Reply to discussions using 250 words each and two references each. using scholarly sources and APA format
Reply #1 to Marie Alabre
Issues in Today’s Workforce Culture
Based on your reading in chapter 60, why do you think the issues presented in this chapter persist in today’s workforce culture?
Nurses represent the largest group of healthcare professionals and are crucial to delivering quality healthcare services and improving healthcare access and health outcomes.The nursing workforce has been consistently increasing over the past decades. In 2018, the United States disposed of over 3.3 million actively enrolled nurses. In addition, the nursing workforce’s education level has tremendously improved, with many nurses achieving higher education. The nursing workforce has also become more diverse, with an increased number of non-white nurses, nurses from various cultural backgrounds who have been internationally trained, and male nurses joining the profession.
However, scholars have predicted a nursing shortage of 3 million nurses by 2035. Although there have been some changes in nursing, there are still issues, such as staffing inadequacy and nursing shortages. Several factors contribute to the nursing shortage. First, there is a substantial increase in the demand for nurses. The aging population of the United States increases the demand for nurses to manage patients with chronic diseases. The shortage of primary care physicians also adds to the need for more primary care providers, particularly in the rural areas and the underserved communities. The increased access to health insurance for a significant portion of the population with the enactment of the Affordable Care Act increased the need for health care providers, including nurses. The recent increase in immigration and a more diverse population calls for a culturally competent workforce to address health disparities.
Secondly, there is significant nurse staff turnover. Nurses’ burnout and poor work conditions, such as inadequate staffing, increased workload, and safety issues, led to many nurses leaving the profession. In addition, aging nurses retiring from the nursing profession decrease the number of nurses available for patient care. Furthermore, healthcare facilities struggle to retain experienced nurses who can mentor new and inexperienced nurses.
An insufficient supply of nurses creates a gap between the nurse’s supply and the demand to meet the population’s needs. The lack of nursing programs to allow the admission of more nursing students to nursing schools and the experience requirements for nurses’ positions in acute care hospitals critically affect the supply of nurses to various types of healthcare facilities. In addition, studies have shown that the workforce comprises 40 % of nurses over 50 who will most likely retire during the next decade and will be replaced by newly licensed nurses who have yet to acquire patient care experience.
There have been positive changes in the healthcare system during the past decade. The nursing workforce has consistently increased, and nurses’ level of education and diversity has improved. However, scholars have predicted a shortage of 3 million nurses by 2035. Despite the challenges hindering the progression to achieving stability in nursing, there are strengths and opportunities to sustain an adequate workforce. Their expertise and knowledge will help meet the needs of a growing population of patients, improve health outcomes, and achieve better population health status. It is crucial to address changes in policy for hiring and retention of nurses. Increased social support, fair compensation, and financing for nursing education can help ensure an adequate and stable nursing workforce to address the health needs of a growing population.
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Reply # 2 to Roger Abraham Zaldivar
Issues in Today’s Workforce Culture
Problems with the nursing workforce have affected the United States for decades. The issues include inadequate clinical training sites, an aging workforce, high turnover rates, funding shortfalls, and inadequate data collection for workforce planning. Addressing issues is crucial to ensure that a sufficient number of well-prepared nurses can provide quality care to a diverse and growing population.
Chapter 60 outlines the systemic and structural issues that impact workforce culture. The lack of clinical sites for nursing education restricts the number of students nursing programs can accept. It limits the number of nurses that can, therefore, be produced, working against growing demand. Simulation technology has proven beneficial in this regard, but it is costly and not universally accessible. The physical clinical site requirement in nursing programs often discourages qualified applicants, affecting the number of nurses entering the already depleted workforce.
The workforce shortage of older nurses is another ongoing problem. Too many nurses are getting to retirement age, and too few younger nurses are in the position to replace them. Such a change in demographics causes a knowledge gap as well as experience in the care of patients and the running of organizations. Rapid retirements from the nursing profession worsen the scarcity of experienced nurses, creating a fragile imbalance in the workforce.
Nursing is still primarily a female, white profession despite the growing diversity of the US population, largely because of the diversity of the nursing workforce. Efforts to attract men and ethnic and racial minorities to nursing have been insufficient. Lack of diversity in the workforce can have an impact on patient care because more culturally competent healthcare providers are needed to address health disparities. A workforce that is representative of the population can do this.
Nursing staff retention is another major issue. High turnover rates are primarily attributed to poor work environments like understaffing, burnout, and a lack of support from leadership. All these conditions lead to job dissatisfaction among nurses and make them leave the profession, worsening the shortage. Retention can be improved only by creating healthier work environments. This provides opportunities for professional development and makes sure that nurses feel appreciated and supported in their jobs.
Funding issues persist in nursing education programs, hindering faculty recruitment, facility development, and the introduction of advanced simulation technologies. The disparity in salaries between clinical practice and academic work is causing concern among faculty nurses, contributing to a lack of educational capacity. The capacity of nursing education has to be enhanced so that the shortage of faculty can be overcome and, in turn, more nurses can be produced.
In conclusion, data collection and workforce planning should be enhanced. To plan appropriately and design relevant policy, a rational and standardized body of data on the nursing workforce is needed. State-by-state differences in data collection methods preclude the ability to generate an accurate national view of the shortage of nurses. Greater standardization and cooperation in data collection strategies will allow a better grasp of workforce dynamics. Targeted interventions can address persistent issues in nursing, emphasizing the need for a multi-tiered approach to ensure a qualified and adequate supply for the future.
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