Quality of Care

[NIC Student]

I'm currently a second year nursing student in BC and I have some issues I would like to bring to the table. It has been told to us time and time again in the media that there is a nursing shortage in our province. Actually, there is a nursing shortage in our country. At first when I heard this information as a first year student I was elated because I thought that meant more jobs for us new graduates. However, as I explore the information on nursing websites, I become more frightened about what is expected of us as new graduates. I am not frightened about applying my knowledge. Nor am I frightened about caring for acutely ill people. What scares me most is that a huge portion of our nursing education is based around understanding the patient experience. However, as I read into this nursing shortage that Canada is experiencing, I begin to worry about all of this valuable education going to waste. If we are expected to care for 8 patients thoroughly, then how are we ever expected to actually understand our patients and their history? I am also afraid that with this huge workload comes room for errors. This job is already high pressure just working with three patients. How is it then that we can provide safe, effective, HOLISTIC care to our patients if we don't even have time to care for ourselves? I read on the RNABC website (http://www.rnabc.bc.ca) a brochure that provides nurses with information on how to handle working under pressure. I also found information on the website http://www.cna-nurses.ca on the current nursing shortage. What I found most amusing is that these brochures weren't looking at how to solve the problem, they were attempting to explain how nurses should adapt. I found this very distressing! Please respond if you have any opinion on this issue. I would love to hear your side.

NIC Student