Starting with some facts, you would be amazed to know that professional work is considered as the primary source of stress in all forms of occupations. This was validated by a nationwide survey executed by the American Institute of Stress (AIS) and the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2014 (Anmf.org.au, 2017). Therefore, it is easier to anticipate the effect of workload and burnout of nurses on the common good as the demand for quality healthcare services is on the rise. Some of the crucial factors that have been identified as the reasons for the improvement in the demands for quality health and social care include the increasing life expectancy, emergence of chronic diseases and the expansion of an ageing population.

Despite the considerable emphasis placed on improving sophistication in health and social care services, the factors influencing workload and burnout in nurses have been considered responsible for depreciating the quality of patient care. First of all, it is essential to focus on the element of workload among nurses which could direct towards the change in systems of hospital management. The hospital management systems are gradually opting for an approach directed towards cost control for the management of injuries and diseases (Allen & Cooper, 2012). The approach is considered as a major reason for increasing the number of patients and their bed stays in the healthcare facilities. Hence it can be clearly concluded that the management systems of hospitals lead to increasing work demands that subsequently reflect on the higher burnout rates in the domain of health and social care.

Another general factor that could be identified in the context of the increasing workload and burnout among nurses is the reduction in the number of intrinsic rewards for nurses. The intrinsic factors are considered responsible for modifying the perception of nurses regarding their service quality. Some of the notable factors highlighted in the report titled “What Nurses Want” include limitations on prospects for a future career, inferior status in the healthcare community and the excessive shift work. An interesting fact for the readers is the lack of nation-wide research on the attitudes of nurses towards their work in Australia.

However, the findings from the “What Nurses Want” report clearly suggest the reasons which lead to workload and burnout among nurses and subsequently towards a shortage of nurses. The investigations carried out on the challenges faced by nurses in Australia have been supported by interviews from registered nurses (Iyi, 2015). The inferences from the report present indications for key stakeholders and managers to crucial nature of decreasing workforce in nursing.

The impact of emotional support is also assumed as a critical influence on the professional behaviour of nursing staff as they are subjected to social vices such as physical abuse from the patients and their families (Allen & Cooper, 2012). Hence stakeholders involved in health and social care should take particular initiatives for stress management through strategic approaches. The strategic approaches should have to be aligned with the major influential factors such as demographic variables, personality traits, and work environment.

One of the most productive recommendations that can be presented in this context refers to the tailoring of the organizational culture and conflicts pertaining to resources. The attitudes of nursing staff towards employment should also be assumed as critical priorities which are determined by job satisfaction, work-related stress and workplace engagement.  The comments of registered nurses have compared burnout as an entity similar to the emptying of the petrol gauge.

Nurses could contribute to the reduction of work-related stress as an initiative for preserving their personal mental and physical health. General comments on the factors for workload and burnout could be reflective of the concerns for the responsibilities of nursing staff. However, it is also crucial to understand the implications of trauma experienced by nurses while delivering their services (Iyi, 2015). Therefore, critical consideration of these factors reflects the possible negative consequences emerging for the common good due to the increasing workload and burnout among nurses.

Imagine a healthcare facility without any nursing staff! This will be the exact scenario in a future where the demand for healthcare services would be substantially escalated in accordance with the trends in health and social care. Therefore, governments and concerned authorities in the health and social care at distinct levels of community, globe, and nation should implement remedial measures immediately to secure the quality standards of healthcare for the long term.

References

Anmf.org.au. (2017). The Rise of Burnout: An emerging challenge facing Nurses and Midwives Retrieved 11 December 2017, from http://anmf.org.au/featured-stories/entry/the-rise-of-burnout-an-emerging-challenge-facing-nurses-and-midwives

Allen, B. C., & Cooper, B. K. (2012). What Nurses Want: Analysis of the First National.

Iyi, O. (2015). Stress Management and Coping Strategies among Nurses: A Literature Review.