Introduction
In the current healthcare systems, the nursing shortage has posed significant challenges. According to Slattery et al. (2016), it is estimated that by the year 2022, an insufficiency of approximately one million nurses would exist. The causes of nursing shortage are currently multifaceted and are not limited to healthcare-associated violence and nursing burnout. In this regard, understanding the causes of the nursing shortage and available solutions is essential to providing comprehensive nursing empowerment.
Causes of Nursing Shortage
Many nursing professionals experience hospital-related violence, which triggers mental or physical abuse. Consequently, job gratification is affected adversely leading to nurses relinquishing the profession (Halter et al., 2017). Nursing burnout significantly contributes to the healthcare-related nursing shortage. For instance, some nurses, upon professional graduation start and after starting to work, confess that the profession was not meant for them. Moreover, in the U.S., the national average nurse turnover is low, which leads to a substantial nursing shortage. A significant number of nurses experience total burnout and quit the profession for less demanding careers.
Solution
Currently, most hospital stakeholders and board members are integrating such financial incentives into their employment as sign-on bonuses and financial rewards. The action inspires the nurses to work more or allows the integration of more traveling nurses, thus covering the deficit created by the nursing shortages (Kutney-Lee et al., 2016). Although financial empowerment and sign-on bonus offer short-term solutions, they are important in fixing the nursing shortages.
Examples of how Nursing Shortage is Addressed in my Location
In my location, nursing shortages are addressed through two key programs: Nursing empowerment and technological use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR). Nursing empowerment is one of the major areas of concern in addressing the nursing shortage. A surrounding that endows and encourages the nurses is responsible for the sustainability of the nursing workforce (Kutney-Lee et al., 2016). Moreover, the institution of the EMR, an advancement in healthcare technology, can similarly affect nurses continuing with the occupation by reducing nursing burnout.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a shortage in nurses caused by burnout and health-related violence can be solved through the provision of financial incentives and sign-on bonuses. The action encourages the nurses to work more and increase the involvement of travelling nurses. In this case, nurses require empowerment which motivates them to work even more. Consequently, through significant motivation, a good number of employees remain in the profession without quitting, thus increasing nursing workforce sustainability.
References
Halter, M., Boiko, O., Pelone, F., Beighton, C., Harris, R., Gale, J., … Drennan, V. (2017). The determinants and consequences of adult nursing staff turnover: A systematic review of systematic reviews. BMC Health Services Research, 17(1), 1-20. Web.
Kutney-Lee, A., Germack, H., Hatfield, L., Kelly, S., Maguire, P., Dierkes, A., … Aiken, LH. (2016). Nurse engagement in shared governance and patient and nurse outcomes. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 46(11), 605-612. Web.
Slattery, M., Logan, B., Mudge, B., Secore, K., von Reyn, L., & Maue, R. (2016). An undergraduate research fellowship program to prepare nursing students for future workforce roles. Journal of Professional Nursing, 32(6), 412-420. Web.