Staffing shortages increase the risk of conflict in hospital environments

(Dan Tri) - According to experts, conflicts in hospitals often arise when patients do not have their questions answered promptly or do not receive adequate care.

Vietnam is facing a serious shortage of nursing staff, with a ratio of only about 18 nurses per 10,000 people by 2024.

This figure is significantly lower than the global average, where a doctor is typically assisted by 3-4 nurses, while in Vietnam, the ratio is less than 2 nurses per doctor.

This shortage is putting great pressure on the nursing staff, especially in tertiary hospitals, where the demand for comprehensive patient care is increasing. This requires nurses to not only improve their professional knowledge but also meet patient satisfaction.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hoi, General Director of Phenikaa Hospital shared at the Conference (photo: Organizing Committee).

Speaking at the Nursing Science Conference 2025 held on October 18 in Hanoi, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hoi, General Director of Phenikaa Hospital, emphasized the key role of nursing in the entire treatment process of patients.

"Nurses are present at almost every stage of a patient's treatment journey, from the time they enter the hospital until they are discharged. They welcome, guide, assist with medical examinations, carry out medical orders, provide post-operative care, handle procedures, and answer patients' questions," Associate Professor Hoi said.

He also pointed out that patient problems and dissatisfaction often stem from not having their questions answered promptly or not receiving adequate care.

Therefore, nurses today are not only those who carry out medical orders but also need to have solid expertise, good communication skills and always be ready to meet the needs of patients. When there are enough professional nursing staff, patients will feel cared for, thereby increasing satisfaction and minimizing conflicts.

Dr. Tran Quang Huy, Vice President of Vietnam Nursing Association (Photo: Phuong Trang).

Dr. Tran Quang Huy, Vice President of the Vietnam Nursing Association, emphasized the significance of the conference theme "empowering nurses", not only assigning responsibility but also assigning autonomy.

"When fully equipped with knowledge, nurses can design personalized care plans that meet the physical and mental needs of each patient. This is also an inevitable trend of modern medicine in the world, and an effort of many medical facilities to aim for patient satisfaction," said Dr. Huy.

Strengthening nursing capacity is considered an important link to improve the effectiveness of comprehensive patient care in Vietnam. The conference presented 13 scientific reports, including 6 reports in Vietnamese and 5 reports in English, with the participation of 3 international reporters from the United States, Taiwan (China) and Thailand.

Experts have updated the latest trends and knowledge in nursing care and management, encouraged scientific research, innovated clinical practice and applied technology to improve the quality of care.

Assessing the trend of individualization in treatment, Associate Professor Hoi said this is an inevitable trend in the world . Treatment and care are individualized, based on the patient's medical condition, age, gender and emotions.

"Each patient is a unique individual, so care and pain relief support... need to be tailored to achieve optimal treatment results. When nurses understand this difference, they can work closely with doctors to improve the quality of treatment," Associate Professor Hoi shared.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/thieu-hut-nhan-luc-lam-tang-nguy-co-xung-dot-trong-moi-truong-benh-vien-20251018172142753.htm