Question

Discuss the causes and implications of the “nursing shortage” and discuss whether it is really a “shortage” as economists understand the term.

Answer 1

Nursing shortage refers to a situation wherein the demand for nursing professionals, such as Registered Nurses, exceeds the supply at different scales. This may be measured by nurse to patient ratio, nurse to population ration or general vacancies for nurse.

Nursing shortage is not necessarily due to a lack of supply of trained nurses. Some of the factors include lack of adequate staffing ratios in hospitals and other health care facilities, lack of placement programs for newly trained nurses, and inadequate worker retention incentives, excessive workload, inadequate pay, constant changes in schedule, lack of childcare, lack of appreciation from seniors, subordination to the medical profession on all matters and any other difficult working conditions. All these may lead to nursing shortage. It may be tha case that there are sufficient nurses registered but they want to study further or don't want to work because of difficult working conditions as mentioned above.

This can have many implications for the society and health care system in general. The low hospital-level nurse-to-patient ratios may lead to increased workload for remaining nurses. This may increase the risk of error and thus compromising on patient's safety. Increased risk of spreading infection or communicable diseases among hospital staff.

So, this shortage is actually not demand supply shortage. This is voluntary unemployment due to difficult working conditions.