Table of ContentsIntroductionEthics of the Shortage and Effects on Patient CareThe Future of the Staffing Issue and the Possible SolutionConclusionReferencesIntroductionNursing is a highly respected profession that offers many benefits such as job security, personal development and a decent salary. , etc. With all of these advantages, nursing has one big disadvantage that affects hospitals and other health care facilities across the United States: nursing staff. The topic of nursing shortages is a popular topic that arises not only in hospitals, but also in nursing schools and healthcare facilities, such as nursing homes. The shortage leads to longer hours and more patients for available nurses, pressure to work extra shifts, as well as increased stress and a higher risk of personal injury. In the face of this growing problem, ethical dilemmas and poor patient outcomes are becoming increasingly common. In this article, I will discuss the ethical implications of nursing shortages, including the effects on patient care and stress on nurses. Additionally, I will discuss expectations regarding this trend, as well as possible solutions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayEthics of Scarcity and the Effects on Patient CareFrom an ethical perspective, why do nurses continue to work in Longer hours and extra shifts if they start to notice negative patient outcomes, personal stress, or feelings of burnout? One reason is that many nurses honor their duty to their patients, to the point that they feel obligated to stay longer, do more, or come in on their day off when asked. This mindset follows provision 2.1 of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses, which considers the patient to be the nurse's primary commitment. It seems logical that when a unit is short of nurses, any additional help would be better than no help at all. This means that nurses can come and help even if they don't have enough sleep and time to themselves; therefore, not having adequate staffing on a unit can significantly impact the level of care each patient receives. Therein lies the ethical dilemma. Is it really better for these tired, overworked nurses to come to work during a shift when their judgment may be impaired? If they are unable to make informed decisions or perform their professional responsibilities to the best of their abilities, are patients receiving compassionate, evidence-based care? By taking on additional patients, are all patients receiving the care they need? Although this complies with provision 2.1, working in this way may violate provision 3.4 which highlights a nurse's involvement in promoting the health and safety of patients. In terms of the bioethical principles involved in this national problem, beneficence, essentially meaning doing good, comes to mind. When arriving for a shift or staying overtime, the nurse may feel like she is practicing charity. By working more, there would be one more nurse in the field, which would reduce the number of patients for eachnurse, allowing each nurse more time to use evidence-based practice and simply spend more time with their patients. Although this seems positive, it is not always the case. In theory, this extra help should enable each nurse to practice with beneficence in mind, but in practice it will likely lead to stress and burnout. The nurse who works harder is more likely to have decreased professionalism and demonstrate increased irritability toward patients, which can lead to nontherapeutic nursing care. The same goes for nurses who must take care of additional patients to compensate for the shortage of nurses. For these nurses, beneficence is violated. Nonmaleficence, the nurse's obligation to do no harm, is another ethical principle that is called into question during staffing shortages. When insufficient staffing is available to accommodate patient care requests, patient outcomes can be poor and even lead to increased mortality rates, as demonstrated in a cross-sectional study by Jane E. Ball and colleagues. This study examined post-surgical patient data from 300 general acute care hospitals in 9 countries. They found that understaffing, which resulted in missed nursing activities, led to a significantly higher mortality rate within 30 days of hospital admission. Each additional patient added to a nurse's workload increased the risk of patient mortality by 7%. Based on this study, it appears that low nurse staffing ratios inadvertently violate the principle of nonmaleficence in that nurses are more likely to miss actions necessary for patient care related to lack of time with each patient. These actions include care such as patient education, sterile procedures, and medication dispensing. In addition to non-maleficence, the principle of fidelity can also be threatened. Fidelity means that a nurse follows through on what she says she is going to do. When a nurse has more patients than the state or facility allows, the time spent with each patient is limited. In a patient's room, the nurse may tell the patient that he will return at a certain time or that she will bring him something he needs. The nurse may intend to do what she or he promised to do, but may be unable to do so due to time constraints. The Future of Staffing Issue and Possible Solution According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the nursing shortage is expected to worsen as nearly 1 million nurses are expected to retire by 2030 Unfortunately, the next batch of newly qualified nurses will not be able to fully replace the large group of retirees. By 2026, although the profession is expected to grow by 15%, more than 200,000 additional nurses will be needed to replace the large number of nurses who will retire. One area that will be particularly impacted is nursing homes, home health care and the skilled nursing community. Patient acuity in these facilities will continue to increase at a rate far beyond what nurses can safely manage. Is there a solution to this nursing shortage? If there is no solution, what can be done to ease the pressure on nurses and improve patient outcomes? One way to increase the number of nurses in the workforce and improve.2016.09.003