Developing Organizational Policies and Practices
Walden University
NURS 5053
13:58:41 GMT -05:00
, Developing Organizational Policies and Practices
The nursing shortage is a key challenge to the world, especially after the advent of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Significant changes in healthcare delivery and patients' ever-changing
needs have made healthcare organizations rethink workforce estimates. According to Jacobs et
al., (2021), healthcare environment has become complex due to the lack of beds, and nurses
continue to deal with medical treatment and patient conditions regimens that are unfamiliar to
them. Nurses commonly complain about the excessive workload, safety issues, low morale, lack
of autonomy, and burnout (Buerhaus, 2021). As a result, the low supply and high demand for
nurses have led to the current nursing shortage. This paper synthesizes competing needs
impacting nurse shortage and identifies relevant policies and practices that may influence nursing
shortage.
Competing Needs
The profile of nursing has changed on the supply side. Reduced enrollments have been
observed in the last decade. It is estimated that 41% of nurses in the United States are over 40
years of age (Buerhaus, 2021). The aging of the nursing workforce is a major problem as many
nurses are retiring faster than they can be replaced. The low number of students entering the
profession also makes the supply side of nurses uncertain. In addition, most nurses have gone to
the management side, with many nurse managers having higher degrees (Buerhaus, 2021). This
also increases their marketability to sectors outside the nursing profession. Besides, more nurses
wish to take part-time, requiring more nurses to fill available shifts (Jacobs et al., 2021).
Workload and work environment are the major competing needs influencing nursing
shortage. Unsafe and unacceptable working environments, including other safety issues such as
harassment and bullying, negatively impact the retention of nurses (Buerhaus, 2021). Across the
13:58:41 GMT -05:00
Walden University
NURS 5053
13:58:41 GMT -05:00
, Developing Organizational Policies and Practices
The nursing shortage is a key challenge to the world, especially after the advent of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Significant changes in healthcare delivery and patients' ever-changing
needs have made healthcare organizations rethink workforce estimates. According to Jacobs et
al., (2021), healthcare environment has become complex due to the lack of beds, and nurses
continue to deal with medical treatment and patient conditions regimens that are unfamiliar to
them. Nurses commonly complain about the excessive workload, safety issues, low morale, lack
of autonomy, and burnout (Buerhaus, 2021). As a result, the low supply and high demand for
nurses have led to the current nursing shortage. This paper synthesizes competing needs
impacting nurse shortage and identifies relevant policies and practices that may influence nursing
shortage.
Competing Needs
The profile of nursing has changed on the supply side. Reduced enrollments have been
observed in the last decade. It is estimated that 41% of nurses in the United States are over 40
years of age (Buerhaus, 2021). The aging of the nursing workforce is a major problem as many
nurses are retiring faster than they can be replaced. The low number of students entering the
profession also makes the supply side of nurses uncertain. In addition, most nurses have gone to
the management side, with many nurse managers having higher degrees (Buerhaus, 2021). This
also increases their marketability to sectors outside the nursing profession. Besides, more nurses
wish to take part-time, requiring more nurses to fill available shifts (Jacobs et al., 2021).
Workload and work environment are the major competing needs influencing nursing
shortage. Unsafe and unacceptable working environments, including other safety issues such as
harassment and bullying, negatively impact the retention of nurses (Buerhaus, 2021). Across the
13:58:41 GMT -05:00
