NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 5

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4000 Developing a Nursing Perspective

Prof. Name

Date

Analyzing a Current Health Care Problem or Issue

Healthcare staff form the backbone of the medical system. Many facilities are grappling with the shortage of nurses, doctors. It jeopardizes patient safety and care standards. Offering competitive salaries, flexible work plans and training improves job satisfaction (Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, 2022). This paper examines the impacts of shortages on patients and providers, exploring solutions to enhance delivery and foster a sustainable work setting.

Describing the Healthcare Problem

The shortage of experts presents a challenge to healthcare systems. Several hospitals and clinics are currently understaffed, making it difficult to provide care to all patients. This staffing gap leads to excessive workloads for existing staff, resulting in fatigue, elevated stress, and job abandonment. In the United States, nurse turnover rates remain high. The country is projected to face a shortfall of around 3 million nurses to close the existing gap.

Globally, the World Health Organization anticipates a shortfall of 12.7 million staff by 2035 (Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, 2022). This shortage poses a threat to patient safety. A 2021 study conducted at a university hospital in Switzerland revealed that patients exposed to shifts with lower levels of nurse staffing had an 11% higher chance of mortality. Increased staffing was related to an 8.8% reduction in the risk of demise (Musy et al., 2021). These findings highlight the urgent need to address staffing deficits to safeguard patient health and workforce sustainability.

Shortages of healthcare specialists carry consequences for staff and patient care. Inadequate staffing forces existing personnel to bear heavier workloads. This leads to exhaustion, emotional fatigue, and decreased job satisfaction. These factors drive professionals away from the field. For patients, this shortfall transforms into delayed or inadequate care.

Enhancing compensation packages and optimizing shift structures can improve job satisfaction and retention rates (Peters, 2023). Offering constant education, mentorship, training, and emotional support is vital in maintaining a competent staff. In rural regions, incentives such as housing allowances and financial benefits have proven in retaining nurses (Golz et al., 2022). Managers and policymakers must prioritize workforce well-being. Neglecting to do so will result in worsening patient outcomes. This rises in mortality and a worsening quality of care (Musy et al., 2021).

Analyzing the Problem or Issue

A widespread shortage of experts continues to pose a concern across facilities in the United States. This leads to excessive workloads and heightened risk of errors (Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, 2022). This strain compromises the quality of care and contributes to patient death. Zaranko et al. (2022) found that every additional 12-hour duty worked by a nurse was linked with a 9.7% decrease in the possibility of patient death. Shifts staffed 16 hours or more below the suggested level were linked to a 23% rise in mortality risk.

This issue resonates with me due to personal experience. I have worked in an understaffed unit where I was responsible for more patients than was safe. The mental and physical fatigue was overwhelming, making it difficult to deliver the attentive, quality care each patient deserved. Many of my colleagues expressed similar concerns. Several left their places due to stress and burnout. These experiences highlight the detrimental impact of chronic understaffing on staff well-being and patient safety. 

 Experts bear the brunt of shortages, while patients and their families face the consequences. Limited staffing results in inadequate care. It leaves patients underserved and families anxious about their loved ones’ well-being. This calls for intervention from managers and policymakers. Remedies include expanding the workforce, offering compensation. These foster supportive working settings (Golz et al., 2022; Peters, 2023). Constant research is vital in recognizing strategies and guiding informed decision-making. Exploring the effects of staffing deficits is vital to measure their effects on outcomes, burnout, and costs (Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, 2022). Several aspects remain uncertain, like the impact of staffing rules. 

Potential Solutions

The deficit of staff poses a significant challenge. It contributes to elevated stress levels, burnout, and compromised patient outcomes. A variety of strategies have been proposed to confront this crisis. Some aim to enhance retention, while others focus on recruitment. One approach involves improving the expert setting for nurses by offering competitive salaries, flexible scheduling and workplace support systems. When nurses feel respected. They are more likely to endure in their characters. This helps stabilize the workforce and elevate the quality of care (Peters, 2023).

These changes require financial investment and take time to yield measurable advances. Another avenue involves expanding the workforce by increasing the number of trained experts. This can be achieved by scaling up nursing education programs. It offers scholarships to attract students and executes organized transition programs that ease new graduates into clinical roles. These initiatives can help address the staffing gap. The lengthy training process means that their impact on shortages will not be instant (Musy et al., 2021).

NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 5

 Several experts support the use of emerging technologies to alleviate workforce strain. Innovations like telehealth and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have the potential to streamline operations. AI can handle administrative documentation. Virtual consultations allow physicians to manage patient care proficiently. The execution of these tools is hindered by limited funding and inadequate digital infrastructure in many institutions (Sherani, 2025). Technological integration offers promise, but enhancing workplace conditions remains an effective strategy. When nurses are well-supported, fairly compensated, and recognized for their contributions, they are more inclined to remain in their roles.

This leads to reduced turnover and enhanced quality of care (Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, 2022). Health systems focus on improving work settings. It expands nursing education and implements technology to strengthen its staff. Despite its benefits, AI adoption faces obstacles such as steep investment costs, privacy concerns, and doubt from staff worried about job security (Sherani, 2025). Additional hurdles include questions about AI precision, ethical dilemmas, and delays due to regulatory needs (Musy et al., 2021).

The Impact of Ethical Principles on Solutions

Ethical principles are vital in guiding equitable, safe solutions within healthcare systems. Four values, beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice, in addressing staff challenges. Beneficence emphasizes promoting well-being. Enhancing nurse training programs and improving workplace conditions benefits both clinicians and patients. Expanding staffing can alleviate pressure onpersonnel and elevate the quality of care.

Research by Lasater et al. (2021) revealed that patient-to-nurse ratios across Illinois hospitals varied from 4.3 to 7.7 patients per nurse. Standardizing a 4:1 ratio statewide prevented a projected 1,596 deaths and saved around $117 million annually. This shows how beneficial practices yield tangible health and economic gains. Nonmaleficence centers on the obligation to prevent harm. It supports this initiative. Excessive workloads heighten the risk of errors, compromising safety. Neglecting to address these issues worsens harm across the care continuum. To align with nonmaleficence, strategies such as integrating AI for managerial tasks can ease the burden on staff and enhance precision.

 Autonomy involves honoring individuals’ rights to make informed decisions about their lives and work. For nurses, this means having the freedom to manage their schedules and maintain a healthy work-life balance. A major contributor to attrition in the nursing workforce is the persistent sense of being overwhelmed and undervalued. Executing policies that promote flexible shifts and supportive atmospheres can empower nurses to remain in the field while preserving their well-being.

NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 5

Justice underscores equitable access to resources. Solutions must not unduly favor urban centers while neglecting rural regions. Expanding telehealth services in remote areas bridges access gaps. Evidence suggests that providing competitive wages and housing incentives in rural zones improves staffing and retention (Pursio et al., 2021). Without equitable distribution of healthcare investments, disparities in care will persist. A fair system safeguards all individuals, regardless of location, to receive quality and timely medical support.

Bias plays a substantial role in shaping workforce solutions and must be addressed to ensure fairness. If strategies like telehealth or nurse training programs favor urban hospitals or specific demographics. They worsen existing disparities. Nurses and patients in rural areas are left behind if resources and innovations are not distributed evenly. Long and Sweeney (2023) argue that rural-focused education and financial incentives are vital to rebalance healthcare access. The looming shortfall of 3,000 surgeons by 2025, alongside the rate of just 4.67 surgeons per 100,000 people in rural regions, highlights the need for equitable solutions. The expected shortage of 23,000 healthcare experts by 2032 will strain urban and rural systems. By integrating ethical principles, leaders can design policies that mitigate bias and ensure quality care.

Sphere of Care

Chronic disease management and Wellness and Disease Prevention are two spheres of care where telehealth plays a significant role. Managing chronic illnesses demands medical attention. Patients in rural regions face difficulties accessing care due to extended wait times and limited appointment availability. Conditions such as hypertension and diabetes require regular follow-ups. It can be burdensome without adequate provider access.

One approach to bridging this gap is telemedicine. This enables virtual consultations between patients and clinicians. This method minimizes travel burdens, making it ideal for individuals in isolated areas. Through remote monitoring and digital check-ins, experts can manage chronic conditions, adjust care plans, and intervene before complications arise. For instance, a person managing diabetes can receive timely feedback on glucose levels and dietary changes without commuting to a clinic. According to Moulaei et al. (2023), while 28% of 1,227 patients opted for telemedicine, valuing convenience and reduced exposure to infections, the majority, 72%, favored face-to-face visits.

 Telehealth initiatives staff to consult with more individuals in less time, enhancing workflow and reducing occupational strain. This digital approach facilitates access to specialized care that would otherwise be out of reach for those in geographically underserved communities. Such accessibility aligns with the ethical principle of justice, ensuring equitable healthcare for all. Telehealth upholds beneficence by streamlining care delivery (Scales, 2020).

By minimizing delays in care, it lowers the risk of adverse events, supporting nonmaleficence. Giving patients the flexibility to choose how and when they engage with providers respects their autonomy. Telehealth is a practical, impactful tool that enhances chronic disease management by monitoring follow-ups. It strengthens public health efforts under the Wellness and Disease Prevention model by promoting early detection, education (Kendzerska et al., 2021). Research by Moulaei et al. (2023) confirms that routine virtual check-ins enable plan changes. As telehealth lightens the load on teams and boosts productivity. It fulfills ethical duties 

Conclusion

The shortage of healthcare experts poses a critical threat to both patient safety and workforce sustainability. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach that includes improving workplace conditions, expanding educational pathways, and leveraging emerging technologies. Offering equitable access to resources and prioritizing staff well-being, systems can mitigate burnout, decrease turnover and improve the standard of treatment.

References

Golz, C., Bachmann, A., Defilippis, T. S., Kobleder, A., Peter, K. A., Schaffert, R., Schwarzenbach, X., Kampel, T., & Hahn, S. (2022). Preparing students to deal with the consequences of the workforce shortage among health professionals: A qualitative approach. BMC Medical Education, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03819-4

Kendzerska, T., Zhu, D. T., Gershon, A. S., Edwards, J. D., Peixoto, C., Robillard, R., & Kendall, C. E. (2021). The effects of the health system response to the COVID-19 pandemic on chronic disease management: A narrative review. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 14, 575–584. https://doi.org/10.2147/rmhp.s293471 

Lasater, K. B., Aiken, L. H., Sloane, D., French, R., Martin, B., Alexander, M., & McHugh, M. D. (2021). Patient outcomes and cost savings associated with hospital safe nurse staffing legislation: An observational study. BMJ Open, 11(12), e052899. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052899 

Long, B., & Sweeney, M. (2023). Examining the growing demand for surgical care in rural communities and novel approaches to achieving a sustainable surgical workforce: A narrative review. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.43817

Moulaei, K., Sheikhtaheri, A., Fatehi, F., Yazdani, A., & Bahaadinbeigy, K. (2023). Patients’ perspectives and preferences toward telemedicine versus in-person visits: A mixed-methods study on 1226 patients. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-023-02348-4 

Musy, S. N., Endrich, O., Leichtle, A. B., Griffiths, P., Nakas, C. T., & Simon, M. (2021). The association between nurse staffing and inpatient mortality: A shift-level retrospective longitudinal study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 120(103950), 103950. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.103950 

NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 5

Peters, M. (2023). Time to solve persistent, pernicious and widespread nursing workforce shortages. International Nursing Review, 70(2), 247–253. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12837

Pursio, K., Kankkunen, P., Stiehr, E. S., & Kvist, T. (2021). Professional autonomy in nursing: An integrative review. Journal of Nursing Management, 29(6), 1565–1577. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13282

Scales, K. (2020). It is time to resolve the direct care workforce crisis in long-term care. The Gerontologist, 61(4), 497–504. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaa116

Sherani, A. (2025). Leveraging AI for efficient healthcare workforce management: Addressing staffing shortages and reducing burnout. Global Journal of Computer Sciences and Artificial Intelligence, 1(1), 43–54. https://doi.org/10.70445/gjcsai.1.1.2025.43-54

Tamata, A. T., & Mohammadnezhad, M. (2022). A systematic review study on the factors affecting shortage of nursing workforce in the hospitals. Nursing Open, 10(3), 1247–1257. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1434

Zaranko, B., Sanford, N. J., Kelly, E., Rafferty, A. M., Bird, J., Mercuri, L., Sigsworth, J., Wells, M., & Propper, C. (2022). Nurse staffing and inpatient mortality in the English national health service: A retrospective longitudinal study. BMJ Quality & Safety, 32(5), bmjqs-2022-015291. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2022-015291