NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 3

Student Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX4000 Developing a Nursing Perspective

Prof. Name

Date

Healthcare Workforce Shortage: Ethical and Systemic Considerations

Introduction

The global shortage of healthcare professionals continues to challenge healthcare systems, making it increasingly difficult to meet the demands of an aging population. This growing need for medical services places immense pressure on healthcare providers, leading to workforce depletion. Many nurses and other healthcare professionals leave their positions due to burnout, job dissatisfaction, and mental health concerns, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Burrowes et al., 2023).

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024), the demand for healthcare professionals—especially nurses and primary care providers in rural settings—continues to outpace supply. Several factors contribute to this shortage, including limited access to professional education and training, excessive workloads, and poor workplace conditions that deter new entrants into the field. Addressing this crisis requires comprehensive strategies such as policy reforms, increased funding for healthcare education, improved workplace conditions, and the integration of telehealth and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance workforce efficiency.

Autonomy and the Healthcare Workforce Shortage

Autonomy plays a crucial role in mitigating the healthcare workforce shortage by allowing professionals to make independent decisions regarding their careers, workplace environments, and patient care. Increased autonomy within a professional’s scope of practice has been linked to improved job satisfaction, enhanced workforce retention, and greater stability in healthcare systems (Şahan, 2023). However, the ongoing workforce shortage has led to increased workloads, administrative burdens, and restrictive policies, which limit clinical decision-making and contribute to burnout and high turnover rates.

Expanding the scope of practice for nurse practitioners in primary care settings offers a viable solution to workforce shortages, particularly in underserved areas. Granting nurse practitioners greater independence enhances healthcare access and reduces the burden on overworked physicians (Şahan, 2023). Additionally, implementing flexible work arrangements and supportive policies can further improve autonomy, leading to higher job satisfaction, better workforce retention, and improved patient care outcomes.

Beneficence and the Healthcare Workforce Shortage

The principle of beneficence, which prioritizes actions in the best interest of patients, is essential in addressing workforce shortages while maintaining high-quality care standards. One effective strategy is implementing nurse residency programs, which help new nurses transition into practice, ultimately reducing turnover and enhancing patient care outcomes (Mohammad & Al-Hmaimat, 2024).

Hospitals have also adopted team-based care models to distribute workloads more effectively, ensuring that healthcare providers can dedicate more time to patient care. Research indicates that inadequate staffing is associated with higher patient mortality rates, increased medical errors, and lower patient satisfaction (Burrowes et al., 2023). To mitigate these challenges, healthcare organizations should allocate additional resources to medical education, integrate telemedicine, and employ AI-driven solutions to enhance efficiency and patient outcomes (Burrowes et al., 2023; Mohammad & Al-Hmaimat, 2024).

Table Representation: Ethical Considerations in the Healthcare Workforce Shortage

References

Alowais, S. A., Alghamdi, S. S., Alsuhebany, N., Alqahtani, T., Alshaya, A., Almohareb, S. N., Aldairem, A., Alrashed, M., Saleh, K. B., Badreldin, H. A., Yami, A., Harbi, S. A., & Albekairy, A. M. (2023). Revolutionizing healthcare: The role of artificial intelligence in clinical practice. BMC Medical Education, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04698-z

Burrowes, S. A. B., Casey, S. M., Joseph, N. P., Talbot, S. G., Hall, T., Brathwaite, N. C., Carmen, M. D., Garofalo, C., Lundberg, B., Mehta, P. K., Santiago, J. M., Perkins, E. M. S., Weber, A., Yarrington, C. D., & Perkins, R. B. (2023). COVID-19 pandemic impacts on mental health, burnout, and longevity in the workplace among healthcare workers: A mixed methods study. National Library of Medicine, 32, 100661–100661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjep.2023.100661

Mohammad, Z., & Al-Hmaimat, N. (2024). The effectiveness of nurse residency programs on new graduate nurses’ retention: Systematic review. Heliyon, 10(5), e26272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26272

NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 3

National Rural Health Association (NRHA). (2024). About rural health care | NRHA. National Rural Health. https://www.ruralhealth.us/about-us/about-rural-health-care

Şahan, C. Ö. S. (2023, June 6). Determining the relationship between nurses’ attitudes to professional autonomy and job satisfaction. Mediterranean Nursing and Midwifery Journal. https://mediterr-nm.org/articles/determining-the-relationship-between-nurses-attitudes-to-professional-autonomy-and-job-satisfaction/doi/MNM.2023.22144

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Healthcare occupations: Occupational outlook handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/