Societal Trends Affecting Nursing Education Coursework (Coursework Sample)

Societal Trends Affecting Nursing Education
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Societal Trends Affecting Curriculum in Nursing Education
Society is experiencing various changes every time, and these changes have a significant effect on the nursing education. Nurses are often faced with complex situations that require critical thinking. Such situations thus necessitate the need to for educational changes in nursing to ensure better health outcomes. Societal changes come with different new trends affecting nursing students, nursing educators and the nursing curriculum as a whole.
Thesis: social changes often precipitate new trends that affect the nursing education and curriculums as a whole. Thus, various strategies need to be put in place to enhance positive effect of these trends on the nursing education.
Social trend affecting nursing education
Shift in demographics
The shift in age balance in society is normal, however, with the increased preventative care, many people are living longer. In the US for instance, it is estimated that about 20% of the population will be aged 65 years and above by 2020 (Iwasiw, 2014). These high population of older adults will thus lead to an increase in demand for nursing care. The nursing profession has a shortage across the country, and thus, there would need to teach new nurses on issues affecting older people.
In Canada, many of the patients aged above 75 years have complex issues that change dramatically. About 25% of bed occupation in Canada is by people older than 80 years (Snoeren, 2016). Care for the older adults has thus become a challenge coupled with the increased nursing shortage. To curb these challenge medical schools have come up with residency programs to ensure increased exposure of nurse students to geriatric care.
However, there have been barriers to the teaching of geriatric competencies due to challenges such as recruitment. Few nurse students are willing to pursue family care for the elderly as they are viewed to have varied complications (Fischer, 2016). Also, the registered nurses willing to perform elderly care are faced with the challenge of going for the extra care training. This training has a financial effect as the nurses have to pay for the courses as well as accept a pay cut due to absence from work.
Strategies to enhance positive effects
The shift in demographics trend is a social issue to the nursing education. However, positive effects can be achieved through a collaboration between the healthcare facilities and the institutions offering geriatric programs. This collaboration will ensure the nurses willing to pursue this program are supported by the healthcare facilities to curb the financial challenge that barred many from its pursuit.
Also, there is need to have a long-term program for family health care programs to prevent the care program when one reaches the age of 65 years. Early determination of individual health problems by family nurses will prevent the idea of complex diagnosis of the elderly. Thus, the nursing colleges should institute the teaching of geriatric care to focus beyond the wr...