Nurses are integral to the healthcare system. Holding a position in nursing can make for one of the most personally rewarding careers in the healthcare industry.
Whether you are just starting your career after getting your bachelor’s in nursing (BSN) or moving up the ladder in a leadership role after a master’s in nursing (MSN), you will be dealing with many complex problems. You will also be performing high-pressure jobs, from assisting patients to recording medical records, conducting medical tests, and much more. Regardless of the importance and complexity of the task, a nursing career allows you to make a significant difference in people’s lives. However, being a nurse is no walk in the park.
From the lack of regulations to the availability of specialist nursing professionals, the challenges of this industry are increasing every day. Furthermore, after the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses have had to play multiple roles in healthcare and have been acting as frontline workers in the healthcare sector. As a result, their mental health has been affected significantly during the time of the coronavirus outbreak.
One of the most prominent challenge nurses faces in the present age is the education-application gap. Even if fresh graduate has good academic knowledge, they often lack the proper skills to deal with patients and the complexities of daily tasks. That is why continuing education is crucial for nurses. Professionals can take their nursing careers to the next level by enrolling in accredited online MSN programs and enhancing their skills to treat their patients efficiently.
Read on below to learn some other challenges nurses face:
- SHORTAGE OF STAFF
Healthcare facilities with sufficient nurse professionals can provide the best quality care, reduce mortality rate, and improve overall health outcomes. Moreover, with the increase in the aging population and healthcare needs, the demand for nurses is now more than ever. Thus, inadequate nursing staff in hospitals and other medical facilities is one of the biggest concerns for the healthcare industry. Many medical facilities keep their nurses staff short to meet their budget. As a result, the hired nurses have to compensate and work overtime, which leaves them frustrated and mentally exhausted. Some nurses even quit their jobs as work takes a toll on their physical and mental health.
And while it may not be possible to overcome this challenge entirely, nursing executives can play their part in retaining staff. One best initiative is to create a positive work environment and implement technology to offer flexible and efficient patient care.
Shortage of staff also leads to nurses working long hours and doing mandatory overtime, resulting in burnout and low morale. Without proper rest, long shifts create more opportunities for errors—affecting patient care—that can become the difference between life and death.
- LACK OF TRAINING FOR TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS
As with any other industry, the latest technological advancements have streamlined operations in the healthcare sector. For example, the emergence of telehealth, automated IV pumps, and electronic health records have significantly reduced the chances of human errors and made shifts manageable for nurses.
Despite these advantages, many nurses find it challenging to keep up with these technological developments. The prolonged and hectic work schedules leave the nurses with almost little to no time to stay abreast of the latest technologies and learn how to use them. Moving on from traditional pagers, healthcare workflow processes now leverage sophisticated technologies to ensure effective communication and remove chances of human error. However, new software and apps may seem overwhelming to nurses who aren’t tech-savvy and lack training.
- WORKPLACE VIOLENCE
Bullying and harassment are growing concerns in almost all industries, and nurses aren’t impervious to these issues either. According to a recent poll, approximately 71% of nurses answered ‘yes’ when asked if they had been victims of harassment from patients in the workplace. Harassment involves inappropriate contacts over social media platforms, consistent nagging, sexual harassment, and stalking. This form of psychological violence creates safety concerns and often leads to long-term trauma for nurses that almost always goes unaddressed.
However, it is worthy to note that violence doesn’t always come from patients. Intruders, visitors, or even healthcare staff members can also be a source of these violent activities. From verbal abuse to hitting, kicking, and appropriate comments, these problems are becoming increasingly prevalent with no practical or long-term solutions in sight.
CONCLUSION
The healthcare industry is continuously evolving and it is advised to keep yourself updated with the program from NCLEX Training for Schools. And every new challenge presents the opportunity to create innovative solutions that don’t bridge the gap for both current and future health problems.
Overcoming these issues with proper strategies and a positive mindset is entirely possible. Healthcare facilities need to cater to the needs of nurses, address their concerns, and take necessary measures to enforce a productive work environment. That way, nurses will feel motivated, determined, empowered, and pour in more hard work to reach their full potential.