The Future of Nursing

Table of Contents

Leading Change, Advancing Health

$11.0 Introduction

Nursing constitutes the largest portion of the United States health care workforce (Institute of Medicine, 2010). The profession consists of more than three million members, working across the nation. Taking the primary role in the provision of patient care, nursing can lead the realization of the Affordable Care Act of 2010. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report of 2008 made recommendations of a model that represents the future of nursing. The recommendations define changes in the nursing education, practice, and leadership. The goal of the report is to improve access, affordability, and quality of health care.

$12.0 Transforming Nursing Education

Recommendations five and six of the report comprise action required to transform nursing education. Recommendation five sets a target to double the number of nurses with a doctorate level of education by the year 2020. This is a goal for nursing schools in collaboration with donors, education administrators, university trustees, accreditation office, and researchers. Their collaborative efforts are essential for streamlining education. The requirement is that 10 percent of the bachelor of degree graduates should enroll in a master’s program within 5 years of graduation. The National League of Nursing is in charge of overseeing this element of the broad goal of education. Public and private donors or sponsors should increase funding for programs. Sponsorship opportunities encourage provide as an incentive intended to attract prospective students into the profession.The aim of advocating for increased opportunities for college funding Recommendation six of the report encourages nursing staff to engage in lifelong learning. Schools of nursing, accrediting bodies, continuing education staff, and health care organizations should promote continuing nursing education and training, in order to gain competence vital for the provision of health care across diverse population.

$13.0 Transforming Nursing Practice

Transformation of the nursing practice is the other goal of the report. Recommendations 1 and 4 support this goal. Recommendation three provides the key message for leadership expectation and advocates for the removal of barriers within the scope of nursing practice. This facilitates the performance of nursing activities to the full extent of education and training. In this respect, transformation of Medicaid, Medicare, and restricting of federal funding of the nursing education are crucial. Recommendation 4 provides for the implementation of the nurse residency program. This is intended to facilitate the transition from college to practice for nurses.

The reforms aimed at transforming education will also benefit transformation of the nursing practice. Patients in different settings require unique care, and need specialized evidence-based care. Some reforms have already been implemented that seek to improve quality, accessibility, and affordable environment for the patients. Nurses are pivotal in providing facilitating quality, and access, however, the constraints of culture, outdated policies and regulations are barriers to advanced practice in of nursing.

$14.0 Transforming Leadership

Leadership is a crucial element of the nursing profession which is necessary for direction in the progress of nursing development. The Leadership has long been the missing ingredient in the nursing profession. Recommendation 7 promotes the preparation of nurses for leadership change and advancement of health care. Continuing education facilitates the development of professionalism and responsibility in practice. Nursing associations are the source of leadership development, opportunities for leadership for all nurses, and mentoring programs. Nursing education programs are necessary to should integrate business practices and nursing leadership theory. In addition, government, private, and public leaders should incorporate nursing representation. Strong vision is required for embracing vision that is necessary for the transformation process. The nursing profession must process leaders at all levels of the health care practice. Nursing leaders should deliver high-quality care and collaborate with members of the other disciplines that make up the health care profession. Collaboration and integration provides a platform, in which in information sharing and consultations occur. In addition, elimination of barriers to the nursing practice facilitates the development of leadership in the nursing profession.

$15.0 Conclusion

The Committee that drafted the IOM report on the future of nursing made deliberations that have four key messages. First, nurses should apply their education and training, in practice, to the full extent. Secondly, it requires nurses to attain high levels of education and training via a system that facilitates seamless academic progression. Thirdly, Nurses ought to be full partners with the other health care professional, in remodeling health care system. Finally, quality data collection and information infrastructure is required for effective work force planning and policy. The nation, through the recommendations of the report, has a platform to institute reforms and transform its health care system. In the transformation, nurses are pivotal agents, whose contribution requires to be complimented by health care organizations, insurance industry, professional bodies, businesses, and government. The goal of the report is to achieve a seamless, quality, accessible, and affordable health care for all people.

$16.0 References

Institute of Medicine (2010).“The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health”. Washington, DC: Author.

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