Using Technology to Address Nurse Shortages

The problem of nurses shortage in the United States is a complex multidimensional issue that requires a multifaceted approach to address. Fortunately, the available technology provides myriad opportunities for an immediate and long-term solution to the problem. Within the scope of my proposal, I discuss how technology can solve nurse shortages through training and high workloads in the clinical setting. The introduction of virtual nursing programs and the integration of artificial intelligence in nursing care is a logical approach toward successfully implementing the proposal in question. Mancuso-Murphy (2007) noted that online distance learning is one solution to train more nurses, decrease the current shortage, and finally address the problem. As a plausible suggestion to implement the proposed change, I believe that traditional classroom teaching and learning, which are dominant in healthcare learning institutions, deter many students from enrolling in undergraduate and postgraduate nursing programs. Offering virtual nursing instruction would encourage more students for more nursing entry and master programs, providing a rich pool of skills needed in quality nursing. However, as Mancuso-Murphy (2007) pointed out, training should be blended with practical engagement in clinical settings and the presence of trainers during virtual classes to build the psychomotor and social skills required in care delivery.

Artificial intelligence is another approach for addressing nurse shortages in healthcare institutions. Frennert, Aminoff & Östlund (2020) argued that care robots are different in terms of form and the care functions they are designed to perform. For instance, they may offer medical, cognitive, physical, and psychosocial support (Frennert, Aminoff & Östlund, 2020), which is entirely performed by nurses. In the face of increasing workforce demand, these robots lift a significant burden off nurses’ shoulders, allowing them enough time to regenerate and execute other critical functions with greater efficiency. For instance, in Japan, whose nurse shortage crisis is direr than in the United States, care robots assist in lifting and moving patients. At the same time, others are designed to offer emotional support. Within the scope and context of this proposal, I recommend online-blended training because of the current wide adoption in other disciplines, which provides reference points for successful implementation in nursing programs. Artificial intelligence is expensive, and exhaustive research is still underway to assess the associated benefits and negative implications in care delivery. Further, it is imperative to note that although technology promises a sustainable solution to the nurse shortage, it is not a perfect substitute for actual human resources. Therefore, physical human intervention remains critical in the implementation process.

References

Mancuso-Murphy, J. (2007). Distance education in nursing: an integrated review of online nursing students’ experiences with technology-delivered instruction. The Journal of Nursing Education, 46(6), 252-260.

Frennert, S., Aminoff, H., & Östlund, B. (2020). Technological Frames and Care Robots in Eldercare. International Journal of Social Robotics, 1-15.