Much is being made of the nursing shortage, but the sad fact of the matter is that much of this shortage is a self-inflicted wound. "30%-50% of all new RN's elect either to change positions or leave nursing completely within the first three years of clinical practice"
Much is being made of the nursing shortage, but the sad fact of the matter is that much of this shortage is a self-inflicted wound. "30%-50% of all new RN's elect either to change positions or leave nursing completely within the first three years of clinical practice" (MacKusik & Minick, 2010, p. 335). The reasons are many and varied, but a 2010 qualitative study by Carol MacKusik and Ptlene Minick examine these issues and find three major themes, an unfriendly workplace, emotional distress related topatient care and, fatigue and exhaustion (MacKusik & Minick, 2010).
An unfriendly workplace can be one in which the new nurse is simply thrown to the wolves, expected to "toughen up" by more experienced coworkers, women experiencing sexual harassment from male coworkers and physicians, and lack of support from management and/or administration in addressing these issues.
The emotional distress we as nurses experience is, all too often, related to cases of futility of care. This is where, regardless of how many life support systems the patient has attached to them, the result will be the same...the patient will die. The only question being how much suffering they experience as they do so. This occurs at both the beginning of life in neo-natal ICU's to the end one's years in ICU. In either case, physicians may not be entirely honest with patient families, thus giving them false hope regarding the prognosis. The other side of the coin is families, for whatever reason, cling to the hope that their loved one will somehow arise from the bed and leave hale, whole and healthy. This is often due as much to family dynamics involving guilt as it to unrealistic and unreasoning religious views. The toll this takes on the nurses involved in the direct care of these patients is huge.
Fatigue and exhaustion come into play when, for whatever reasons, management and/or administration are more concerned with filling beds than whether or not the staff is available to safely care for these patients. Nurses are asked, then expected, to "flex up" and take more patients it is safe for them to care for, thus putting patient safety and nurses licenses at risk. This creates a fundamental conflict between the core values and terms of licensure for nurses and the values of the organization. Add to that overtime and calls to work on their days off, and the physical and emotional exhaustion simply becomes too much to bear.
So the projected nursing shortage...some 500,000 nurses by 2025 (MacKusik & Minick, 2010)...seems to be as much a result of nurses fleeing the acute care setting as it is with the lack of sufficient new grad nurses to take up the slack.
References
MacKusik, C. I., & Minick, P. (2010). Why Are Nurses Leaving? Findings From an Initial Qualitative Study on Nursing Attrition. MEDSURG Nursing, 19(6), 335-340.
There is no shortage! The problem lies with hospitals, clinics, and other private and non-profits ONLY considering EXPERIENCED nurses with a minimum of 1-3 years experience. I know of at least 50 new grad nurses who are dying to work or even volunteer just to get a job or keep their skills up. But are instead hit with what I call the "new nurse catch 22", where you can't get work or gain any experience to get a job because all job posts demand at least a years experience if not more.
Kengland88 - I just finished reading these posts and also have been recently accepted to BSN programs. I found myself concerned at first, but we have to remember that many of the comments stem from very personal experiences from people in different areas all over the country, even Brazil and Australia. Like a few of the posts said, if we are willing to relocate and work with undeserved populations, we will find work. Furthermore, it's possible to get hired on to your practicums. If you are a hard worker, flexible (at least for the first couple years until you get more experience), and do well in your program, I am confident you will find work.
One person responded that the difficulty in finding jobs also stems from the economy, which I completely agree with. All fields are getting hit with lack of jobs. I'm a waitress at a local restaurant and we are hiring 2 positions.. I can't even tell you how many people have inquired as to the 2 day a week busser and server position. Many people need work, in many different fields, and the fact is that this is an excellent time to go school and further your education.
So keep your head up and be proud of yourself that you got into a BSN program! This field has a lot of potential and I'm personally excited about learning all there is to learn and continuing on to a master's or doctorate program. Good luck to you!
Wow...if 30 -50% of nurses leave the profession within 3 years imagine when the cows come home and 30 50% of new grads didn't even join the profession because they were rejected without even working one day at the job. At the same time the baby boomers will be coming in demanding service; burned out nurses who worked extra hours for the past 4 -5 will be leaving too; oh and don't forget the ones who are at retiring age, say 80% of them...by that time they will call the foreign nurses just to find out the whole system has been dismantled...OK no problem look at the pile of new grad applicants, oops sorry they are all gone and did I mention that hospitals are showing record profits for the past 4 years and at the same time have a "non profit status" good luck just don't get sick in a few years from now.
Kengland88 - I just finished reading these posts and also have been recently accepted to BSN programs. I found myself concerned at first, but we have to remember that many of the comments stem from very personal experiences from people in different areas all over the country, even Brazil and Australia. Like a few of the posts said, if we are willing to relocate and work with undeserved populations, we will find work. Furthermore, it's possible to get hired on to your practicums. If you are a hard worker, flexible (at least for the first couple years until you get more experience), and do well in your program, I am confident you will find work.
One person responded that the difficulty in finding jobs also stems from the economy, which I completely agree with. All fields are getting hit with lack of jobs. I'm a waitress at a local restaurant and we are hiring 2 positions.. I can't even tell you how many people have inquired as to the 2 day a week busser and server position. Many people need work, in many different fields, and the fact is that this is an excellent time to go school and further your education.
So keep your head up and be proud of yourself that you got into a BSN program! This field has a lot of potential and I'm personally excited about learning all there is to learn and continuing on to a master's or doctorate program. Good luck to you!
Thank you. I needed that. :)
I am flexible as far as hours and where I go - though I'd really like to get some experience in the ER - but I just need to stay in a certain geographical area right now to help my mom and grandfather. The good news is that a new hospital just went up in my town and a new cancer center is coming up now - I just hope there are some positions left (or open) when I graduate in December of 2014! :/
Embracechange- It is not how flexible one is, or able to relocate, it is are you willing to give up your soul for a job?Not me. PS so glad to see I am not the only one shouting, "There is NO nursing shortage!"
I'm approaching my 1 year mark and my impression is that the shortage is a self-feeding problem. I'm trying to flee for ICU because I can tell that the work environment has put me (and the other 6 who are last years new grads) at high risk for burnout.
The shortage means that 7-9 patients is the norm on a cardiac telemetry unit, and we routinely find ourselves with 1 tech for 39 patients. Our staffing matrix pretends that IMC doesn't exist and treats those beds as general beds, so we are guaranteed to be permanently understaffed by design.
In an environment like this, with patients of such acuity it is a plain and brutal truth that none of us are able to provide the level of care that the patients need and that we expect of ourselves. Working with a constant feeling that you aren't allowed to live up to personal and professional standards magnifies your stress level.
All of this adds up to burning newbies out and in turn causes a new cyclical round of shortage each year. It seems like the shortage is a cycle that reinforces itself. How the hell can we stop such a cycle?
I hope Administrators are reading these pages and taking these concerns to heart - but from all this chatter - I'm wondering if they still have hearts ... ?
Elprup - I know many nurses who don't feel that they give up their souls for a job. I made a career change after getting my undergrad in business because that was where I felt I was giving up my soul.. an office job with little human interaction, staring at a computer screen all day, restless from lack of movement due to sitting in a chair all day, answering emails. I was inspired to work in nursing from my friends (who love their jobs) after learning a lot about the field. I'm sorry that you feel the way you do and it sounds like this is definitely not the profession for you, but just because you feel that way doesn't mean everyone else feels that way. I hope you have found or find what you are looking for.
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debstmomy
43 Posts
I do not believe there is a nursing shortage, there is a hiring new grad shortage!!!!! No one wants to invest in new grad training.