LAYENI RAMOTA
Grand Canyon University: Professional Dynamics
05/26/13

Nursing profession represent the largest workforce in the healthcare field. The function of nurses in the healthcare field cannot be overemphasized, absence or shortage of nurses in the healthcare system, have been found to have a major effect on the ongoing activities of the system, thus, compromising desirable patient’s outcome. In order word nurses represent the heartbeat of the hospital / healthcare settings. Nursing is an art of caring for people, family and the community as whole, in doing this, there are rules and regulation laid down by federal and state legislatures to be adhered to by nurses, and this is called “standard of practice”- this set limit to the duties nurses can carry out on patient, family and also the community. However, in order to transform the healthcare system to ensure safe, quality, accessible, and affordable care to all, the role of many healthcare professionals, especially nurses needs to be revaluated, updated, and adaptive enough to meet the changing needs of patient,. (www.iom.edu/Reports/2010) . Working at the front lines of patient care, nurses can assume a vital role in realizing a reformed healthcare system. To achieve these goal, the IOM committee came up with the report on the future of nursing practice, that nurses need to be fully involved in transforming the healthcare system to meeting the evolving health care needs of the patient, the following recommendations were made in their report, these include, practicing nursing profession to its full capability of training and education acquired, earning higher education level, partnering with physician and other healthcare professionals, and lastly better data collection of effective workforce ad improved information infrastructure, ( IOM report, 2010) The IOM report emphasized on the need for nurses to advance their career by acquiring higher level of education, as this has been linked to achieving excellent patient’s outcome. Studies have shown that the healthcare system is changing every day, and becoming more complex, as people are aware of their health needs and are really getting involved, and in order for nurses to meet up with this changing needs, a higher education is needed through a well-structured settings (University). For example the training received a decade ago, with no further education, cannot be sufficient to operate efficiently in the kind of healthcare system we are currently in. Also, achieving higher education has been linked to reduce error, and improved patient outcome, using evidence-based research method, and critical thinking skills acquired through higher education. To realize this vision, the IOM committee set a goal that at least 80% of nurses should acquire a BSN by 2020, (IOM, 2010), by achieving this, the healthcare system will be improved and nurses will be able to fill up more expanding roles, thus, meeting up with the diverse ever changing healthcare system, which in turn bring about desirable patient outcome. Another point addressed by IOM is the need for nurses to practice to the full capacity of the training and education acquired. However, nurses are faced with a lot challenges in achieving this, due to some barriers that restricts their full operating capabilities, for example, in many instances, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) can be used to relieve the need of physician in the primary health care settings, thus addressing the shortage issues, and allowing physician to handle more complex cases that needs their expertise (AARP, 2009). According to a paper work by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 2010 by (Marie.D, & Gaetan.l), the report says nurses can help in improving patient accessibility to care and reducing cost, through the development of new and more advance roles. Studies by (Mundinger.et al ,2010) from Journal of American Medical Association demonstrate similar patient outcomes when care is provided by an APRN or a physician, despite this fact, nurses are still not allowed to practice to the full extent of their capabilities( in terms of training and education ) due to the barriers and outdated laws and regulation enacted by many states. Some of the recommendation made by IOM, is the reformation of scope of practice regulation to conform to the National Council of advanced practice registered nurse model rules and regulations. implementation of nurse residency program and it urge all professional arrays from state board to healthcare organization to support this cause (IOM report, 2010), as this might help to improve competencies and improve patient outcomes, which can bring about a positive effect/ change in allowing nurses to practice to their full extent of training and education. IOM also stressed the importance of nurses in per taking in leadership roles. Nurses constitute the largest workforce in the healthcare system, while, taking up a leadership role will better transform the healthcare system. Nurses are known for their active roles in coordinating and organizing of day to day activities of patient care, as it is believed that nurses can do better as leaders, and are urged to take responsibility for their personal and professional growth through education advancement and seeking avenues to develop and establish their leadership skills. IOM react to this by recommending public, private, governmental bodies’ decision makers to include nurses in all level of leadership positions. (www.the future of nursing.org) The IOM report (2010) has touched some important points that will improve the future of nursing practice. As I am in the process of advancing my education level from ADN to BSN, I have met one of the recommendations stressed by the IOM. The achievement of this BSN will open many opportunities to explore in the nursing field. For example, earning a managerial position, (leadership role), which will further widen my base of leadership knowledge and skills, and may drive my quest to seek a masters and doctorate in nursing in the nearer future. By achieving this I will be able to practice to the fullest capacity and take partnership with other healthcare professionals while I per take in decision making and represent the interest of nurses, thus achieving the goals set forth by IOM report (2010) on “future of nursing practice”. IOM has done a great job by pointing out these factors and recommending a way out. I believe their report has sensitize a lot of nurses out there to be on their toes to achieving these goal. By doing this, a positive outcome on the future of nursing is guaranteed.

REFERENCES
AARP, Beyond 50.09 Chronic Care: A Call to Action for Health Reform (Washington, DC: AARP, 2009), Retrieved from http://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-03-2009/beyond_50_hcr.html
Marie-Laure Delamaire and GaetanLafortune, Nurses In Advanced Roles: A Description and Evalution of Experiences in 12 Developed Countries, OECD Health Working Paper No. 54. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/? Cote=DELSA/HEA/WD/HWP(2010)5&DocLanguage=En
Mundinger , M, O., Kane, R.L., Lenz, E.R.et al (2010), “Primary care outcomes in patients treated by nurse practitioners or physicians: A randomized clinical trial Journal of the American Medical Association, 238 (1), 59-68. Available at http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/283/1/59.full.pdf+html
Institutes of Medicine, (2010). The future of Nursing: Leading change, Advancing Health. Retrieved from http://www.iom.edu/Report/2010/The-Future-Nursing-Leading-Change-Advancing-Health.aspx
Recommendation: Remove scope-of-practice barriers/ Future of Nursing. Retrieved from http://www.thefutureofnursing.org/recommendation/detail/recommendation-1