Nursing shortage
Nursing Shortage
Nursing shortage (/ˈnɜːrsɪŋ ˈʃɔːrtɪdʒ/) is a term that refers to the situation where the demand for nursing professionals exceeds the supply—locally (e.g., within a health care facility), nationally or globally.
Etymology
The term "nursing shortage" is a compound noun, combining "nursing" (from the Old English nurice, meaning "nurse") and "shortage" (from the Middle English short, meaning "lacking"). It has been in use since the early 20th century to describe periods of time when there were insufficient numbers of nurses to meet the needs of patients in health care settings.
Definition
A nursing shortage is defined as a situation where the need for registered nurses is greater than the number of nurses available. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including an increase in the need for health care services, a decrease in the number of nurses due to retirement or burnout, and a lack of educational resources to train new nurses.
Causes
The causes of a nursing shortage can be complex and multifaceted. They can include factors such as an aging population, which increases the demand for health care services; a lack of nursing educators, which limits the number of new nurses that can be trained; and high levels of stress and burnout in the nursing profession, which can lead to high turnover rates.
Impact
The impact of a nursing shortage can be significant. It can lead to increased workloads for existing nurses, which can result in decreased patient care quality and increased risk of medical errors. It can also lead to increased costs for health care facilities, as they may need to use temporary staffing agencies or offer higher wages to attract and retain nurses.
Solutions
Solutions to the nursing shortage can include increasing the number of nursing education programs, offering incentives to attract and retain nurses, and implementing strategies to reduce stress and burnout in the nursing profession.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Nursing shortage
- Wikipedia's article - Nursing shortage
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