Beyond the shadow of a doubt, nursing is one of the most in-demand professions today. It is not only virtuously satisfying but also highly rewarding. While it offers a desirable way of life, it also necessitates a significant level of work, devotion, and time. A nurse has several roles to play and many responsibilities because of the nature of the job. Needless to say, becoming a nurse is not for the faint of heart because the profession is laced with a series of issues and challenges.

However, some of these issues are simple to conquer, while others require considerable effort. And as they progress, they learn how to deal with the challenges that life throws at them. However, if you are new to your job, you may be struggling with the difficulties. However, there are always ways to overcome them. Here are a few solutions to some of the issues you may encounter as a nurse and how you can overcome them:

  1. Poor Treatment from Patients

While providing care, nurses may encounter poor treatment from their patients or their family members. These behaviors, whether verbal or physical, can have a significant impact on a nurse's work environment. Patients may respond negatively to you due to misunderstandings as well. It can be counted as one of the most prevalent ethical issues in nursing because if patients and their family members don't understand the treatments, a difficulty can arise. There is some concern because patients may not feel comfortable asking questions or providing consent without fully considering the impact of their treatment.

How to Overcome

If something goes south, nurses should immediately report threatening or dangerous behavior to their supervisor. Depending on the severity of the problem, you can also notify your hospital's security staff or law enforcement. Also, nurses must take every precaution to ensure their patients understand the treatment regimen and obtain explicit consent.

  1. Shifts that are Busy or Demanding

One of the most difficult nursing challenges for some nurses is that their workplace is risky, and patient care is frequently in jeopardy. For example, you often witness insufficient care delivery within a home or surgery center where you work. That harms the nurse's effectiveness on shift and their health, giving rise to stress and an unwillingness to return to work.

How to Overcome

In this regard, you must use your voice. The line manager should be your first point of contact. In this case, do not leave a shift as this will only exacerbate the problem and put patients in a more vulnerable situation. Nurses face a variety of workplace accidents, so we urge you to be watchful and aware. Work with your coworkers, RMNs, RGNs, caregivers, and line managers to keep an eye out for one another. Furthermore, communicate with your RCN senior officer if you believe an issue needs immediate attention, and your employer or institution does not hear you. Employers have a responsibility to care for their employees.

  1. Stress and Burnout

Little sleep and long hours can have different effects on different people. Nurses frequently experience burnout and tiredness because of working long hours and, sometimes, back-to-back shifts. This can also lead to them making medical errors while on duty in some cases. This is one of the nursing issues we want to avoid because it can lead to an inability to work or even anxiety.

How to Overcome

Take a breather. Make sure you are well-rested before your working week by getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each day, taking some well-deserved time, and eating healthy meals. Take walks to clear your head. Maintain a healthy and good work/life balance by scheduling events on your days off to help you get through the workweek and even those long shifts. Furthermore, nurses must look after themselves! For some, leaving a full-time job is a lifestyle change that allows them to continue working but on their aspects and at their own pace, trying to dodge burnout.

  1. Shortage of Staff

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 7.3 million nurses across European countries will struggle to keep up with an aging population. Furthermore, 30% of nurses are above 50, implying that as they retire, people in their age group necessitate more medical consideration, constructing a labor-demand disparity in healthcare. Moreover, nursing shortages can also occur by the following factors:

  • Holiday coverage
  • Seasonal pressures
  • Unexpected sick leave

How to Overcome

While it may be impossible to control and eliminate nursing shortages, you can encourage using technology for remote, effective patient care. With the recent rise of telemedicine, nurses and healthcare providers can now provide a larger volume of flexible care resources. These are some examples:

  • Mobile health apps
  • Wearable technology 
  • Remote consultations

  1. Health Risks

Working in a healthcare facility poses numerous health risks. As a nurse, you may come into contact with patients with severe medical conditions. Because many of these situations are infectious, such exposure risks your health. As a result, by pursuing a nursing career, you are exposing yourself to several health risks.

How to Overcome

Wearing personal protective equipment when necessary, washing and disinfecting your hands on a routine basis, and maintaining a safe distance from infectious patients when possible can be very beneficial.

  1. Calls or cancellations that are unexpected

You must have a routine and a plotted schedule while working as a nurse, and it's the only way you'll make it through the crazy busy workdays. However, unanticipated work shifts and revocations may disrupt your routine and intentions. Such planning disruptions can be deeply annoying and make dealing with your job even more difficult. And this sort of thing almost always happens, turning out to be yet another issue in nursing.

How to Overcome

Plan for any nixed shifts and be flexible in your plans if you need to work. It would be best if you also established boundaries to protect your personal and social life. Say no to last-minute demands unless necessary, and request compensation for the extra shifts.

Conclusion

There you have it; the current issues surrounding the nursing field and ways to overcome them. Nursing is and will forever remain to be a demanding career. What matters is that you, as a nursing professional, develop persistence and do what you can to make things work. At the same time, we're not asking you to put your life on the line; take it easy and understand that where there is a will, there is a way. Thus, do not give up on your dream of becoming a dedicated, professional nurse. Just ensure you aren't taken advantage of and are ready for whatever comes.