Post a brief explanation of your critical question. Then, synthesize the 4-5 articles you identified that address your critical question. Using the same language, you would use with stakeholders, explain the critical question and the value of addressing it as a quality improvement initiative.

Framing a Practice Problem as a Critical Question with Measurable Outcomes

There is a high number of nurses who leave the nursing profession. The majority leave their career in the first five years, causing a great gap between nurses and patients. The rate goes up to a high of 33% of those who leave the workforce in the first two years. The issue calls for an address of the problem within the profession at large. Other than the high number of nurses leaving the profession, the nursing shortage is also due to the aging population, which makes it necessary to increase the number of nurses due to the increase in the demand for care. There is also an issue with the nursing faculty shortage, capping prelicensure and admission capacity as well as nursing burnout. Nursing is a difficult profession, and not everyone can cope with its demands. One of the critical questions is: What can the state and the community do to deal with the nursing shortage?

According to Harris (2019), “The shortage of nursing faculty continues to plague the nursing profession.” The article provides the different challenges associated with nursing faculty retention. Furthermore, it stresses the benefits of nursing education. Other issues brought out include lowering the faculty standards to attract more faculty and graduate greater numbers of nursing students. Secondly, the article by Kubec (2017) brings out the issue of reduction of nursing student attrition. Based on the article, community colleges must implement evidence-based strategies aimed at reducing attrition of nursing students. The third article by Mehdaova (2017) brings out the strategies that should be in place to overcome the issue of nursing shortage. The article highlights that nurses are in high demand as they are needed to provide care for patients with various chronic conditions such as arthritis, dementia, diabetes, and obesity. It is necessary to work towards solving the issue of nursing shortage as one of the quality improvement initiatives. Reducing the ratio of patients and nurses works effectively to advance the quality and safety of care provided to the patients. The nurses will have enough time to deal with an individual patient, hence reducing the chances of making medication errors.

Reference

Harris, J. (2019). Challenges of nursing faculty retention. The Midwest Quarterly, 60(3), 251- 270.

Kubec, C. (2017). Reducing nursing student attrition: The search for effective strategies. The Community College Enterprise, 23(1), 60-68.

Mehdaova, E. (2017). Strategies to overcome the nursing shortage (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).