Post an explanation of how competing needs, such as the needs of the workforce, resources, and patients, may impact the development of policy. Then, describe any specific competing needs that may impact the national healthcare issue/stressor you selected. What are the impacts, and how might policy address these competing needs? Be specific and provide examples.
Competing Needs and Healthcare Policy Development
The healthcare landscape is shaped by a complex interplay of needs that often compete with one another. Among these are the needs of the healthcare workforce, the finite nature of available resources, and the imperative to deliver safe, high-quality patient care. These competing needs create significant challenges for policymakers, healthcare administrators, and providers, who must balance priorities and make difficult trade-offs in order to develop and implement effective healthcare policies.
One of the most prominent national healthcare stressors currently affecting the United States is the nursing shortage. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), the U.S. is projected to need more than 200,000 new registered nurses (RNs) annually to meet the growing demand for healthcare services (ANA, 2023). Several factors contribute to this shortage, including an aging population, high rates of nurse burnout, and limited nursing school faculty and clinical placement opportunities. This shortage underscores the need for policies that address both workforce sustainability and patient care outcomes.
Competing Needs and the Nursing Shortage
The development of policies to address the nursing shortage must take into account several competing needs. First, there is the need to ensure that patients receive timely, safe, and effective care. Nurse staffing levels are closely associated with patient outcomes, including rates of hospital-acquired infections, medication errors, and mortality (Griffiths et al., 2018). However, hospitals and healthcare systems must also consider the financial costs of hiring and retaining qualified nurses, especially during times of budgetary constraints. Balancing fiscal responsibility with the ethical obligation to provide safe care is a core tension in healthcare policy development.
Another competing need involves the well-being of the nursing workforce itself. Nurses are increasingly experiencing burnout, moral distress, and job dissatisfaction due to long hours, inadequate support, and high patient-to-nurse ratios. While some organizations might be tempted to increase workloads to offset shortages, this can backfire by leading to higher turnover and absenteeism, further exacerbating the problem. Policies aimed at improving staffing must, therefore, address working conditions, provide mental health resources, and ensure manageable workloads.
Policy Solutions and Balancing Needs
Addressing the competing needs related to the nursing shortage requires multifaceted policy interventions. For example, some states, such as California, have implemented mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios, which have been shown to improve both patient outcomes and nurse satisfaction (McHugh et al., 2021). While such policies can initially increase operational costs, they may reduce long-term expenses by lowering readmission rates and improving staff retention.
Additionally, federal and state funding for nursing education and training can help expand the workforce pipeline. The Nurse Corps Scholarship Program and similar initiatives provide financial support to nursing students in exchange for service in high-need areas, helping to address both workforce development and underserved population care simultaneously.
Conclusion
Competing needs in healthcare—especially those of patients, the workforce, and limited resources—significantly influence the development of effective and sustainable policies. In the case of the nursing shortage, striking a balance between these needs is critical. Policymakers must adopt comprehensive strategies that not only bolster the nursing workforce but also ensure high-quality patient care and the efficient use of healthcare resources. Through a combination of staffing regulations, educational investment, and workforce support, policies can be crafted to meet these intersecting needs and mitigate one of the most pressing healthcare stressors facing the nation today.
References
American Nurses Association. (2023). Nursing shortage. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/
Griffiths, P., Ball, J. E., Drennan, J., Dall’Ora, C., Jones, J., Maruotti, A., Pope, C., Recio Saucedo, A., & Simon, M. (2018). Nurse staffing and patient outcomes: Strengths and limitations of the evidence to inform policy and practice. A review and discussion paper based on evidence reviewed for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Safe Staffing guideline development. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 85, 63–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.05.003
McHugh, M. D., Aiken, L. H., Sloane, D. M., Brooks Carthon, J. M., Boguenet, L. B., & Lasater, K. B. (2021). Effects of nurse-to-patient ratio legislation on nurse staffing and patient outcomes: A systematic review. The Lancet, 397(10288), 1780–1790. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00768-6
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