services, the healthcare systems in many countries are faced with shortages in nursing personnel.This shortage has led to a reduced nurse-to-patient ratio that compromises job satisfaction for nurses and the quality of care for patients. Yet, while the burdens placed upon nurses and patients create undesirable risks, the healthcare shortage is also potentially beneficial because it can encourage administrative reforms that will increase the efficiency of the medical system and produce better outcomes for both nurses and patients.

Working in an understaffed medical facility can be a cause of frustration for many healthcare workers. Thus, a primary consequence of nurse shortages is that it may decrease the job satisfaction of existing nurses and compound the problem of high turnover in the field. In a study of oncology nurses, Gi, Devi, and Kim (2011) demonstrate the detrimental effect that working in understaffed facilities can have on job satisfaction. As a survey of oncology nurses revealed, 51 percent reported that they were unsatisfied with the staffing levels at their facility and 50 percent stated that they lacked time to complete their work (Gi et al., 2011, p. 10). Further, the researchers reported that a high level of oncology nurses expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs (Gi et al., 2011, p. 10). Of those surveyed, only 32 percent states that they would remain in their specialty and 39.5 percent expressed that they were unsure whether they wished to maintain their job for the following year (Gi et al., 2011, p. 10). Evaluating additional studies on oncology nurses in the United States, Gi et al (2011) reported that 60 percent of oncology nurses were dissatisfied with staffing and one-third of those surveyed would not recommend the nursing profession to students (p. 11). As the research demonstrates, inadequate staffing caused by nursing shortages decreases the satisfaction of nurses on the job as well as their esteem for their profession.

When healthcare facilities are faced with a shortage of nurses, they must often increase the caseload for current nurses who are working in the facilities. While increasing the workload of nurses may be a short-term solution to nursing shortages, it can cause negative health outcomes for patients seeking care.  As Twigg, Duffield, Thompson, and Rapley argued, an insufficient nurse-to-patient ratio might be detrimental to patients because of the critical role that nurses play in the healthcare system.  As the researchers noted, nurses are often the members of a healthcare team who are positioned to intervene and detect complications when a patient is receiving care (Twigg et al., 2010, p. 313).  Quality interaction with nurses has been shown to reduce the prevalence of complications, including deep vein thrombosis, surgical wound infection, pulmonary failure, and cardiac arrest (Twigg et al., 2010, p. 313).  Because nurses are in the best position to make observations on patients, increased interaction between nurses and patients in the intensive care unit has been demonstrated to reduce patient deaths (Twigg et al., 2010, p. 313).  Nurses play an essential role in monitoring a patient’s progress and ensuring that they are properly recovering from treatment.

Along with addressing the importance of nurses in a medical facility, the research demonstrates the consequences to patients when the number of nurses on staff is reduced.  Research demonstrated that increasing the nurse-to-patient ratio rates is correlated with reduced mortality rated and a decreased length of stay for patients in the hospital (Twigg et al., 2010, p. 313).  Further, research revealed that each patient added to a nurse’s caseload correlated to a 7 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would die within one month of being admitted (Twigg et al., 2010, p. 314).  Clearly, receiving adequate attention from nurses is crucial to a patient’s care and can significantly impact his or her outcomes.

While the detrimental impact of nursing shortages on nurses and patients needs to be addressed, there are also some advantages to the nursing shortage that healthcare administrators can take advantage of.  North and Hughes (2012) identified several innovated approaches that the nursing profession adopted in order to address nursing shortages.  For example, in the United Kingdom, the health system adopted technologies that decreased paperwork for nurses so that they could spend 20 percent more time interacting with patients (North & Hughes, 2012).  Further, United Kingdom hospitals utilized nursing teams in order to empower nurses to take part in innovating their approach to patient care in their wards (North & Hughes, 2012).  As North and Hughes (2012) noted, the scarcity created by the nursing shortage has motivated facilities to adopt technologies that perform non-essential tasks that were previously performed by nurses (North & Hughes, 2012).  The adaptations are just some of the retention strategies that will be developed in response to the nursing shortage can enhance the job satisfaction of nurses by eliminating mundane tasks.  Further, patients will benefit from access to improved technology and efficient services.

The problems created by the shortage of nursing professionals are well documented.  Faced with a stressful work environment, many nurses are unsatisfied with their job and may be motivated to leave the profession.  Further, a survey of nurses reveals that many acknowledge that patients are not receiving adequate care when hospitals and medical facilities are understaffed.  Yet, while these problems need to be addressed, there are also some opportunities that healthcare professionals can take advantage of to remedy the shortage.  The shortage of nurses can increase the motivation to adopt efficient practices that will improve both the job quality of nurses and the quality of care received by patients.  Thus, the nursing shortage can be transformed into a positive event if healthcare professionals take advantage of the opportunity to adopt innovations that improve the healthcare system.

References

Gi, T.S., Devi, M.K., & Kim, E.A.N. (2011). A systematic review on the relationship between the nursing shortage and job satisfaction, stress and burnout levels in oncology/haematology settings. Adelaide: Joanna Briggs Institute. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14777261211230772

North, N., & Hughes, F. (2012). A systems perspective on nursing productivity. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 26(2), 192-214. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14777261211230772

Twigg, D., Duffield, C., Thompson, P.L., & Rapley, P. (2010). The impact of nurses on patient morbidity and mortality – the need for a policy change in response to the nursing shortage. Australian Health Review, 34(3), 312-6. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14777261211230772