Quite Often Nurse Leaders Are Faced With Ethical Dilemmas

Quite Often Nurse Leaders Are Faced With Ethical Dilemmas Such As Th

Quite often, nurse leaders are faced with ethical dilemmas, such as those associated with choices between competing needs and limited resources. Resources are finite, and competition for those resources occurs daily in all organizations. For example, the use of 12-hour shifts has been a strategy to retain nurses. However, evidence suggests that as nurses work more hours in a shift, they commit more errors. How do effective leaders find a balance between the needs of the organization and the needs of ensuring quality, effective, and safe patient care?

In this discussion, you will reflect on a national healthcare issue and examine how competing needs may impact the development of policies to address that issue. To prepare: Review the resources and think about the national healthcare issue/stressor you previously selected for study in Module 1. Your healthcare issue/stressor is the looming faculty shortages. Reflect on the competing needs in healthcare delivery as they pertain to this issue. Post an explanation of how competing needs, such as the needs of the workforce, resources, and patients, may impact the development of policy.

Then, describe any specific competing needs that may impact the national healthcare issue/stressor you selected. What are the impacts, and how might policy address these competing needs? Be specific and provide examples. Answer all parts of the discussion question(s) with reflective critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources. Support your discussion with at least three current, credible sources. Write clearly and concisely with no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adhere to current APA style guidelines.

Paper For Above instruction

Healthcare systems worldwide are grappling with a multitude of challenges that require nuanced understanding and strategic policy development. One of the most pressing issues currently facing the United States is the looming shortage of nursing faculty, a problem with far-reaching implications for healthcare delivery, patient safety, and the future of healthcare workforce development. Addressing this complex issue necessitates a deep understanding of the competing needs among various stakeholders, including the workforce, resources, and patients, and how these needs influence policy formulation.

The Nature of the Nursing Faculty Shortage

The nursing faculty shortage is driven by several interconnected factors. The aging of current faculty members, limited funding for academic institutions, and the high workload contribute to a decrease in faculty recruitment and retention (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2021). This shortage results in a reduced capacity to educate new nurses, thereby exacerbating the overall nursing shortage. As a consequence, healthcare institutions face difficulties in staffing adequately and maintaining quality patient care.

Competing Needs Influencing Policy Development

Developing policies to address the nursing faculty shortage involves balancing competing needs. First, the needs of the workforce must be considered. Nursing educators require competitive salaries, manageable workloads, and professional development opportunities to attract and retain faculty (Buerhaus et al., 2017). Failure to meet these needs leads to high turnover and difficulty in recruiting new faculty members, which further constrains the capacity to educate nurses.

Second, the resource constraints faced by academic institutions and healthcare organizations impact policy decisions. Funding limitations make it challenging to increase salaries or expand faculty positions. Additionally, physical infrastructure and access to advanced technology are resource-dependent, influencing both educational capacity and clinical training quality (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010).

Third, the needs of patients must also be prioritized. A shortage of qualified nursing faculty results in fewer available nursing programs and longer wait times for qualified applicants to enter the workforce. This directly impacts patient care by extending nurse staffing shortages, increasing workload for nurses, and risking compromised patient safety (Spetz et al., 2020).

Impacts and Policy Responses to Competing Needs

The impacts of these competing needs are significant. For example, underfunding academic nursing programs limits their ability to expand faculty capacity, which perpetuates the nurse and faculty shortages. Moreover, the prioritization of financial constraints over faculty recruitment may prolong the crisis, ultimately affecting patient outcomes.

Effective policy solutions should aim to address these competing needs holistically. For instance, increased federal funding or grants could support faculty salaries and development programs (AACN, 2021). Implementing loan forgiveness programs for nursing faculty, similar to those for medical professionals, could also incentivize teaching careers. Additionally, partnership policies between healthcare organizations and academic institutions could foster collaborative efforts to train and retain faculty, ultimately reducing shortages (Spetz, 2020).

Policies must also advocate for innovative approaches to nursing education, such as simulation-based training and online learning, to maximize existing resources. By balancing fiscal priorities with the urgent need for qualified educators, policymakers can foster sustainable solutions that benefit the workforce, resource allocation, and patient safety.

Conclusion

The nursing faculty shortage exemplifies the complex interplay of competing needs in healthcare policy-making. Addressing this issue requires strategic policies that support workforce development, allocate resources effectively, and ensure patient safety is not compromised. Only through such balanced, evidence-based approaches can healthcare systems meet current demands and prepare for future challenges, fostering a resilient healthcare workforce capable of delivering high-quality care.

References

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). Nursing faculty shortage. https://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Fact-Sheets/Nursing-Faculty-Shortage
• Buerhaus, P. I., Skinner, L., Auerbach, D. I., & Staiger, D. O. (2017). Four Challenges Facing the Nursing Workforce in the United States. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 8(2), 40–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(17)30045-6
• Institute of Medicine. (2010). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. National Academies Press.
• Spetz, J., Bates, T., & Trbovich, P. L. (2020). Addressing the Nursing Shortage: Strategies and Policy Options. Medical Care Research and Review, 77(1), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077558718804421
• American Nurses Association. (2022). Nurse Staffing and Patient Safety. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/state/nursing-staffing/
• Foord, S., & Snowball, J. (2022). Policy Solutions to Healthcare Workforce Issues. Journal of Health Policy, 10(4), 241–256. https://doi.org/10.1177/17579139221100345
• Hassmiller, S., & Friese, C. R. (2021). Building a Future for Nursing: Strategies for Faculty Development. Nursing Outlook, 69(1), 51–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2020.09.009
• National League for Nursing. (2021). Advancing Nursing Education Policy. https://www.nln.org/newsroom/nursing-education-news/2021/09/15/nln-advances-policy-for-nursing-education
• World Health Organization. (2020). State of the World’s Nursing 2020. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240003293
• Kelly, B., & McHugh, M. D. (2021). Strategies for Retaining Nursing Faculty. Journal of Nursing Education, 60(8), 423–429. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20210719-03