Changes for the Future of Nursing (Essay Sample)

CHANGES FOR THE FUTURE OF NURSING
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The field of health care is continuously growing and changing due to advancement in technology. It is therefore imperative for healthcare professional to adapt to such changes. The nursing profession is considered to be the largest segment of healthcare workforce with more than 3 million staff. Therefore there is a need to create an avenue that will allow nurses to play a critical role to improve the healthcare systems. This essay will explore the impact of IOM report on nursing education, nursing practice and the role of nurses as leaders’ in future nursing care.
The Impact on Nursing Education
Nurses are currently following different education paths to become registered nurses. However, all the paths followed equip nurses with the competency of entry level of registered nurse so as to begin practice. Robert Wood Johnson advocates that nurses need to achieve higher level of education and training by way of an improved education system which seamlessly promotes progression in academics (Institute of Medicine 2010). This is due to the fact that the population of patients in community as well as health facilities is becoming more and more complex in nature, and therefore, the need for critical thinking skills.
These advanced skills can be obtained from higher education that provides solid foundation of nursing profession and leadership skills in order to practice in a variety of settings. BSN program in nursing is the one which has been designated as the entry level for professional nursing, but Robert Wood Johnson claims that the goal is to achieve about 80 percent of nursing workforce that is BSN prepared (Institute of Medicine 2010). The institute of medicine provided recommendation that will enhance expansion of nurses’ education in order for them to provide care to their full potential. This would shape their relationship with other healthcare professional in changing policies that would improve data infrastructure.
The Impact on Nursing Practice
Patients deserve health care that focuses on them despite the changes in healthcare. It is significant therefore to focus on acute care problems as well as chronic conditions, disease prevention and wellness education. Therefore, it is the role of nurses to implement such changes given that they are at the bedside making these changes to ensue in patients care. This then enable nurses to practice to their full potential of their education and training which is a major step forward to counter challenges that face them (Institute of Medicine 2010). Given that there is a shortage of physicians trained inn primary care to meet the needs of the ever changing society, there is a need to train nurses in primary care to mitigate current challenges.
This calls for the advancement of registered nurse practice and nurse practitioners. There are instances where nurses support the primary care physicians in the management of chronic diseases, medication and wellness education. Additionally, nurses assist families with transition care and setting o community services (Institute of Medicine 2010). To this end, the nursing practice should aim to increasing knowledge so as to provide better care to patients and their families through utilizing their skills optimally wile remaining their scope of practice.
Transforming leadership
Nurses, according to Robert Wood Johnson need to be full partners with physicians and other health care professionals in redesigning healthcare systems (Institute of Medicine 2010). This is because nurses play a critical role since they are advocates of their patients and their families as well as the health care of community. These roles include increasing of primary care whilst decreasing specialty and acute care necessity. Good education in primary care environment decreases recurrence of acute and specialty care that is needed thereby reducing health care demands and national spending on preventable care. Given that there are leaders at different levels in nursing, there is a need fro nurses to be involved with physicians in transforming the healthcare system for effective care. There are programs developed for nurses involving mentor and training that equip them with decision making techniques thereby improving the health care system.
The institute for medicine identified on how nurses can be utilized to cope with changes in health care systems. This is due to the increased strain of the current systems emanating from prolonged lifespan and more people obtaining health coverage. The number of primary care physicians does not increase at the rate which is able to cope with increased needs of general population, and thus the need to provide nurses with fundamental roles to physicians and patients they serve (Institute of Medicine 2010). The role of nursing profession has transformed so as to conform to the demands of healthcare systems.
The underutilization of nurses and the increased demand for educated healthcare providers, calls for the nursing workforce to advance education and training as this will help to alleviate the increased strain of healthcare systems. Since nurses have been strong patients’ advocates and have sworn to help others, they have to be educated given that their scope of work and responsibilities are tremendously expanding (Owen & Catriona, 2012). This is because an increase in BSN nurses will offer nurses who provide competent care both in and out of healthcare setting thereby providing better outcomes for patients, which is the ultimate goal for all healthcare professionals.
There are responsibilities that nurses are well suited in order to meet the community needs. This is through utilizing education tools giv...