Perioperative Nursing Shortages: An Integrative Review of Their Impact, Causal Factors, and Mitigation Strategies

Aim: This study aims to explore contributing factors, impacts, and strategies to address perioperative nursing shortages. Background: . This study thoroughly reviewed 84 articles. The perioperative domain confronts significant staffing challenges due to increased demand, lack of experienced nurses, insufficient new entrants, high turnover, and an aging workforce. Notably significant are the deficiencies in recruiting new nurses and the elevated turnover levels, potentially amendable issues. The shortages negatively impact the remaining nurses, patient care quality, and hospital revenue. Strategies to address perioperative nursing workforce challenges include promoting the specialty to undergraduate nursing students, bolstering recruitment efforts, and retaining experienced perioperative nurses. However, none of the studies examined in this review adopted a comprehensive approach. Furthermore, the effectiveness of these strategies relative to one another remains uncertain due to a lack of reliable measurements. Conclusion: . Perioperative nursing managers are vital in reducing shortages.