Assignment: Nurse fatigue.
Assignment: Nurse fatigue.
The research parameters included the use of the term “nurse fatigue” as the primary search word. The first search was conducted on a general browser that yielded several results. It was then performed on reputable journal databases, including MEDLINE, Elsevier, and PubMed. Some websites were also identified to provide relevant information about the topic, and they were included in the literature review. A search of the reference list of the identified articles was also performed to find additional eligible articles.
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Nursing fatigue has adverse impacts, including taking a toll on patient care. Sharon Weinstein notes that the healthcare of nurses determines the quality of care patients receive (Weinstein, 2020). Therefore, it is essential for healthcare organizations to address nursing fatigue at appropriate times to avoid the adverse impacts of the issue.
Nurse fatigue is an impediment to the quality of care nurses offer. Various factors cause nursing fatigue, including the practice environment. Environmental factors leading to nurse fatigue include long work hours, distressing patient events, physical or mental factors causing fatigue, and low hours of sleep (Knupp et al., 2018). Good nurse manager ability plays a vital role in addressing the issues experienced by the healthcare professionals.
Nursing fatigue is a significant challenge to the wellbeing of care providers. According to Kolthoff & Hickman (2017), geriatric nurses have a higher chance of developing compassion fatigue and burnout because of their exposure to a lot of suffering and loss. The authors identified an average prevalence of burnout and compassion fatigue with unmatched compassion satisfaction. The lack of measures to address nurse fatigue causes other challenges like absenteeism or nurse turnover.
Nurse fatigue is dangerous to both patients and nurses. The impact of nursing fatigue is a reduced ability to perform one’s responsibilities (Ulrich, 2018). Patients who rely on primary care providers are at risk because of issues like medication errors or incompetence that could jeopardize the health of patients. Nurses also face a threat when they do not take necessary precautions to address the health issues they face.
The culture adopted in organizations determines the dedication allocated to address the needs of its professionals. The common causes of nurse fatigue include declined nurse satisfaction, negative patient outcomes, and heavy workloads. However, addressing nursing fatigue faces a challenge from the culture in the profession (Steege & Rainbow, 2017). The ‘supernurse’ culture indicates that nurses and their organizations play a crucial role in addressing the challenge through adopted cultures.
The physical health environment of nurses determines the nursing fatigue and wellbeing of the professionals. According to Wingler and Keys (2019), the physical environment of a nurse can determine whether their wellbeing improves or deteriorates. The organizational environment should always strive to ensure that nurses have the most conducive work environments to nurse fatigue and other health complications. It is also essential to the wellbeing of patients.
The working routines of nurses also determine their compassion fatigue and should be addressed to ensure their wellbeing. The responsibilities of a nurse are multidimensional and can cause fatigue in the professionals. Nurse leaders can address this through the identification of efficient work schedules that will mitigate nurse fatigue. According to Min et al. (2019), work schedules have proven to be the most effective interventions for healthcare managers to ensure the wellbeing of their nurses.
Addressing nursing fatigue is essential to the wellbeing of nurses and their patients. The American Nurse suggests a series of interventions to address nurse fatigue, including scheduling and self-management. The article emphasizes the significance of personal initiative in addressing nurse fatigue.
The early identification of nurse fatigue is essential in effectively addressing the issue. According to Kelton et al. (2014), it is essential that both nurses and their supervisors note the identifiers of nurse fatigue early to avoid its adverse consequences in later stages. The measure is preventive and effective for the healthcare providers.
References
American Nurse. (2020, July 14). American nurse: The Official Journal of the American Nurses Association (ANA). https://www.myamericannurse.com/fighting-effects-nurse-fatigue/
Kelton, D., Kingsley, E., Davis, C., & Miller, D. (2014). Running on empty? The facts about nursing fatigue. Lippincott NursingCenter | Professional Development for Nurses. https://www.nursingcenter.com/journalarticle?Article_ID=1693539&Journal_ID=417221&Issue_ID=1693405
Kolthoff, K. L., & Hickman, S. E. (2017). Compassion fatigue among nurses working with older adults. Geriatric Nursing (New York, N.Y.), 38(2), 106–109.
Knupp, A. M., Patterson, E. S., Ford, J. L., Zurmehly, J., & Patrick, T. (2018). Associations Among Nurse Fatigue, Individual Nurse Factors, and Aspects of the Nursing Practice Environment. Journal of Nursing Administration, 48(12), 642-648.
Min, A., Min, H., & Hong, H. C. (2019). Work schedule characteristics and fatigue among rotating shift nurses in hospital setting: An integrative review. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(5), 884-895.
Steege, L. M., & Rainbow, J. G. (2017). Fatigue in hospital nurses- ‘Supernurse’ culture is a barrier to addressing problems: A qualitative interview study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 67, 20–28.
Ulrich, B. (2018). Nurse Fatigue: Dangerous for Nurses and Patients. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 45(3), 239.
Weinstein, S. (2016, November 16). Nurse fatigue takes toll on patient care. Nursing Centered. https://nursingcentered.sigmanursing.org/features/top-stories/Vol41_1_nurse-fatigue-takes-toll-on-patient-care
Wingler, D., & Keys, Y. (2019). Understanding the impact of the physical health care environment on nurse fatigue. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(8), 1712-172
Assignment: Nurse fatigue.