The Future of Nursing

KEMEL ISHMMAEL NRS 430V PROFESSIONAL DYNAMICS GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR CELESTE OTTNEY O3/12/12 The Future of Nursing The IOM report ‘The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health’ provides comprehensive recommendations regarding how the profession of nursing can be improved in the future. The following paper will consider the impact of the IOM report on nursing education, nursing practice and the nurse’s role as a leader. Nursing Education According to the IOM report, the education system should be improved so that the nurses may be able to achieve higher levels of education and training. The report also suggests that the education system should be such that the academic progression of the nurses remains unhindered. The nursing education should provide a better understanding of care management, systems-level change management, quality improvement methods and the reconceptualized roles of nurses in a reformed health care system. From the report, it can be inferred that education system should add a managerial aspect to the education and training of the nurses. In order to understand the management of change in an organization and the methods to improve quality of the services provided by an organization, nurses should acquire a higher level understanding of the organizational structure and organizational management. The report recommends that the nursing education should not hinder the acquisition of higher level degree programs by the nurses but it should provide a platform for a continued learning. In order to make these steps possible, the report suggests that the nursing students should be provided more scholarships so that they may be able to acquire higher degree programs without any financial constraints. It also suggests that the nursing faculty should be given market-based salary so that they are paid equitably. In order to ensure that the nursing education includes enough understanding of organizational management, certifying organizations must mandate the mastery of managerial competencies and professional development at all levels. All health professionals should receive a significant part of their education with the students from other disciplines. The diversity in the nursing workforce should also be increased. The report also suggests that, in order to have a strong educational system, the nursing profession must adopt a framework that defines that overall profession in accordance with basic education, academic progression and professional development. Thus, the impact of the IOM report is significant on the nursing education as it suggests a number of advancements in the educational system. Nursing Practice The IOM report recommends that the nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training. According to the report, health care system as a whole is being transformed in order to ensure that the patients receive quality health care services from every professional that is a part of the health care system. There are a number of reforms that have been made in order to ensure the quality of services and a number of other reforms are in the process of implementation. Since nurses play a vital role in the health care system, this transformation has provided the nurses with an opportunity to improve the profession and to create a more accessible, high quality and value-driven environment for patients. There are, however certain constraints that might hinder the transformation of the nursing profession, and such constraints include cultural barriers such as the perception of patients regarding nurses. In order to ensure that the nursing profession becomes a part of the recent transformation of the health care system, such constraints will have to be removed. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) is an attempt to make the health care system more patient centered and nurses hold a central position when it comes to contact with the patient, especially in case of primary care. The report suggests that nursing has become an integral part of the health care system therefore the nursing practice is as important to the system as any other profession involved in it. Thus, the report recommends that transition from educational environment to practice environment should be made appropriately in order to enable the nurses to face the challenges of the profession efficiently. In order to meet the goals of the IOM report, I would include more professional development and competence in my practice. Nurse’s Role as a Leader The IOM report suggests that nurses should have a managerial role in health care organizations. Nurses should work in partnership with physicians and other health professionals in order to be a part of the transformation of the health care in the United States. If it is to be ensured that the vision of a transformed health care system is realized, a strong leadership would play a critical role. Currently, not many nurses envision themselves to be leaders and this is because of the educational system and the culture that has formed over the decades. Nurses can have a highly significant role in leadership after the implementation of the reforms in the health care system. Since nurses are aware of most of the information, from the patient’s condition to the way organization operates, they can play a significant role in the boardrooms. In order to ensure that nurses take part in leadership, they will have to envision themselves as leaders and they will have to create partnerships as mentioned earlier. The report recommends that the nursing profession must produce leaders who are capable of serving as partners with other professionals along with being accountable for their own input towards provision of high quality health care services. The educational system must ensure that managerial aspects of the profession are covered during the course and the nursing students are provided with enough knowledge regarding leadership and management. The report puts specific emphasis on the partnership of the nurses with leaders from other health professions. In this manner, the nurses would be able to show their leadership qualities.

Reference Institute of Medicine (IOM). (2010) The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12956