Nursing can be defined as both rewarding and challenging, which indeed has changed over the ages. In recent years, however, nurses tend to be faced with many difficulties but also a lot of rewards. This balance between pain and joy is one of the core attributes of the nursing career, defining the relations of nurses to patients and the conditions that prevail in the areas of nursing care. Students pursuing their career in nursing can get help from dissertation writing services and this article in which challenges and benefits of nursing are widely discussed.
Challenges faced by nurses
Along with opportunities in nursing, there are also several challenges, let’s first discuss them. Following are some of the common challenges which directly or indirectly influence nurses.
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Shortage of staff
The reasons explaining the shortage of nurses include the increase in the older population, the rise in healthcare demand, and the exit of old nursing personnel. It has been seen that the nurse-per-patient ratios are high, which affects the patient-nurse ratio adversely and results in burnout and dissatisfaction in work environments not only for the nurses but also for the patients who rely on such care. Burnout can also occur in nurses because they have to juggle a lot of competing needs of patients in a single unit. It creates a sense of insufficiency and irritation in the caregivers.
Emotional and Physical Stress
The stress and strains that the profession of nursing poses cannot be emphasized enough. Nurses go through troubling experiences such as the pain and even loss of their patients which can take a toll on them causing emotional damage. They are also faced with long hours of working, which can exceed 12 hours leading to physical strain as it becomes hard for nurses to guarantee their health. Providing high-quality health care produces an emotional burden, as a consequence, oftentimes nurses tend to burn out making them feel drained and detached from work.
Developments in Technology
On one hand, as much as advances in technology will improve the quality of patient care, there are challenges faced by nurses. The nurse is a professional who has to keep updating skills due to rapidly changing technology. The use of advanced technology may take a psychological toll on users especially those who are not used to modern technology or are technologically challenged. Moreover, there is a danger that excessive use of advanced technology may come at the expense of the relationship aspect of nursing which is very crucial.
Policy and Governance Challenges
The ageing requirements and regulations surrounding healthcare are getting worse. Nurses are frequently overburdened with administrative work and compliance measures that interfere with patient care. Patients are the very reason nurses chose this profession, and spending time on such uninteresting work does create a rift in the mission of this caring industry. This kind of devotion to duty often breeds frustration as well as helplessness since nurses have to try to adhere to compliance and at the same time provide quality patient care.
Workplace Violence
Unfortunately, violence at work is a common occurrence in the nursing practice. It is often the case that nurses work in fear of ill and sometimes violent patients or their relatives, especially in the tense environments such as the emergency department or psychiatric units. This risk can result in fear and anxiousness in nurses which adversely affects their general well-being and satisfaction at work. It is essential for organisations to preemptively deal with this concern for the safety of the nurses at work.
Opportunities in Nursing
Nonetheless, as difficult as it may be, rewards to nursing are deeply fulfilling on both personal and professional levels and range higher than any other.
Positive impact
The very first point of contact that every healthcare member has, apart from the patients themselves, tends to be a nurse. And so every nurse has to fight for the health of the patients that come in for their attention. Whether it is helping the patients cope with the horrid occurrences or teaching the patients about their well-being, nurses fundamentally affect the entire care process. Being able to create such difference, with even minimal alterations, is a passion that drives many nurses in their work.
Career diversity
Nursing has a plethora of career options and specialisations. Whether it is in pediatrics or geriatrics, critical care or community health, nurses get to pick from areas that match one’s interests and forte. This variety not only makes the profession more interesting but helps nurses to also settle in one area. With more experience, many nurses move on to advanced practice degrees, such as nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists adding to their career endeavours.
Bonding with patients
Nurses and their patients’ families too, are likely to develop close and lasting bonds with each other. These experiences can be so gratifying since nurses are there providing support and care in one of the most touching times in people’s lives. Trust among nurses and patients results in a sense of community and belonging that is comfortable to each of them. Such relationships can also enhance the appreciation of social and emotional health aspects within the nursing profession.
Final Thoughts
This nursing sphere encompasses both challenges and rewards, thereby creating a thriving yet demanding environment. Difficulties may be excessive at some point; however, the benefits often act as an encouragement and strength. The desire to save lives and the willingness to make a difference in someone’s life and society at large motivates them. To succeed in this field, however, nurses need to ensure that they care for themselves and obtain assistance from their peers and other more experienced nurses whom they respect. However, great fulfilment comes from the passion for helping, diversification in career, and developing relationships with people.