Health Upp Everyday Professional Challenges in the Life of a Nurse – Nurses are individuals with extraordinary abilities who ensure that patients receive effective and efficient treatments. They bear various responsibilities and have to accomplish numerous tasks simultaneously. Besides, nursing is not for the faint of heart and requires people to have nerves of steel and a strong presence of mind. Nurses need to stay vigilant and not let their eyes miss even minute details.
Nursing is dramatic, as no two days are ever the same in their professional career. These superheroes dedicate their lives to patients’ caring and strive to improve the overall community’s health. However, in pursuit of fulfilling their duties, their mental health and physical wellbeing come at a stake. Mandatory overtime, insufficient medical supplies, and a staggering number of patients make the career choice overwhelming for them.
Nurses deal with a plethora of issues in their day-to-day life, and some of these are listed below:
Constantly Changing Practices
Technological advancements are occurring at a much rapid rate than the previous years, giving professional nurses new dimensions very often. Nurses often find it hard to keep up with the evolving practices and learn new coping skills. Today, it has become a need for nurses to update their nursing academic knowledge and equip themselves with the latest skills.
Several professionals consider distance learning options a blessing and enroll in advanced e-learning courses. It also paves the way for career advancements and allows them to continue their jobs while pursuing a higher degree. Professional Nurses can register in online DNP programs and learn contemporary nursing practices and hone their skills.
Staffing
The major crisis in nursing is because of the shortage of staffing in medical facilities. Numerous healthcare organizations deal with the shortage of nurses and compel their existing staff to cater to an overwhelming number of patients’ needs. Deficiency in the nursing workforce leads to unmanageable workload and disparity in the nurse-patient ratio. Furthermore, nurses are more likely to make critical errors with extra burden, leading to poor patient outcomes. Medical facilities need to employ nurses as needed and not overburden their existing staff.
Workplace Dangers
Needles and other shard objects are nurses’ regular tools. Since nurses are generally overworked and have various things in their minds, they are more likely to overlook and cause accidents. Nurses can hurt themselves or others as they need to be vigilant while using dangerous medical equipment.
Additionally, nurses stay close to sick people 24/7 and are more exposed to germs and bacteria—neglect of regular sanitation results in them falling ill.
Unfairness
Discrimination is not limited to the nursing profession, but nurses have a long history of dealing with unfavorable situations. New nurses often complain that senior nurses do not let them learn the practices and snub them to fulfill their duties. They feel that they are neither welcomed nor given their due workplace rights.
Bullying in harassment in workplaces is prevalent in many professions, and nursing is no exception. However, nurses are the ones who deal with people’s health, and unfairness to them dulls their enthusiasm.
Stress
Today, almost every professional deals with stress in their professional life. Prolonged stress leads to burnout and starts affecting professional practices. The nurses’ job demands them to handle patients from all backgrounds, and they often find themselves embroiled in unexpected situations. Frequent scenes of gruesome wounds and bruises and news of unfortunate incidents are the norm for nurses that impact nurses’ psychological health. Besides, lack of sleep and long shifts add to their stress.
Meeting Patients and Other Healthcare Workers’ Expectations
Nurses spend a substantial amount of time with patients and have high expectations. Moreover, they often serve as a bridge between patients and other healthcare workers. Constant juggling between various duties and meeting patients’ expectations tire them out. Some patients can be a real trouble and give nurses s hard time taking medication. Chery, on the top, other medical professionals and patients expect nurses to bear with them. Over time, nurses’ morale decreases, and many start considering switching careers.
Neglecting Personal Health
Nurses are very well-aware of the importance of health and healthy habits. They realize the consequences of not taking breaks, not following a proper diet, and not indulging in exercise, yet they continue to do so. As a result, their health suffers, and they may fall sick.
Neglecting personal wellbeing impacts nurses’ professional lives and drastically influences their personal lives. Nurses’ schedules are generally jam-packed, and their shifts are demanding, leaving no time for them to reenergize or eat. Nurses need to be mindful of their health to sharpen their minds and minimize the chances of making errors.
Lack of Recognition
Things may have slightly changed, but nurses still do not receive their due respect. Today, many nurses have raised voices, and people have started labeling nurses as superheroes, but nurses deserve more appreciation. Nurses’ efforts in community health are of extreme significance; however, society fails to acknowledge their contribution.
Conclusion
Nursing is one of the oldest professions, which is still very popular. Since it gives immense satisfaction, many people aspire to become nurses and serve humanity. However, nursing is demanding and often takes a toll on their overall health.
Moreover, nurses have to stay abreast with the current nursing practices and update their learning timely, making it more difficult. Nurses put themselves at the backend and serve others effortlessly to give back to the community.
