Let’s Take Care of Nurses
Last summer, my 16-year-old son needed eye surgery to remove a red growth from the surface.
We were both highly anxious about the outpatient procedure and feared the unknown as we entered the clinic.
After 30 difficult minutes in the waiting room, a medical attendant signaled us through the ominous double doors to the pre-op area with curtained off sections.
With incredible efficiency, two nurses hooked Ryan up to the IV and blood pressure cuff as the anti-anxiety meds and anesthetics began to drip into his bloodstream.
All of us were wearing surgical masks.
As we waited for the anesthetic to take effect, one nurse, Kim, asked me casually, “So what do you do for work?”.
Taken aback, I was a bit stunned at the ordinary question during this very abnormal moment. Work was the last thing on my mind.
Gathering my thoughts, I knew she was trying to distract me from worrying.
“I help healthcare organizations foster work environments where staff can feel valued, respected, and appreciated with less burnout.”
At that moment, the unexpected happened. The nurse’s blue-gloved hand grabbed my forearm hard as she looked deep into my eyes with desperation. “We need that here!”
Nurse Kim lit a fire under me as her reaction reinforced why I created the CARES model in the first place: To support healthcare professionals suffering from burnout, stress, and overwhelm.
The nursing workforce crisis is a global problem that has been a concern for several years. The pandemic has only exacerbated this issue, creating additional and lasting challenges.
The shortage of nurses is due to various factors such as an aging population, increased demand for healthcare services, and retiring nurses.
I have researched some solutions and interventions that can help address the nursing workforce crisis:
Improve Working Conditions (Let’s Start Here.)
Nursing is a physically and emotionally demanding profession that requires long hours and can be stressful. I am truly in awe of people who choose this profession. Improving working conditions such as salaries, benefits, and workload would help retain nurses and attract new ones.
Increase Access to Education and Training
One of the main factors causing the nursing workforce crisis is the lack of qualified nurses. To address this, there needs to be an increase in access to nursing education and training programs. This can include scholarships, grants, and other financial support to encourage more people to pursue nursing as a career.
Increase the Use of Technology
Technology can play a significant role in addressing the nursing workforce crisis. Telehealth and remote monitoring can help reduce the workload of nurses and allow them to work more efficiently. Electronic health records can also help reduce the amount of time spent on paperwork and administrative tasks, allowing more time for patient care.
Implement New Healthcare Policies
Governments and healthcare organizations need to develop and implement policies that address the nursing workforce crisis. This can include increasing the number of nursing programs, providing incentives for nurses to work in under-served areas, and promoting diversity and inclusion in the nursing profession.
Addressing the nursing crisis requires a multifaceted approach to address the root causes of issues. By increasing access to education and training, improving working conditions, increasing the use of technology, and developing and implementing healthcare policies, we can help ensure that there are enough qualified nurses to meet the demand for healthcare services.