Some analysts believe that past economic solutions such as sign-on bonuses will have limited and temporary effect because they simply redistribute the supply of nurses, not increase it. Nurses say that it's not just about money, however. It's also about being able to have a reasonable workload, having a voice in planning and decision making, and feeling that you've done what's right for patients. The solutions to increasing the supply of nurses will need to be more strategic than during past shortages and must address many long-term issues. What Nurses Want Concern about unsafe working conditions, lack of opportunity to be involved in decision making, the abuse of mandatory overtime, impossible patient loads and concern about the quality of care cause nurses to leave the workplace.
Nursing is physically and mentally exhausting.
Wages are insufficient. The profession has been undervalued and underpaid. Until nurses are paid what they deserve, working conditions are improved, and their important contributions to patient care are valued, the shortage will continue.