Review resources about nursing profession issues in the United States. Look specifically at the NLN and ANA website resources.
Review the global issues explored by the International Council of Nurses.
Consider a nursing issue that may impact you.
Consider what might be done about this issue.
Select a nursing profession issue happening in the United States or a global health issue.
Post a response detailing the following:
Provide a clear and detailed description of the nursing profession issue.
Explain how you might be impacted by this issue.
Explore how this issue might be addressed and/or remedied through policy.
Sample Answer
The critical nursing profession issue I will address is the U.S. Nursing Faculty Shortage, which is the primary bottleneck for addressing the overall Registered Nurse (RN) shortage.
1. Description of the Nursing Profession Issue
The Nursing Faculty Shortage refers to the insufficient number of qualified educators available to teach in university and college nursing programs across the United States. This is a severe, systemic issue that prevents nursing schools from accepting thousands of qualified applicants, directly exacerbating the clinical nurse shortage.
Key Data (NLN/AACN Perspective): According to the National League for Nursing (NLN) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), U.S. nursing schools have been forced to turn away tens of thousands of qualified applicants from Baccalaureate and graduate programs annually due to an inadequate number of faculty, clinical preceptors, and classroom space.
The Root Cause: The central problem is the salary gap between clinical and academic practice. Highly experienced nurses with advanced degrees (Master's or Doctoral) are required to teach, but they can earn significantly more money working full-time as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) or in specialized clinical roles (e.g., Clinical Nurse Specialist or Nurse Practitioner) than they can as full-time nursing faculty. This financial disincentive makes the transition to academia unattractive.
The Impact: The faculty shortage limits the supply of new nurses, delays the retirement of older nurses due to poor staffing, and decreases the number of experienced nurses available to mentor new graduates, creating a cycle of high turnover and low institutional knowledge.
2. How This Issue Might Impact Me
As a professional likely interacting with the healthcare system, either as a direct service provider, a policy professional, or simply a citizen needing care, the nursing faculty shortage impacts me in the following ways:
Impact on Future Healthcare Quality (Indirect): A lack of qualified faculty means the new nurses who do graduate may have received less hands-on attention, poorer clinical supervision, and less robust education than previous generations. This translates to a decline in the overall quality and safety of patient care at the hospitals and clinics I or my family may use.