Nursing Shortage

[StudentRN@NIC]

It appears that there is currently a nursing shortage and it is going to continue to get worse. I am basing my concern of things which I have heard in the media, my own personal experience and three websites which I explored. These websites are:

1.http://www.rnabc.bc.ca

2.http://www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/cpa/publications/healthcarestrat/nursing.html

3.http://www.cna-nurses.ca/pages/press/nursing_stats_support_predictions_of_national_nursing_shortage.htm

I am concerned that when I graduate in 2.5 years with my nursing degree, I will not be able to provide quality care for my patients because my workload will be so heavy. What do others think about this issue?

[nursecrazy]

I agree that there is nursing shortage in Canada and it will indeed lead to an issue in quality of care for our patients. I also think that the nursing shortage will only get worse because of the media involvement with the nursing shortage. By this I mean that the media is emphasizing the shortage and the terrible working conditions canadian nurses work in. This will detract from potential nursing students from entering the program. Who would want to work in an overworked-underpayed environment? This may also lead to more nurses leaving canada to head to other places in the world where nurse to patient ratios are much more manageable.

[Ufuoma Okome]

There is so much news in the media about the nursing shortage in the United States however it does not seem as if the govement is doing enough about the shortage .There are a number of students who would love to go into nursing but are unable because of the shortage of programs . I hope the govement will take a good look at this problem and help provide grants to schools to run more nursing programs.