NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 2

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4000 Developing a Nursing Perspective

Prof. Name

Date

Applying Research Skills

The shortage of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and allied health workers, is a critical issue worldwide, particularly in the United States. This crisis has led to increased workloads and burnout among existing healthcare personnel, ultimately affecting the quality of patient care and escalating healthcare costs. One of the primary contributors to this shortage is the high turnover rate among nurses, with projections indicating that nursing levels could decline by approximately 7.61 million by 2030. In the U.S., the nurse turnover rate currently stands at 26.9% (Ren et al., 2024). Addressing this workforce shortage is essential to enhancing patient safety and healthcare service delivery. A lack of sufficient nursing staff increases patient mortality risk by 2.1% to 3.2% (Griffiths et al., 2023). This assessment focuses on the development of an annotated bibliography to explore the healthcare workforce crisis, particularly its impact on nursing.

Personal Interest and Professional Experience

The issue of workforce shortages is of personal and professional interest due to its profound impact on both healthcare workers and patient outcomes. Staff shortages create immense pressure, leading to job dissatisfaction, increased turnover rates, and compromised quality of care. My professional experience in healthcare has provided firsthand exposure to the challenges faced by understaffed medical facilities, where nurses and doctors are often required to manage excessive patient loads. During my nursing practice, I encountered situations where a shortage of staff led to physical exhaustion, heightened stress levels, and ultimately, burnout. This negatively affected job satisfaction and the quality of patient care. Such experiences highlight the urgent need to address workforce shortages, as they directly impact both the physical and emotional well-being of healthcare professionals and the overall efficiency of healthcare services.

Research and Selection Process

The research process involved an extensive search for relevant articles on healthcare workforce shortages, with a particular focus on nursing understaffing. Online databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, and ProQuest were used to identify high-quality sources. The research strategy was formulated using specific keywords, including “healthcare workforce shortage,” “nurse and physician shortage,” and “solutions to healthcare staffing crisis.” The search process encountered some challenges in identifying the most relevant resources, which were mitigated using Boolean operators such as “AND” and “OR.” Additional keywords used to refine the search included “staffing shortage and patient safety,” “nurse shortage and burnout,” and “staff retention and care quality.” Filters were applied to ensure the selection of peer-reviewed articles published within the last five years. After an in-depth search, three peer-reviewed articles were chosen, each addressing workforce shortages and potential solutions.

Assessing the Credibility and Relevance of Sources

To ensure the credibility and relevance of the selected sources, the CRAAP test was applied. This framework evaluates sources based on Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose (Muis et al., 2022). Currency was assessed by prioritizing articles published within the past five years, ensuring the information was up to date. Relevance was determined by evaluating how well the articles addressed the issue of workforce shortages and their impact on healthcare. Authority was verified by examining the qualifications of the authors and the credibility of the journals in which the studies were published. Accuracy was established by reviewing whether the articles provided evidence-based findings supported by credible citations. Lastly, Purpose was evaluated to determine whether the studies aimed to inform, analyze, or propose solutions for staffing shortages. By applying these criteria, only the most reliable and pertinent resources were included in the research.

NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 2

References

Alshahrani, S. H. (2022). Reasons, consequences, and suggested solutions for nursing workforce shortage: A review of literature. International Journal of Health Sciences, 6(S5), 1557–1568. https://doi.org/10.53730/ijhs.v6nS5.9004

Griffiths, P., Saville, C., Ball, J., Dall’Ora, C., Meredith, P., Turner, L., & Jones, J. (2023). Costs and cost-effectiveness of improved nurse staffing levels and skill mix in acute hospitals: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 147, 104601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2023.104601

Marufu, T. C., Collins, A., Vargas, L., Gillespie, L., & Almghairbi, D. (2021). Factors influencing retention among hospital nurses: Systematic review. British Journal of Nursing, 30(5), 302-308. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2021.30.5.302

NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 2

Muis, R., Denton, C., & Dubé, A. (2022). Identifying CRAAP on the internet: A source evaluation intervention. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(7), 239-265. http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.97.12670

Noya, F., Carr, S., Freeman, K., Thompson, S., Clifford, R., & Playford, D. (2021). Strategies to facilitate improved recruitment, development, and retention of the rural and remote medical workforce: A scoping review. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 11(10), 2022. https://doi.org/10.34172/ijhpm.2021.160

Ren, H., Li, P., Xue, Y., Xin, W., Yin, X., & Li, H. (2024). Global prevalence of nurse turnover rates: A meta‐analysis of 21 studies from 14 countries. Journal of Nursing Management, 2024(1), 5063998. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/5063998