An Explanation of Punctuated Policy Change: Nursing Policy in the Post-Pandemic Landscape

Abstract

As the United States (U.S.) moves toward the post-pandemic landscape, there remains a heightened need to increase the nursing workforce. The population continues to age, chronic illnesses are further exacerbated, and the highlight of the shortage of nurses weighed heavier while navigating care during Covid-19. This article examines nursing workforce improvement policies in a policy system where outcomes are either predicated by incremental decision-making or by punctuated changes. Punctuated Equilibrium Theory (PET) is posited to explain nursing policy trends and outcomes. Covid-19 created a punctuation in the healthcare system, leading to the “great resignation,” the increase of travel nurses, and nurses working remotely via tele-health tools. What remains is the impact on nurse staffing policy and what will be done to provide nursing services moving into the future.

Keywords:

• Healthcare workforce
• policy environment
• nurses
• nurse staffing

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.