Week 6 Assignment  

Interactive Case Study Journals

Click on this link to complete the Staffing Issues Interactive Case Study following the readings and presentation for this week.

Associate what you have learned in your weekly materials with what was presented in the case study.

After you complete the case study, click on the “Interactive Case Study Journals” link to reflect upon what you have learned from the case study and related learning materials this week. Once opened, choose the Staffing Issues Interactive Case Study Journal and follow the instructions listed within the journal. Compare this case study to your nursing practice and give a similar example from your nursing experience in which you might have run into on staffing or a similar situation.

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Staffing Issues in Nursing

Introduction

Nursing is a noble profession. Nursing has been helping people, particularly in need and as they age, for centuries. However, nursing shortages have been a growing problem in recent years and will only get worse with time. With more than 4 million health care professionals needed to meet the needs of aging baby boomers and those who have been sickened by the latest outbreak of flu or Zika virus, many nurses are struggling to find jobs that meet their expectations. Unfortunately, nursing is not immune from wage issues and other issues that affect all workers trying to make ends meet these days. Here are some common causes behind staffing issues in nursing:

Nursing shortages

Nursing shortages are a real problem. Good nurses are hard to find, and it’s even more difficult to keep them. The turnover rate in nursing is high because of the shortage of qualified candidates and because these positions require specialized skills and knowledge that most people don’t have.

Nursing shortages are caused by many factors, including:

• Pay – Nurses with advanced degrees tend to earn more than less-educated ones do; this makes it difficult for employers who offer higher wages in order to attract talented individuals interested in working as nurses (and thus contributing toward solving the nation’s nursing crisis).

• Demand – Healthcare providers need large numbers of trained personnel at all levels so they can provide quality care while complying with strict regulations set forth by federal agencies such as Medicare & Medicaid programs.; This means some hospitals must find ways like offering financial incentives or bonuses based on meeting certain goals within certain time frames without sacrificing their bottom line profits.”

Nursing Licensing and foreign credential restrictions

• The Nurse Licensure Compact is a way for nurses to practice in multiple states.

• It’s not a requirement, but it is an option.

• If you’re interested in moving across state lines and want to keep your license intact, the compact could be helpful.

Workplace stress

Stress is a common issue in nursing. It can be caused by many factors, including workplace violence and staffing issues. Stress can lead to poor patient care and lower patient satisfaction, which ultimately leads to increased absenteeism and turnover.

Wage Issues

Nurses are often paid less than other professionals, especially in states where the cost of living is high. Nursing wages are lower than those of other occupations and industries. Even with higher education and training, nurses can expect to earn less than $1 million over their careers; however, some jobs will pay more or have higher starting salaries than others.

A report from the National Center for Health Statistics found that only about half of all nurses were earning more than $50k per year as recently as 2013-2014—and that was before Obamacare took effect! The average salary for a nurse working full time was $77K in 2017 according to Payscale data (an increase from 2016).

Workplace Violence

You may be wondering, “What is workplace violence?” Workplace violence is any type of physical threat or assault that happens in your job. It can happen at work or on the way to work, and it can happen between coworkers and supervisors.

• Preventing workplace violence: You can take steps to prevent workplace violence by taking all necessary precautions in your job. This includes working with co-workers, staying alert for signs of danger and reporting anything suspicious to management as soon as possible (and keeping records).

• Responding to workplace violence: If you’re involved in an incident where someone has harmed themselves or others at work—or if they’ve threatened harm against themselves or others—you should immediately call 911 so that first responders can help get everyone out safely until police arrive (if necessary). If there are no injuries involved but a situation escalates into physical confrontation over time during regular business hours outside regular business hours during which staff members should not be present within sight/sound range of each other without supervision from management team members whether directly supervised by supervisors who have authority over them when interacting directly with their colleagues’ personal life choices such as political affiliation opinions religious beliefs etcetera then report those issues immediately before anything else happens because this kind of behavior could lead into worse things happening later if left unchecked due its high potential for escalation depending upon circumstances involved so keep an eye out for yourself too!

Takeaway: Know your rights.

As a nurse, you have many rights and responsibilities. You should know them all!

• Know your employer’s rights. If your employer has a unionized workforce, it is important to understand the terms of their contract with that union before taking on new patients or working with new colleagues.

• Know what you can do under state law (if applicable). Some states require employers to provide overtime pay after 40 hours in one week; others don’t require it at all. It’s also important to know whether or not there are any other laws that apply specifically concerning staffing levels or workplace conditions within those states where you work so as not get caught up by surprise later on down the road when something comes up unexpectedly during an emergency situation like an emergency room visit due one being sick at home due being exposed too much heat outside during summertime by accident . . .

Conclusion

There are many reasons to be concerned about nursing staffing shortages in the United States. The most important thing that you can do is to know your rights, and take advantage of any opportunities to get more nurses on board.