The nurse shortage in US healthcare facilities is a critical problem that can cause such outcomes as overtime working and fatigue for nurses, and the quality of care can decrease. The case study discusses the situation when nurses from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were scheduled extra days each week because of understaffing. The problem is that those nurses who work overtime usually experience tiredness, and this aspect can lead to errors in their practice.
There are three important staffing issues related to this case. The first one is associated with the necessity of nurse leaders in units to guarantee that they meet staffing guidelines to provide care for all patients. The second problem is linked to the legality of composing such tight schedules for nurses (Huston, 2019). Finally, the third issue is connected with the risk of making errors and spreading infections because of nurses’ exhaustion.
Mandatory extra shifts for nurses each week mean that they do not have enough time for rest. As a result, their concentration and productivity decrease significantly. Referring to the average age of nurses in US hospitals, it is important to note that 40-50-years old nurses can often report burnout (Gagliardi et al., 2016). Mandatory staffing can result in more fatigue, frustration, and medical errors observed in units.
A similar situation was experienced in personal nursing practice because the majority of US hospitals are understaffed, and nurses are required to work extra hours and shifts. The only difference is that it was possible to avoid making errors and spreading infections. However, working more than five shifts in a row caused emotional distress, tiredness, a decrease in concertation and attention levels. It was almost impossible to balance family life and extra shifts.
The information presented in the case study has allowed for studying the issue of understaffing in NICUs and other units in hospitals from several perspectives. Almost all nurses faced the necessity of working overtime in their practice. Nevertheless, not all of them know the national guidelines and policies regarding this approach and how to address the issue and cope with fatigue to avoid medical errors.
References
Gagliardi, L., Corchia, C., Bellù, R., Coscia, A., Zangrandi, A., & Zanini, R. (2016). What we talk about when we talk about NICUs: Infants’ acuity and nurse staffing. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 29(18), 2934-2939. Web.
Huston, C. J. (2019). Professional issues in nursing: Challenges and opportunities (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.