In order to deal with the problem of shortage of nurses effectively, it is important to develop an applicable plan. This plan should be implemented in accordance with the needs and requirement of the organization. The new policy should solve the existing problem as well as pave way for future success in nursing.
Leadership team should be at the forefront to ensure that the implementation process will meet the needs of both the nurse and the patient. The implementation plan begins by seeking approval and securing support from the organization leadership as well as from the fellow staff. Firstly, a formal notice must be presented to the leadership team, citing the need to come up with a new policy. Moreover, fellow workers should also be informed appropriately.
This is important because they will be affected directly by the new policy. In order to secure support of both the leadership team and fellow staff, a critical analysis of the advantages of adopting the new policy to the organization as well as to individuals in the long and short terms must be developed. Approval can also be obtained by determining the risks of adopting the new policy and preparing a management plan that will convince leadership team to accept the proposal (Anand & Barnighausen, 2004). Fellow workers support can be secured by forming alliance with them. This creates good relationship and rapport in support of the new change. Currently, health care system is experiencing shortage of nurses.
This shortage has been causes by many factors among them being stringent recruitment policies. This has forced students, aspiring to be nurses, opt to another profession. Thus, the demand of nurses has increased with growth in number of patients who need the services of health care. Globally, shortage of nurses has been an issue of concern. This has led to the essence of changing current policy, regarding recruiting nurses (Buchan &Aiken, 2008).
Poor recruitment policy does not consider other factors such as working hours, salaries, career training as well as provision of incentives to the staff.In the implementation plan to meet the issue of shortage of nurses, revision of recruitment policy will help to meet both long and short term objectives as well as ensure that there is increased number of nurses in the health care. Patient to nurse ratio should be favorable to ensure that services are provided effectively (Rajapaksa & Rothstein, 2009). Recruitment mechanism policy should be improved in order to solve the issue of shortage of nurses. The policy should favor enrolment of nursing students who will later join the profession.
Currently, most nurses do not perceive the career of nursing as rewarding. The main solution to the problem of shortage of nurses is revision of recruitment policies. Firstly, recruitment should be done on fresh graduates. Moreeover, colleges, teaching nursing, should aim at enhancing their programs to ensure that they produce professionals (Flinkman et al.
, 2010). According to American association of colleges, there has been a notable decrease in number of nursing schools in United States. Secondly, improved recruitment policy will enhance increment in benefits and wages to the nurses. One major reason for increase in number of nurses who are leaving the profession is due to limited rewards in the profession (Aiken el al., 2002). This has discouraged students from pursuing the profession.
In addition, the working environment in healthcare should be improved (Anand & Barnighausen, 2004). This will enhance the relationship between the nurses and the patient. Nurses should work in an environment, where they are in a position to develop therapeutic relations.Thirdly, the new policy should facilitate provision of mechanism that meets the needs of both the nurses and the patients. Mechanism involves improving facilities, used in provision of services.
Fourthly, revision of recruitment policy will create a favorable working environment for the current nurses. In the past, stringent recruitment policies have acted as a determent to hiring of more nurses (Cook, 2011). This has led to development of other problems such as work overload. Thus, revision of this policy will remove these barriers. This will increase enrolment in nursing per year.
