Nursing Shortage Risks (Essay Sample)

Nursing Shortage Risks
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Nursing Shortage Risks
The BLS (2021) estimates that there are over four million nurses in the United States of America. However, Census (2021) explains that the population of the United States is more than 300 million. Such figures allude to the existence of a nursing shortage in the country. As explained by Flinter, Clarissa, DeAnn, Laden, & Agner, (2017), nurses are integral to the overall patient experience because they characterize each stage of treatment. A nursing shortage, therefore, risks high mortality rates, nurse errors, nurse burnout, and dissatisfaction.
High Mortality Rates and Nurse Errors
A nursing shortage escalates the risk of patients succumbing to their conditions because of a lack of exhaustive care (Haddad, Annamaraju, & Toney-Butler, 2020). During a nursing shortage, the nurse-to-patient ratio is unfavorable meaning that a nurse will not take ample time to care for a patient. The end result would be patients missing out on medication, check-ups, and other interventions. Furthermore, a nursing shortage fosters a scenario where a nurse is responsible for several patients (Haddad, Annamaraju, & Toney-Butler, 2020). In most cases, such a scenario increases the chances of errors in a nurse’s processes and procedures. Moreover, Hathaway (2020) explains that medical errors are the cause of over 250,000 patient deaths per year.
Nurse Burnout and Dissatisfaction
Not to mention, a nursing shortage risks nurse overload and exploitation resulting in nurse burnout and dissatisfaction (Haddad, Annamaraju, & Toney-Butler, 2020). Nurse burnout is the physical and emotional exhaustion stemming from work-related stress. It should be remembered that Dall'Ora, Ball, Reinius, & Griffiths, (2020) have found that nurse burnout and dissatisfaction affect nurse motivation, productivity as well as efficiency. Dall'Ora, Ball, Reinius, & Griffiths, (2020) also argue that nurse burnout is associated with nurse errors as well as overall poor nurse performance. Burnt-out nurses and dissatisfied nurses are therefore detrimental to positive patient outcomes.
To conclude, considering the number of registered nurses and the total American population alludes to the existence of a nursing shortage. A nursing shortage escalates the risk of high mortality rates, nurse errors, nurse burnout, and dissatisfaction. The amalgamation of all these factors points to an alarming trend of escalated adverse patient outcomes.
References
BLS. (2021). Registered nurses: Bureau of L