“For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned” (Benjamin Franklin). Organizations have to develop policies and procedures reflecting their vision, values, and culture as well as the requirement of their employees, which serve as the key to the development of the organizational policies and procedures. An organization’s policy is an arrangement of restrictions that provide guidance, consistency, accountability, competency, and clarity on how an organization operates (El Talla et al., 2018). It is essential to update policies and procedures in an organization, as outdated policies can leave an organization at risk. Old policies may fail to comply with new laws and regulations and may not address new systems or technology, resulting in inconsistent practice. Organizational policies may be, however, disadvantageous as the rigid nature of business rules and regulations may make it challenging to implement changes as, by their nature, business rules tend to be inflexible and binary, creating a rigid framework for the employees. This paper aims to describe competing needs impacting nurse shortage, a relevant policy or practice in an organization influencing nurse shortage, and finally, critique the policy for ethical consideration.
Nursing staff shortage in the healthcare organization is a healthcare issue or stressor affecting many organizations globally. Nurse shortage has far-reaching implications for a health institution’s quality of care (Marć et al., 2019). The fact conveys from the fact that nurses are in direct contact with the patient, forming the face of the organization’s service product. One of the competing needs impacting nurse shortage is a need by the organization’s nurses to fulfill their financial obligations, take care of their families, and live a comfortable life (Andrew et al., 2023). The competing need comes against the organization’s owners’ need for a substantial return on investment in their business. A second competing need impacting nurse shortage is the need by the patient to get the best in healthcare and nursing services since they pay for the same and qualify for quality healthcare. This competing need is directed to nurses as they feel that they are not reimbursed well enough for their efforts, the patient will see the demotivated nurses as professionals who are not loyal to their calling and who are adhering to their professional standards practice. Such competition can significantly impact nursing shortage hence leading to poor patient outcomes.
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