The Nursing Shortage: an Annotated Bibliography

The nursing shortage is not an issue that can be ignored any longer. The shortage is becoming a nationwide issue, and the nation needs to take action. Fewer people are entering the nursing profession, current nurses are retiring and leaving their jobs, and the dissatisfaction with patients and staff is not being taken care of. The following is an annotated bibliography which summarizes and evaluates three sources that address the nursing shortage.

Summary: This article informs the reader of the shortage of nurses.

The article mentions, as in the past, nurses are still putting in long hours, caring for more patients, desperately trying to stay on top of things. There is a new nursing shortage, different from the old one. The reasons of the shortage are examined. Fewer people are entering the nursing field, a general dissatisfaction of many issues, and a high burnout rate. The article consists of three main reasons for the shortage, each of which go into detail about a certain issue.

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The new shortage requires unique solutions that will fix the underlying issues, not just solutions that will help in the short run. The solutions of which that were mentioned was needing stronger, professional work environment, adequate staffing, and salaries and benefits to that equal of their responsibilities. To help combat the shortage, federal and state governments are presenting legislation to improve the working environment and helping to pay nursing tuition. Besides government help, there is a personal effort that can be made.

The nurses can take better care of themselves, bring suggestions to colleagues and nurse-manager, and raise their personal level of expertise of their position.

Even though nurses today are experiencing the effects of the shortage, nurses will pull together to care for their patients. Evaluation: Both authors are RN’s, have their Masters of Science. Cheryl L. Mee is also board certified. The article has a hand full of references used throughout their article. The authors are both set on the fact that this nursing shortage is different from the past and need unique solutions. Yet, there tone remains neutral and provides facts and evidence. The article provides reasonable and interesting solutions to the nursing shortage. The article is current and will be used in the completed paper on the nursing shortage. Lichtenberg, Leslie P. "The Role of Nursing Schools in Addressing the Shortage." Nursing Shortage: Strategies for Nursing Practice and Education : Report of the National Invitational Workshop. By Barbara R. Heller. [Rockville, Md.?]: U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Public Health Service, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professionals, Division of Nursing ; Springfield, Va. : For Sale by the National Technical Information Service, 1988. 57-69. Print.

Summary: In this particular chapter, the authors emphasize that the nursing workforce shortage is one of the most damaging health care crisis of the 21st century. There are fewer students enrolling in nursing programs and a decline in graduates are contributing to the nursing shortage. Social, demographic, and economic factors are contributing to the nursing shortage. Because of the trends and patterns that are arising, qualified nurses are a huge demand. Yet, physical demands, and the stressing environment of nursings are causing job burnouts, retiring early, and leaving their job. The solutions provided are to produce more graduates, youth awareness, reducing financial issues to nursing education, and increasing diversity. The authors call for nursing schools and students to take the lead in establishing solutions for change, composing strategies, and finding resources to inspire the change.

Evaluation: Harriet R. Feldman's book includes a chapter on the role of nursing schools to discuss the nursing shortage. Harriet R. Feldman is the editor of the 2003 Springer Series on Nursing Management and Leadership. She carries the credentials of having a PhD, being a RN, and is apart of Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing. This chapter has a page of references used in the writing of the chapter. The chapter provides facts and insight to what nursing schools could be doing to reduce the shortage of nurses and provide ready graduates. The chapter of the role of nursing schools will be kept to complete the future paper on nursing shortages.

Schatz, Sae, Andrea Marraffino, Christine Allen, and Alyssa Tanaka. "UlatiHuman-Systems Integration, Simon, and the Nursing Shortage." Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 2.135 (2013): 135-42. Print.

Summary: In the article, the authors briefly talk about the reasons of the nursing shortage. Naming the common reasons such as: heavier workloads, patient-to-nurse ratio, and nursing schools. The article then shares the research that was performed to discuss the nursing shortage. The authors present different solutions for the problem, heavily emphasizing medical simulation and systematic integration would help in solving the shortage.

Evaluation: The journal article contains well researched information on the nursing shortage and the research of integrating medical simulation into nursing programs. The authors all have credentials including Ph.Ds, and a bachelor of science degree. The articles tone clearly supports medical simulation. The article presents many statistics and research that is supported by many references. To further the completion for the paper on the nursing shortage, this article will be kept.

All three sources mention the common reasons of the nursing shortage. Each provided similar, yet different solutions to which could help solve the shortage. The research provided was thorough enough to conclude that this nursing shortage is different from the past, and will require unique solutions. In addition to the solutions, government, current nurses, and future nurses can assist on ending the shortage. From the sources, all three will be kept for later usage for the paper.