Future of Nursing
The Future of Nursing
July 14, 2013
The Future of Nursing According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the nursing profession is the largest population in the nation 's health care workforce with over three million members. Because of this, nurses have a fundamental role in the transformation of the nation 's rapidly changing health care environment. To achieve this role, the IOM addressed several key recommendations to serve as a guide to the direction of the future of nursing (Institute of Medicine, 2010). This paper will focus on three areas that the IOM considers as obstacles the nursing profession encounter as they tackle the challenges of the changing health care system and how it will impact the future of nursing. These three areas are: Nursing Education, Nursing Practice, and Nursing Leadership.
Nursing Education Nursing education in the United States has long been a controversial issue. With having at least three educational routes to enter the nursing profession, levels of nursing education continue to be a topic of discussion in the health care industry. The IOM recognizes this obstacle in the education of nurses and calls for a transformation in this area in their report. One of their key messages states that "Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promote seamless academic progression" (Institute of Medicine, 2010) In the past, efforts to promote baccalaureate degree level as the entry level into the nursing profession has been met with a lot of resistance due in part to the nursing shortage. The Associate Degree nurses have met the growing health care needs and the nursing shortage. However, the growing population and changes in socio-economic environment create for a more-complex patient population in the nation today. This shift in patient needs and care environments require the health care team to have more competencies to deliver high quality care.
July 14, 2013
The Future of Nursing According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the nursing profession is the largest population in the nation 's health care workforce with over three million members. Because of this, nurses have a fundamental role in the transformation of the nation 's rapidly changing health care environment. To achieve this role, the IOM addressed several key recommendations to serve as a guide to the direction of the future of nursing (Institute of Medicine, 2010). This paper will focus on three areas that the IOM considers as obstacles the nursing profession encounter as they tackle the challenges of the changing health care system and how it will impact the future of nursing. These three areas are: Nursing Education, Nursing Practice, and Nursing Leadership.
Nursing Education Nursing education in the United States has long been a controversial issue. With having at least three educational routes to enter the nursing profession, levels of nursing education continue to be a topic of discussion in the health care industry. The IOM recognizes this obstacle in the education of nurses and calls for a transformation in this area in their report. One of their key messages states that "Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promote seamless academic progression" (Institute of Medicine, 2010) In the past, efforts to promote baccalaureate degree level as the entry level into the nursing profession has been met with a lot of resistance due in part to the nursing shortage. The Associate Degree nurses have met the growing health care needs and the nursing shortage. However, the growing population and changes in socio-economic environment create for a more-complex patient population in the nation today. This shift in patient needs and care environments require the health care team to have more competencies to deliver high quality care.
References: American Organization of Nurse Executives (2012). Press Release and Statements. Chicago, IL: Author Institute of Medicine (2010). Future of Nursing: Leading change, advancing health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press IOM Future of Nursing report recommendations are in, now what? Implications for nursing. (2011) New Jersey Nurse, 41(3),10. Lane, S., & Kohlenberg, E. (2010). The Future of Baccalaureate Degrees for Nurses. Nursing Forum, 45(4), 218-227. doi:10.1111/j.1744.6198.2010.00194x Visioning the Future of Nursing: Analysis of the IOM/RJW Foundation Report. ISNA Bulletin, 37(4) 10-14