Nursing Shortage in the United States

The nursing shortage is a significant problem in the United States and significantly
affects the quality of care provided to patients in healthcare facilities. Notably, the nursing
shortage is brought about by many factors, including the growing population of older adults
retiring from work. It is vital to acknowledge that most of the Registered nurses in America are
50 years and above and have retired, leading to a reduced number of qualified nurses to provide
quality care to patients. This essay discusses the numerous techniques that can ease the nursing
shortage in the United States.
One of the strategies to ease the nursing shortage in America is to listen to nurses’
concerns. It is vital to acknowledge that nurses usually have concerns like other employees,
which the responsible stakeholders should meet. The first step to increasing nurse retention is
continuously listening to the needs of nurses. “Nurses want to feel their loyalty to a system is of
value.” (Jean, 2022). Healthcare facilities’ responsibility is to reward nurses’ loyalty through
increased pay, creating a conducive working environment, and scheduling flexibility.
Additionally, the other way to make nurses feel that healthcare facilities value them is by
engaging them in decision-making.
Additionally, the partnership between schools of nursing and healthcare organizations
can reduce the nursing shortage. Notably, when healthcare organizations partner with nursing
schools, they can sponsor needy students who wish to study nursing, significantly increasing the
number of nurses who provide care to patients (Stephens, 2022). Additionally, such partnership
makes it possible for students to obtain real-time clinical training, making them useful in
healthcare organizations even as they continue their studies.

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The other strategy for reducing the nursing shortage in the United States is increasing
diversity in the nursing student body. Notably, representation in nursing is essential because it
helps increase nurses’ retention and guarantees better healthcare outcomes. Over the years,
unequal access to education for minority groups has been a barrier that has prevented them from
pursuing a nursing degree. Additionally, students willing to pursue a nursing degree have found
it difficult because of the high costs involved. With diversity-focused scholarships and financial
aid availed by the federal government, the number of nursing students has increased
dramatically, which has reduced the nursing shortage (Kubec, 2017). Additionally, increasing the
diversity in the nursing student body has helped implement new strategies in the admission
process, as more students from minority groups are accepted into nursing institutions to pursue a
nursing degree.
Additionally, improving the work environment in healthcare organizations helps reduce
nurse shortages. It is vital to acknowledge that most nurses often leave their workplace because
of the stringent conditions they are obligated to abide by. Some strategies that can improve the
working environment include reducing weekly overtime, which often leaves nurses exhausted
and reduces their ability to deliver quality patient care (Lockhart, 2020). Additionally, healthcare
organizations should encourage shared governance, which empowers nurses to participate in
crucial activities in the healthcare organization.
Generally, healthcare organizations have an essential role in ensuring that they implement
effective strategies to guarantee nurse retention. Some strategies that can be used to reduce nurse
shortage may include creating a conducive working environment for nurses. Additionally,
diversity in the nursing student body can promote equal access to nursing education, increasing
the number of nurses available to care for patients.

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References

Jean, J. Y. (2022). 6 proven strategies from nurse execs to combat the nursing shortage in 2022.
https://nursejournal.org/articles/proven-strategies-to-survive-the-nursing-shortage-2022/
Kubec, C. (2017). Reducing nursing student attrition: The search for effective strategies. The
Community College Enterprise, 23(1), 60-68.
Lockhart, L. (2020). Strategies to reduce nursing turnover. Nursing Made Incredibly Easy!,
18(2), 56. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.nme.0000653196.16629.2e
Stephens, S. (2022). The nursing shortage: What might be done to fix it.
https://www.healthecareers.com/articles/career/the-nursing-shortage-what-might-be-
done-to-fix-it