NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 1 Identifying a Local Health Care Economic Issue

Name

Capella university

NHS-FPX 6008 Economics and Decision Making in Health Care

Prof. Name

Date

Identifying a Local Health Care Economic Issue

Nursing shortages significantly challenge the United States (U.S) healthcare system. The nursing shortage in the U.S. is projected to require around 3 million more nurses to meet demand, with the deficit potentially exceeding 500,000 by 2025 (Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, 2022). This issue affects hospitals across New York, including our organization, Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn. The assessment explores the economic consequences of nursing shortages, evaluating their impact on organizational operations and communities.

Nursing Shortages and its Impact on Community/Population

Nursing shortages pose a substantial economic challenge to healthcare, particularly in metropolitan areas like New York. The state faces an increased demand for healthcare workers, with an estimated need for 40,000 extra nurses by 2030 (New York State Department of Health, 2023). These shortages disturb communities across New York. It leads to reduced patient care and increased healthcare expenses. Inadequate staffing leads to reduced access to care, higher nurse burnout and patient dissatisfaction. It delays treatment and health outcomes, increasing patient complications and risks.

According to NYSNA (n.d.), the deficiency heightens the risk of infections and medication errors and reduces the time for patient education. Inadequate staffing increases stress, burnout and physical issues in 29.3% of nurses, leading to compromised patient care and safety (Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, 2022). The strain caused by high patient-to-nurse ratios destabilizes operational proficiency. This results in extended wait times, the need for temporary staffing solutions, overtime and increased readmission rates. All these escalate costs and threaten care quality. Staffing shortages must be addressed to ensure the sustainability and efficiency of healthcare delivery in New York. It improves community health outcomes, safety and quality of life.

The Reason Behind Selection of Healthcare Economic Issues

The reason behind the selection of nursing shortages as a healthcare economic issue stems from their significant impacts on patient care, healthcare costs and the efficiency of healthcare delivery. Nursing shortages lead to elevated patient-to-nurse ratios, increased workloads and burnout. It reduces job satisfaction and compromises patient safety (Almenyan et al., 2021). This challenge is acute in high-demand regions such as New York, where a large and diverse population places extra pressure on healthcare resources. My personal experiences have shaped my perception of this issue.

When my cousin’s mother was hospitalized, I witnessed firsthand the problems nursing staff face in meeting patient needs, directly impacting the quality of care and patient outcomes. These observations supported the critical role adequate staffing plays in patient safety, promoting staff well-being and healthcare proficiency (Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, 2022). Moreover, as a nurse, my commitment to empathy, equity, and the delivery of quality healthcare aligns with supporting improved working conditions for nurses and better health outcomes for all patients.

Effect on Work, Organization, Colleagues, and Community

Nursing shortages profoundly affect my role as a nurse and my colleagues at Woodhull Hospital. The shortage increases the patient load for the existing staff. It makes it difficult to offer complete care to each patient while managing the documentation and maintaining effective communication within the healthcare team. This often leads to extended working hours and nurse burnout. This results in higher turnover rates and our organization’s dependence on overtime. It affects our work-life balance and places extra stress on economic resources and budgets (Almenyan et al., 2021).

The shortage transforms into longer wait times and reduced care quality for the community. This situation is detrimental to economically deprived and underserved populations, where access to healthcare is already restricted. The nursing shortage worsens these disparities. It delays follow up care, reduce capacity for specialized care and worsens health outcomes (Almenyan et al., 2021). Without sufficient preventive care, these communities face an increased burden of chronic conditions. Addressing the nursing shortage is vital to ensure all patients receive equitable and quality care regardless of socioeconomic background.

Identification of the Contributing Gap

A key factor contributing to the nursing shortage is the high turnover rate among nurses, especially within the acute care settings at our organization. Research specifies that job dissatisfaction, limited opportunities for professional growth, poor work-life balance and insufficient staffing levels are major drivers of nurse turnover (Cubelo et al., 2023). These issues create a vicious cycle where nurses leave their roles, exacerbating staffing shortages. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a high nursing turnover rate, with an expected 6% increase in nurse employment, leading to around 193,000 nursing vacancies yearly (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023).

Inadequate staffing levels can lead to adverse patient outcomes like higher mortality rates, medication errors and increased complication risks. Addressing this turnover issue needs efforts to improve the working environment for nurses. It includes reducing nurse-to-patient ratios and providing necessary resources and support. It fosters a culture that values nurses’ contributions and well-being. Investing in retention strategies, such as offering competitive salaries and promoting career development, can help lessen turnover (Almenyan et al., 2021). Recognizing nurses’ efforts and prioritizing their mental health are vital in safeguarding a stable and devoted nursing workforce.

Conclusion

A real challenge to healthcare systems exists in New York, especially at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn, where there is a nursing shortage. This shortage threatens to compromise patient safety and increase health costs and health disparities. The high turnover rate, caused mainly by job dissatisfaction, burnout, and not enough staff, exacerbates this phenomenon. This gap needs a three-pronged approach to working condition improvement: Offer competitive compensation and create supportive conditions to retain nurses. Workloads will be affected if these shortcomings remain unaddressed.

References

Almenyan, A. A., Albuduh, A., & Abbas, F. (2021). Effect of nursing workload in intensive care units. Cureus, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.12674

Cubelo, Langari, Jokiniemi, K., & Turunen. (2023). Recognition of nursing qualification and credentialing pathway of Filipino nurses in Finland: A qualitative study. International Nursing Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12901