Shortage of Nurses Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Shortage of Nurses - Research Paper Example Current global shortage of nursing staff has contributed to an increased number of mortality rates. Causes of nursing staff shortage Shortages of nursing staff have been attributed to various factors; addressing these factors can drastically reduce these shortages. Issues related to these shortages include insufficient enrollment of students into the nursing profession, underinvestment by the involved country’s government into health sectors, high turnover rate, poor working conditions, rapid increase in population, increased incidences of rare diseases, and few number of institutions offering nursing education (Andrist et al, 2006). Insufficient enrolment into nursing Students enrolling for nursing education are far much below to address the existing shortage. According to the survey by international nursing council, the number of students enrolling for the nursing profession is below the expectation to address the shortage of staff, and there is a need to increase the number of intakes. Comparing the number of students enrolling for other faculty and with those entering into nursing, few students pursue nursing profession. Reasons for this low enrollment have been contributed by the poor pay that nurses receive, poor working condition, long working hours, and high cost associated in training. Nurses work hard to improve the quality of patient’s life. Despite deplorable working condition, nurse’s wages are much below, hence shying off many students. Because of shortage in staff, nurses end up working for many hours than expected working hours. Most of institutions offering nursing education charges high fee, increased cost in educating nursing student has led to many parents and guardians to convince their children to pursue other courses that are less costly and have better pay (Cowen & Moorhead, 2011). Another contributing cause of the shortage in the nursing industry is an inability of nursing schools and college to enroll a large numbe r of students. According to America, association of nursing (AAN) there has been regulation in the number of annual intake in nursing college. According AAN, the Regulation in number of students is to avoid flooding the industry with many nurses. Despite an increase in the shortage, colleges have not taken an initiative to increase the number of nurse’s students. In addition, the numbers of institutions and colleges offering nursing training are few. This has translated to reduce in number of students enrolling for nursing (Kalisch, 2004). Underinvestment in health sectors Most of the developing countries have invested a lesser amount of their budget in health sectors. In Philippines, the country invests 3.6% of their gross domestic income to health sectors. This is contrary to what United States invests; it invests 16% of their gross domestic income. Because of this underinvestment, it has been difficult to attain millennium development goal (MDG) where it aimed at reducing child mortality rate and improving maternal health. Because of poor investment, it has led to poor recruitment programs. Less number of nurses are employed annually; this weak recruitment has failed to breach the gab in the existing shortage. In addition, due to less investment, nurses are paid less salary; inadequate wages have shy off many student to pursue nursing, hence causing a shortage of nursing staff (Kalisch, 2004). Poor