Review resources about nursing profession issues in the United States. Look specifically at the NLN and ANA website resources.
Review the global issues explored by the International Council of Nurses.
Consider a nursing issue that may impact you.
Consider what might be done about this issue.
By Day 3 of Week 8
Select a nursing profession issue happening in the United States or a global health issue.
Post a response detailing the following:
Provide a clear and detailed description of the nursing profession issue.
Explain how you might be impacted by this issue.
Explore how this issue might be addressed and/or remedied through policy.
Aging Nursing Workforce: A significant portion of the current RN and nurse faculty workforce is approaching retirement age, leading to a drain of experienced professionals.
Insufficient Educational Capacity: Nursing schools are turning away thousands of qualified applicants annually due to a lack of nurse faculty, clinical sites, and funding.
High Turnover and Burnout: Factors like insufficient staffing, demanding work environments, high stress, and moral distress are causing nurses to leave direct patient care roles or the profession entirely. A high percentage of acute care nurses report feeling burnt out, frustrated, and exhausted.
The American Nurses Association (ANA) and the National League for Nursing (NLN) consistently highlight these interconnected issues. The ANA's advocacy focuses on appropriate staffing, a safe work environment, and bolstering the health and wellness of nurses. The NLN emphasizes the academic pipeline issues, particularly the severe nurse faculty shortage, as a critical barrier to increasing the supply of new nurses.
Global Context: International Council of Nurses (ICN)
The issues in the US are mirrored globally, as evidenced by the work of the International Council of Nurses (ICN). The ICN frames the global nursing shortage as a crisis holding back not only Health for All (Universal Health Coverage) but also wealth for all, due to its economic repercussions. Key global issues and focus areas for the ICN include:
Global Nursing Shortage: Emphasizing the urgent need for governments to invest in the nursing workforce.
Workforce Retention and Well-being: Highlighting the global problem of nurse burnout, violence against healthcare workers, and the need for safe, supportive work environments.
Primary Health Care (PHC): Advocating for the central role of nurses, especially advanced practice nurses, in strengthening PHC to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Impact on Global Health Challenges: Positioning nurses as leaders in the response to major global health challenges, including noncommunicable diseases, mental health, and the effects of climate change on health.
Personal Impact of the Issue
As a future nurse, the chronic nurse staffing shortage and resulting burnout would directly and severely impact my professional life and well-being.
Sample Answer
The most pressing nursing profession issue in the United States is the severe and worsening nursing workforce shortage, which is closely linked to nurse burnout and inadequate staffing levels. This issue has significant implications for individual nurses, patient safety, and the entire healthcare system.
Description of the Nursing Workforce Shortage and Burnout
The United States is experiencing a critical Registered Nurse (RN) shortage projected to intensify over the next decade due to a combination of factors:
Aging Population and Increased Demand: The massive aging of the Baby Boomer generation requires more healthcare services, especially for chronic diseases and comorbidities.