Nursing Shortage

A nursing shortage occurs when there are not enough registered nurses to meet the healthcare needs of a population. Factors contributing to this include an aging nursing workforce approaching retirement, insufficient training programs, high stress and burnout, and increased demand for healthcare services. This shortage can lead to longer wait times for patients, increased workload for nurses, and potential impacts on the quality of care. Addressing the shortage requires strategies such as expanding nursing education, improving work conditions, and incentivizing recruitment to ensure healthcare systems remain effective.