Nursing Workforce Shortages and The Impact on Patient Care
NIf you know anything about the healthcare industry, you will know that nursing workforce shortages are a major concern. This is not a problem that solely impacts the UK, it’s an issue that healthcare services worldwide are experiencing. There are a number of reasons for the increasing shortages with the nursing workforce, such as those who are already working as a nurse leaving because of the poor working conditions and low pay. Simply, nursing shortages are caused because too few people want to go into the field.
Why Does a Shortage of Nurses Have Such a Significant Impact?
There is no denying that the healthcare needs of patients are becoming more complex, and this is why specialist nurses are becoming more and more important. By specialising in a specific area of healthcare, such as ITU or CCU, a nurse is able to familiarise Nurses provide the majority of patient care in healthcare. They are the ones who provide bedside care, assessments and treatments, and they keep patients comfortable. They are needed to ensure that patients receive the care that they need and deserve, and to also coordinate patient care with other members of a healthcare team. So, when there are not enough nurses to go around, patient care and the quality of services are bound to suffer.
Without enough nurses, patients will have a difficult time finding the help they need in order to recover. Assessing patients’ needs, administering medication and monitoring conditions are all negatively impacted by nurse shortages. Not only are there not enough nurses to go around, but those that are working have their plate full with vital and unmissable tasks. This often means other areas of nursing, such as providing emotional support to patients, are overlooked.
Solving Nursing Workforce Shortages
At Nursing Solutions, we are doing everything we can to ensure nursing workforce shortages are few and far between. We understand the impact shortages can have on the quality of patient care, which is why we go above and beyond to provide temporary and permanent healthcare staff when they are needed most.
