“The American Nurses Association (ANA) states nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations,” (ANA, 2012). However, what happens when there are not enough nurses to care for humanity? For many years now there has been a significant nurse shortage, rendering this topic the focus of myriad studies which scrutinize, analyze, and reanalyze the cause, effect, and solutions for this crisis (Webber, 1994). According to author, Hinshaw, (2001) “The shortage of nursing …show more content…
1). The article, A Continuing Challenge: The Shortage of Educationally Prepared Nursing Faculty, highlights a number of factors which contribute to the shortage of nursing faculty, and the direct impact these influences have on the nationwide nursing shortage.
There are several factors this article is successful in examining. Similar to the nursing shortage itself, the aging baby boomer population, now seeking retirement, is one of the main causes for increase in nursing faculty shortages (Hinshaw, 2001). Thus there is an exodus of retiring nursing professionals leaving the workforce and not enough new nurses to replace them, filling their positions. Additionally, this article brings to light an issue often neglected in realizing among nurses. “The other major problem is not only that nursing faculty are aging, but the average age for assistant professors is also increasing due to nurses entering academia later in their careers. This means that their time for potential productivity as leaders and scholars is being curtailed,” (Hinshaw, 2001). These issues necessitate an even higher demand for nursing faculty and an increase in availability for students within nursing …show more content…
Numerous strategies are outlined in depth, and written in a clear, concise manner enabling full reader comprehension. Hinshaw encourages her audience to face the factors involved in this current nursing crisis, and for nursing professionals to consider the possible strategies they can participate in, and assist in implementing for this decade. It is important to inform the public of the issues that essentially effect everyone. Furthermore, educating the public, provides them with the information needed to make informed decisions when voting, and supporting certain health care