Acute care nurses, also known as the angels of critical care, are known for their specialized skills in handling patients with severe issues. Acute care nurses are known to manage patients with complex conditions while working long shifts. That sounds tough, doesn’t it?
Acute care nursing comes with its own set of challenges. This role is not only complex and demanding but may also encounter specific blockages that affect nurses’ overall performance during the shift. To ensure that acute care nurses are heard, we must address their challenges with practical solutions and make life easier for them in the already demanding healthcare industry.
So, what can we do to address the challenges that acute care nursing professionals face during their professional journey? Let’s discuss this further to find out.
Focus on Quality Education
It all begins from the basics. Education plays a critical role since nursing is a technical profession where you must get a degree to become eligible for practice. Acute care nurses can get specialized education and build expertise in managing complex cases. After getting a compulsory degree in nursing, nurses can enroll in different programs to stay updated on best practices and the latest trends.
There are several acute care NP programs online that give you a chance to learn new skills and get the desired training. Due to their flexible approach and online availability, nurses can learn independently without compromising their routine.
Online learning has made it easier for nurses to maintain a balanced work-life-study routine. Also, they can apply the skills they learn in the practical world. Nurses with adequate knowledge and good education are better prepared to tackle the challenges of professional life.
Acute Care Nursing and Its Complexities
Acute care nursing is a demanding profession in which nurses specialize in treating patients with severe health conditions. To do this, they must have technical skills, emotional stability, and quick thinking to handle any unexpected situation. This is why acute care nurses are usually available in hospital emergencies, ICUs, and operating rooms.
While the job is challenging enough, acute care nurses are highly understaffed. This puts a lot of pressure on the registered nurses who are currently employed. Most of them have to juggle their personal and professional lives. The struggle for work-life balance is usually a combination of working overtime, dealing with complex patients, resting, and emotional stress. No wonder people consider this profession overly challenging. Who would want to work in a profession that may take a toll on their mental health?
Finally, let’s discuss the type of patients they treat. Acute care nurses often work with challenging patients. For example, they might be caring for someone with diabetes. Nurses must not only provide these patients with excellent care but also manage the emotional stressors that may seem to challenge them.
So, to help them, nurses should be provided with the skills and resources necessary to get at least the job done efficiently.
Acute Nursing and Staff Shortage
As mentioned, there is always a shortage of nurses. So much so that NIH claims that due to this shortage, 275,000 additional nurses will be needed from 2020-2030. The shortage of nurses has mostly occurred due to the aging population and the rise of mental and physical diseases among patients. Also, not to mention the role the COVID-19 pandemic played in this uprise of healthcare needs.
Nowadays, hospitals are trying their best to onboard as many professional nurses as they can. They offer attractive packages with multiple perks, such as travel costs and bonuses to the nursing department. While it is a temporary solution to onboard staff, the concern of having more nurses in the industry still remains a root problem.
Having fewer people to do more work, especially in the healthcare department, where patients’ needs are critical, can lead to mistakes that may impact nurses’ performance.
Hospitals should consider creating an environment where nurses get the desired support. Junior staff should be trained by the seniors so they feel motivated during their shifts. Hospitals can also create rest time between shifts and offer nurses free snacks and a gym to boost their morale. Having a well-facilitated work environment will motivate nurses to be more productive during their shifts. They are likely to spend more time at the hospital as well.
Acute Care Nursing and Mental Health Challenges
Acute care nursing is a challenging profession. It means that these nurses have to work with emotionally challenging and mentally tiring situations daily. Since they are over-exposed to constant trauma and challenges, it is normal for them to feel overwhelmed and emotionally triggered. In fact, burnout, anxiety, and depression are some of the common concerns faced by acute care nurses.
Since this isn’t discussed much, acute care nurses do not seek help or ask for support during this time. They should be encouraged to share their mental health concerns with the hospital management.
Nursing associations should normalize discussions on mental health by offering them a chance to participate in peer support groups, stress management workshops, and counseling sessions.
Nurses who feel heard and valued are more encouraged at their jobs. They will likely offer better patient care and remain positive during the shift.
Give Acute Care Nurses the Support They Need
Acute care nurses deal with the most complex and challenging patients. They are also quite few in number, which means that the available staff is either overworked or stressed out.
Nurses should receive high-quality education and training that increases their chances of performing better in practical life. They also need to be provided with facilities to manage their routines and maintain mental and physical fitness. Hospitals should be open to offering them better pay packages.
While these steps can encourage nurses to be more productive at work, the underlying issue persists. How are we planning to counter the shortage of nurses in the industry?
Well, by encouraging more people to pursue nursing as a profession, we can overcome this shortage and encourage more people to join this demanding yet challenging field. We hope to see more people join the nursing field and serve their community.