As a nurse leader, I would devise strategies that can increase nurse retention to save the future of nursing as a professional career. For instance, I will ensure there is an adequate nurse-to-patient staffing ratio. Patients miss quality care from professional medical practitioners when a hospital is short-staffed. I will provide the new nurses with an effective prosecutor (Forlines, 2018). New nurses are unlikely to leave their work institution if they are guaranteed legal protection and representation in their practice. I will adapt the current working condition to improve work efficiency among healthcare service providers. An improvement in working conditions will improve the chances of retaining nurses in a healthcare facility. I will also improve the responsibility process to allow nurses to focus more on their patients (Forlines, 2018). Medical institutions should create technological systems that can assist nurses with documentation duties. This will give them more time to relate with their patients.
Nurse recruitment exercises can positively influence peoples’ views about the nursing profession. As a result, nursing recruitment excesses should be transparent and all-inclusive. In this case, the recruitment exercise should be advertised in various nursing outlets. There should be an emphasis on career advancements. The advertisement should reflect improved wages and better working conditions. Many people get drawn to flexible working schedules. Flexibility in working hours and schedules improves the performance of practitioners as they are guaranteed enough rest.
The future of nursing does not appear bright due to the current problems in the nursing practice. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a high shortage of nurses in the foreseeable future (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2019). Many young people have lost faith in nursing, which indicates negative expectations for the future of nursing as a career. The capacity of the nursing workforce will reduce drastically in the next 50 years if the current situation persists.
Reference
Forlines K., L. (2018). Increasing registered nurse retention using a mentorship program. Liberty University.