PROVIDE AN ANSWER FOR THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION QUESTION:

Discuss the events that have contributed (or will continue to contribute) to the nursing shortage, or that contribute to a shortage in a region or specialty. Discuss at least one way that the nursing profession is currently working toward a resolution of this problem. In replies to peers, offer different examples of how the nursing shortage has been addressed in your state, community, or specialty area.

PROVIDE A RESPONSE OF AT LEAST 80-100 WORDS FOR EACH OF THE TWO PEER POSTS BELOW:

PEER POST 1: (BRENDA) Re: Topic 1 DQ 1

Some of the events that has contributed to the nursing shortage is the advancing age of nurses who are reaching retirement. In 2013, fifty-five percent of Registered Nurses were fifty years or older. (Whitney, 2019). Another reason for the shortage is nursing schools are restricting enrollment due to the fact they don’t have enough nursing instructors to teach the new nurse. Stress levels of currently practicing nurses is increasing, and the job satisfaction surveys are decreasing to the point nurses are leaving the profession and going on to other jobs they find more satisfaction in work life balance. Another factor that is increasing is the practicing nurse achieving higher education such as Nurse Practitioner and leaving the bedside to care for the patients. However, nurses furthering their education and becoming educators will allow for more faculty to educate students who want to become nurses.

There is a diverse population that needs healthcare prevention. If nurses worked in community nursing, to promote disease and health promotion this can decrease the amount of people in need for care in a acute care setting.

Reference:

Whitney, Stacey (). Trends in Health Care: A Nursing Perspective. Retrieved from: https://www.gcumedia.com/digital-resources/grand-canyon-university/2018/trends-in-health-care_a-nursing-perspective_1e.php

PEER POST 2: (LAUREN) Re: Topic 1 DQ 1

Currently in the U.S there a significant shortage in nursing as there are insufficient numbers of qualified nurses to fill roles at all levels of care. One of the greatest factors contributing to this shortage is the majority of working nurses being close to retirement (Whitney, 2018). This combined with the increase in patient acuity, the lack of nursing school capacity and the high levels of nursing turnover rates due to insufficient staffing are causing a greater imbalance between patients needing care and qualified staff to care for them.

In an effort to combat this imbalance of patient to nurse ratio, California has made efforts in increasing the number of schools available in providing educated nurses. Previously, the state had only a few available programs for registered nurses resulting in the schools turning away thousands of qualified candidates a year. Recently, the state has increased programs by adding more accredited nursing programs. California community colleges have made efforts in recruiting faculty, increasing clinical sites and working with education officials to adopt a statewide nursing curriculum to allow more transfers between colleges (CNN, 2018).

Reference

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2019). Nursing Shortage. Retrieved from https://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Facts-Sheets/Nursing-Shortage

CNN. (2018, April 30). US faces nursing shortage. Retrieved from https://www.10news.com/news/national/theres-an-acu…

Whitney, S. (2018). The Future of nursing in an Evolving Health Care System. Trends in Health Care: A Nursing Perspective. Retrieved from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs44vn/trends-in-health-c…