Nursing is an integral part of the healthcare system that is aimed at solving problems of individual and public health. This field of medicine includes activities that promote health and prevent diseases. Moreover, nurses also provide psychosocial care to people with physical and mental illnesses, as well as to disabled people of all age groups. Their hard labor is one of the most critical factors that contribute to the improvement of patients’ condition. However, there is an apparent problem that despite working overtime, missing lunches, and other unpleasant elements that come with this profession, nurses are not paid high enough.
The issue of low wages is among the main problems in healthcare. Considering that a nurses’ workload can be compared to that of a doctor, the salary of a nurse is comparatively low. A large number of nurses have to work overtime in order to earn a living while remaining without proper rest. In addition, studies indicate that they “were also concerned with the inequity of salary received in relation to the level of their responsibilities” (Atefi et al., 2016, p. 10). Such a disparity between the number of duties and payment decreases job satisfaction and may negatively impact the quality of provided care.
Motivation is a complex psychological phenomenon that has a substantial impact on work performance. Increasing staff motivation is one of the management priorities in any industry, including healthcare. According to researchers, “lowest nurse-rated professional development motivator was salary” (Horn et al., 2019, p. 56). Therefore, such factors as working overtime, short staff, and dedication to completing the work to the highest possible standard seem like sufficient reasons to get a salary increase. In conclusion, it would appear that the issue of raising the wages of nurses should be taken into consideration since otherwise, the quality of medical care can be severely affected.
References
Atefi, N., Abdullah, K. L., & Wong, L. P. (2016). Job satisfaction of Malaysian registered nurses: a qualitative study. Nursing in critical care, 21(1), 8-17.
Horn, K., Pilkington, L., & Hooten, P. (2019). Pediatric Staff Nurses’ Conceptualizations of Professional Development. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 45, 51-56.