Healthcare is an ever-emerging field with an increasing demand for professionals. When the pandemic struck, the entire world was on lockdown with healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, serving on the front lines. With such great responsibility came a myriad of problems that further added to the daily challenges nurses face.
While many students have been inspired to pursue healthcare degrees in the aftermath of the pandemic, it’s important to consider what nurses face in their professional lives before deciding to pursue a degree in the field.
Before we discuss the trials and tribulations registered nurses face, it’s also important to consider that while RNs work longer hours and earn less, advanced degrees and specializations can provide solutions to these issues.
Getting an advanced degree can help you in your career as you will learn different skills, gain plenty of experience, and upscale your career with more flexibility and higher pay.
There are two advanced nursing degrees you can pursue after Bachelors of Nursing (BSN). After completing BSN, you can pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). By pursuing a master’s, you can specialize in the area of your interest, such as nurse educator or family nurse practitioner. You can also pursue your master’s in nursing administration. If leadership is your goal, then you might get into the MSN program or master’s in public health nursing.
A DNP is the highest degree in the nursing profession. Unlike a Ph.D., a dissertation is not required, but nurses must complete the required number of clinical hours. If having the power to bring forth positive changes has always inspired you, then getting a DNP will be the right decision.
Challenges Faced by RNs
Stepping into a nursing career means dozens of challenges waiting for you each day. With COVID-19, it has been harder for nurses to cope with these challenges because of an influx of patients.
Here are some of the top challenges faced by RNs in healthcare settings.
Workplace Injuries
Nurses care for others before they care for themselves. RNs have a higher risk of exposure to injury or illness while performing routine tasks. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, many of the approximately 3 million RNs working face workplace hazards in performing their routine duties.
Nurses spend more than half of their time walking, stretching, transferring patients to bed, dragging their wheelchairs. This exposes them to fatigue and falls. Back injury and sprain are the most common in nurses of all ages. You have to be very careful while dealing with equipment, tools and, needles. One of the most common injuries occurs from used needles. It’s estimated that 600,000 to 800,000 needlestick injuries occur annually in the United States.
Furthermore, nurses are the first to engage with the patient when they come to a hospital, so the chances of catching a disease before diagnosis are high.
Professional Burnout
Working more than 12 hours a day and constantly being on the go can emotionally drain you. A day in a hospital can be pretty exhausting. In 2018, as many as 62% of nurses felt symptoms of burnout.
Nursing is a high-pressure job. Long working hours affect mental health, sleep, and cause fatigue, which leads to burnout. Unrealistic expectations and work-related stressors also cause burnout. Emotional strain from patients is another factor. Hospitals ask nurses to look after tens of patients at a time, even though the recommended nurse-to-patient ratio to avoid burnout is 1:4.
Nurse burnout is a serious concern in healthcare settings. If you think you have symptoms of burnout, make sure to reach out to someone. Different methods that help cope with burnout include taking a walk, going out with family and friends, trying yoga, and journaling.
Lack of Work-life Balance
Quality of life depends on the balance you create between your work and personal life. Nurses have back-to-back duties, so the work-life balance is extremely difficult to achieve. Some of the very obvious reasons are constant exposure to trauma, chaotic shifts and, long hours. Working more than 12 hours a day with constant juggling between things, completing night shifts and looking after a family can be overwhelming.
Additionally, last-minute shift changes and tragedies can affect plans and personal or social commitments. Nurses are empathetic and find it hard to say no to someone when someone needs help because saying no means that the patient won’t be getting care. With already a lot on their plate, nurses often end up doing a lot more than expected of them, and at the expense of work-life balance.
Unfamiliarity with Technological Advancement
While technological growth has its benefits, it also brings challenges for RNs. Where technology is taking over the world, some nurses aren’t tech-savvy, and this is the reason for the early retirement of older nurses. Clinical practice is getting complex, and nurses find it hard to keep up with trends while completing long hours in the hospitals. Research shows that only 1 in 6 nurses use electronic health record systems regularly.
A master’s degree can help you deal with these challenges because technology isn’t going anywhere. The best you could do is try to learn about new technology and all the necessary skills. At the end of this degree, you will have expertise in your area of specialization, and you will be qualified enough to handle advanced equipment.
Workload
Being an RN is a pretty stressful job. Nursing requires a lot of emotional investment. The workload hospitals put on nurses is beyond imaginable. If you are working more than your capacity, then the care you provide will be compromised, leading to reduced patient satisfaction.
You have to juggle between tasks which also disrupts the work you were originally doing. If you are assisting the doctor with any procedure, the very next moment next you will be called for assistance with some paperwork and the never-ending help that patients need. You also have to perform treatments and administer medications.
The demand for nurses is at an all-time high because of the growing population. Due to heavy workload, negative job satisfaction is seen in nurses, which in turn contributes to more staff shortages. Moreover, overburdened nurses face difficulty performing complex clinical tasks because of loss of focus.
The Bottom Line
To sum up, nursing is a rewarding career but has its fair share of challenges. You can’t completely avoid these challenges. Feeling stressed and overwhelmed because of work is okay. Just remember to take little breaks if you can and talk to someone.
Moreover, by pursuing an advanced nursing degree in the area of your interest, you can improve career prospects and find jobs that offer a better work-life balance.
