NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 5

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4000 Developing a Nursing Perspective

Prof. Name

Date

Analyzing a Current Healthcare Problem or Issue

Healthcare Workforce Shortage

The shortage of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and support staff, is a growing concern in hospitals and clinics. This issue creates difficulties in delivering high-quality care to patients, as overworked nurses experience fatigue and stress, leading many to leave their positions. High turnover rates further exacerbate the problem, increasing the risk to patient safety. Addressing this issue requires strategic interventions such as improving salaries, optimizing work schedules, and providing professional development opportunities. Technological advancements, such as telehealth, can also alleviate some of the burdens on healthcare workers, improving patient care efficiency (Jonasdottir et al., 2022). Healthcare administrators must act urgently to implement these solutions, preventing further harm to both patients and medical staff. This assessment examines the shortage of healthcare workers, its impact on healthcare delivery, and potential strategies to mitigate the problem.

Implications of the Shortage

The insufficient number of healthcare workers poses significant challenges to healthcare institutions. Hospitals and clinics struggle to provide adequate care due to the high demand for services and limited staffing. The stress and exhaustion experienced by healthcare workers contribute to job dissatisfaction and increased turnover rates. In the United States, annual nurse turnover reaches approximately 27.65% (Bae, 2023). Additionally, research has established a direct link between nurse staffing levels and patient mortality. A Swiss university hospital study found that exposure to low registered nurse staffing increased patient mortality odds by 10%, whereas higher staffing levels decreased mortality rates by 8.7% (Musy et al., 2021). The effects of these shortages extend beyond the workforce, impacting patient outcomes and overall healthcare quality.

Addressing the Issue

To combat workforce shortages, healthcare leaders must implement evidence-based strategies that prioritize staff retention and recruitment. Improving wages and work schedules has been identified as effective methods for reducing turnover (Zhang et al., 2024). Additionally, providing training programs and career development opportunities enhances job satisfaction and encourages long-term employment. In rural settings, offering incentives such as housing benefits and salary increases can attract and retain healthcare professionals (Witter et al., 2021). Without proactive measures, understaffing will continue to lead to increased burnout, higher patient mortality rates, and diminished quality of care. Research into staffing policies, the role of technology in alleviating shortages, and the sustainability of retention strategies remains crucial to addressing this crisis (Zhang et al., 2024).

Healthcare Workforce Shortage

References

Bae, S.-H. (2023). Comprehensive assessment of factors contributing to the actual turnover of newly licensed registered nurses working in acute care hospitals: A systematic review. BMC Nursing, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01190-3

Jonasdottir, S. K., Thordardottir, I., & Jonsdottir, T. (2022). Health professionals’ perspective towards challenges and opportunities of telehealth service provision: A scoping review. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 167, 104862. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104862

Musy, S. N., Endrich, O., Leichtle, A. B., Griffiths, P., Nakas, C. T., & Simon, M. (2021). The association between nurse staffing and inpatient mortality: A shift-level retrospective longitudinal study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 120(103950), 103950. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.103950

Witter, S., Herbst, C. H., Smitz, M., Balde, M. D., Magazi, I., & Zaman, R. U. (2021). How to attract and retain health workers in rural areas of a fragile state: Findings from a labour market survey in Guinea. PloS One, 16(12), e0245569. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245569

Zhang, H., Abdullah, V. C. W. B., & Wong, L. (2024). The association between burnout, perceived organizational support, and perceived professional benefits among nurses in China. Heliyon, e39371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39371