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Nursing shortage: not a simple problem - no easy answers.
1American Nurses Association, Washington, DC, USA. cpeterso@ana.org
Online Journal of Issues in Nursing
|May 31, 2001
Summary
The nursing shortage is worsening due to poor work environments, an aging workforce, and low pay, impacting nurse retention and recruitment. Addressing these issues requires nursing to influence health policy decisions.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Nursing Workforce Studies
- Health Policy
Background:
- Current healthcare environments face significant challenges in nursing workforce planning.
- Ethical considerations arise from the persistent shortage of registered nurses (RNs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine nursing workforce planning in the current health system.
- To address ethical issues stemming from the RN shortage.
- To identify factors influencing RN supply, demand, and retention.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of factors affecting nursing workforce dynamics.
- Review of current nursing practice environments and their impact.
- Examination of demographic trends within the nursing profession.
Main Results:
- Nursing practice environments negatively impact RN retention and student recruitment.
- Factors contributing to the shortage include an aging RN workforce, retiring faculty, and inadequate compensation.
- Imbalances in RN supply and demand are ongoing issues.
Conclusions:
- Urgent policy-level intervention is needed to address the nursing shortage.
- Integrating nursing into policy-making is crucial for proactive workforce planning.
- Improving the practice environment and compensation is vital for RN retention and recruitment.