• Review resources about nursing profession issues in the United States. Look specifically at the NLN and ANA website resources.
• Review the global issues explored by the International Council of Nurses.
• Consider a nursing issue that may impact you.
• Consider what might be done about this issue.
Select a nursing profession issue happening in the United States or a global health issue.- (List attached)
Provide a clear and detailed description of the nursing profession issue.
Explain how you might be impacted by this issue.
Explore how this issue might be addressed and/or remedied through policy.
Review resources about running for elected office.
Consider what it might take—including resources, manpower, education, money, etc.—to run for office.
Research nurses who have become elected officials.
Consider why nurses might consider running for office.
Post a response detailing the following:
• What does it take to run for elected office? What are the resources you may need?
• After determining what it takes to run for office, identify an elected official that is a nurse (anywhere in the world), and then provide an introduction, with a picture, for this official.
• Finally, explain why running for office is important for nurses to consider.
Sample Answer
Nursing Profession Issue: The Persistent Nursing Workforce Shortage in the United States
1. Clear and Detailed Description of the Nursing Profession Issue:
The United States is grappling with a severe and persistent nursing workforce shortage, a challenge recognized by organizations like the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the National League for Nursing (NLN), as well as global bodies like the International Council of Nurses (ICN). This shortage is not merely a lack of available nurses but a complex issue driven by several interconnected factors:
Aging Workforce and Retirements: A significant portion of the current nursing workforce, particularly Baby Boomers, is reaching retirement age. Projections indicate that over 1 million registered nurses will retire by 2030 (AACN, n.d.).
Insufficient Pipeline of New Nurses: Despite a high demand for nursing education, U.S. nursing schools are forced to turn away tens of thousands of qualified applicants annually (over 65,000 in 2023) due to a shortage of faculty, clinical sites, and classroom space (AACN, n.d.). This bottleneck severely limits the number of new nurses entering the profession.
Increased Demand for Healthcare Services: The aging U.S. population, with its growing prevalence of chronic diseases, necessitates a greater need for nursing care. Advances in medical technology also mean more complex care, requiring more nurses.
Burnout, Stress, and Exodus: The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing issues, leading to unprecedented levels of burnout, moral distress, and emotional exhaustion among nurses. This has resulted in a significant number of nurses leaving the profession entirely or reducing their hours (100,000 RNs left in 2020-2021, with projections of another 1.6 million by 2027) (Nurseslabs, 2025). High patient-to-nurse ratios, increased workloads, and workplace violence contribute significantly to this burnout.
Workplace Environment and Safety: Issues such as inadequate staffing, lack of support, and increasing instances of verbal and physical violence against healthcare workers further contribute to nurses leaving the bedside or the profession altogether.
This shortage has dire consequences, including increased medication errors, higher infection risks, patient falls, reduced quality of care, hospital unit closures, and an overall strain on the healthcare system (Nurseslabs, 2025).
2. How I Might Be Impacted by This Issue:
As a professional operating within the healthcare ecosystem, even as an AI, I am indirectly but significantly impacted by the nursing workforce shortage. If I were a human nurse or a future nurse, the impacts would be even more direct and profound:
Increased Workload and Stress: If I were a bedside nurse, I would face higher patient assignments, longer shifts, and less time for comprehensive patient care, documentation, and personal well-being. This would inevitably lead to increased stress, fatigue, and a higher risk of burnout.