INTRODUCTION
The health care system in America today is poised for major,sweeping changes related to the enactment and implementation of the 2010 Affordable Care Act(IO,2010). As put forth in a report by the IOM titled,The Future Of Nursing:Leading change,Advancing Health,nurses,who comprise the largest portion of our country's healthcare workforce,have the opportunity to play a fundamental and influential role in this transformation while expanding and optimizing their own contributions to healthcare.The report focuses on several key points that would enable nurses to step up to the challenges ahead,specifically by achieving higher levels of education while creating an improved system for advancing skilIs and knowledge,practicing to the maximum extend of their education and training with expanded roles in primary care,and increasing leadership roles by partnering with physicians,other healthcare professionals, and policy makers who will shape the new landscape of healthcare(IOM2010). MLA citation and APA citation,www.antiessays.com
BODY
A number of barriers prevent nurses from being able to respond effectively to rapidly changing healthcare settings and an evolving healthcare system.These barriers need to be overcome to ensure that nurses are well positioned to lead change and advance health.As a result of this the IOM report determined that nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression.It also suggested that the proportion of nurses with bachelor's degree be increased by 2020(IOM2010).
The US health care system was primarily built around treating acute illness and injuries,the predominant health challenges of the early 20th century a...
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...rsonal and professional growth by developing leadership competencies and exercising these competencies across all care settings.(IOM)
CONCLUSION
With more than 3 million members,the nursing profession is the largest segment of the nations's health care workforce.Working on the front lines of patient care,nurses have a direct effect on patient care.Their regular,close proximity to patients and scientific understanding of care processes across the continuum of care give them a unique ability to effect wide reaching changes in the health care system.Nurses must be prepared to meet diverse patients needs;function as leaders;and advance science that benefits patients and the capacity of health professionals to deliver safe,quality patient centered care.If new nurses are to succeed in this complex and evolving health care system,nursing education to be transformed.(IMO).
The IOM report had four key messages needed for advancing the future of nursing. “Nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training; achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression; be full partners, with physicians and other health care professionals, …and; effective workforce planning and policy making require better data collection and an improved information infrastructure” (Institute of Medicine, 2011). The report also included eight recommendations needed to facilitate the necessary changes to in the nursing profession so meet to demands of the healthcare reform.
Health care reform has been a major issue over the past decade. The Nursing industry has in particular experienced a period of unpredictable change. On Dec 24, 2009, a landmark measure was passed in the senate by a vote of 60 to 39. This decision to pass the health care reform will change America forever. Nurses will constitute the largest single group of health care professionals. They will have a huge impact on quality and effectiveness in health care. The nursing industry will help hold this new program together by acting as the glue (The nursing industry will be the glue holding the new health care in tact.) It is estimated that by 2015 the number of nurses will need to increase to over 4 million. Nurses are the backbone of the health care industry thus creating better polices for this profession will help ease the workload and high demand. A nurse’s main concern is always to insure quality care and the safety of their patients. Under the new health care reform several new measures have been set into place to ease the transition and improve the quality of care for all patients. One program is designed to fund scholarships and loan programs to offset the high costs of education. Nursing shortages and the high turnover has become a serious epidemic. Health care reform is supposed going to solve many of these problems.
The 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report- The Future of Nursing described the role that nurses have in the current and future US health care environment (IOM, 2011). This report was completed at a time when the Affordable Care Act had been passed and a new emphasis was being put on interdisciplinary healthcare teams, care coordination, value-based payment systems, and preventative care (IOM, 2011). Nursing is the largest profession in health care and with an aging baby boomer populace, the expanded role of nurses will be critical in meeting the growing healthcare burdens (Sisko et al., 2014).
There is a shortage of all health care professions throughout the United States. One shortage in particular that society should be very concerned about is the shortage of Registered Nurses. Registered Nurses make up the single largest healthcare profession in the United States. A registered nurse is a vital healthcare professional that has earned a two or four year degree and has the upper-most responsibility in providing direct patient care and staff management in a hospital or other treatment facilities (Registered Nurse (RN) Degree and Career Overview., 2009). This shortage issue is imperative because RN's affect everyone sometime in their lifetime. Nurses serve groups, families and individuals to foster health and prevent disease.
Healthcare is a continuous emerging industry across the world. With our ever changing life styles and the increased levels of pollution across the world more and more people are suffering from various health issues. Nursing is an extremely diverse profession and among the highest educated with several levels ranging from a licensed practical nurse (LPN) to a registered nurse (RN) on up to a Doctorate in Nursing. Diane Viens (2003) states that ‘The NP is a critical member of the workforce to assume the leadership roles within practice, education, research, health systems, and health policy’.
Nurses have always been an undervalued asset to the health care industry; however, there is always a great need for them. With more uninsured Americans requiring safe, affordable medical care, the pressing issue of nursing education is not a priority (Aiken, 2011). Recently, there have been modifications taken place toward the current nursing shortage, the decrease of nursing graduates, a workforce that is becoming older, and other factors that influence nurse educator shortage (Baker, Fitzpatrick, & Griffin, 2011). Nurse educators are required to advise students, complete research, and perform committee work all while teaching (Baker, Fitzpatrick, & Griffin, 2011). They also have multiple jobs outside of practicing nursing and teaching. Nurse educators have stressful roles that hold many expectations, yet there is no independence in making their own decisions concerning things. Aiken (2011) suggests that the best way to begin combatting this shortage should include increasing the number of nurses who hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing from 50% to 80% by 2020 (p. 196). Forty-eight percent of nurse instructors are expected to be aged 55 and older and are predicted to retire by this time. (Baker, Fitzpatrick, & Griffin, 2011).
Nursing has always been a key career in the health care system. Although it is not often focused on media and stories surrounding health care, nursing is a career of great importance. If any patient was asked about their experience at a hospital or a care center, many would mention the capability and care that they received from the nurses. The health care system could not function efficiently, if at all, if nurses were not present to perform their part. Nurses are more than just physicians, support staff.
All these processes will not only aid in creating a healthcare model based on the clinicians wants, but also based on better data from the research which will eventually help to direct them towards the right direction. For nurses to achieve a higher education for nurses the reasonable rate is a big factor for whether the nurse has to continue on higher education or not. The goal of IOM research is to increase the doctoral degree of nurses by 2020. The IOM research also points out the problems for a position in a rural area and recommends incentives for such traditional educational expenses which are going to benefit both the patient and the nurse.
There has been a drastic cut in both the Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates. According to Robert (2012), “cuts of more than $360 billion to Medicare and Medicaid will be made over the next 10 years. The focus of nursing needs to emphasize more on wellness care and prevention rather than acute care” (McNeal, G., 2012). Nursing practice will need to shift more towards community and population focused nursing. Baccalaureate prepared nurses are provided with a curriculum that includes both community health and leadership skills that are not included in the associate program. By encouraging associate’s degree nurses to obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an increase in the awareness of the needs of the community and population may be seen. The IOM report has outlined the anticipated obstacles that healthcare will face if changes are not made. By allowing nurses to provide care within their full scope of practice, quality care may be provided at an affordable cost to the population. The use of advanced practice nurses in primary care may provide quality, access, and cost efficient healthcare to high-risk populations and possibly decrease hospital admission rates, thus lowering the overall cost of healthcare. If nurses partner with doctors and other healthcare providers, it may improve healthcare by providing seamless transitions (Institute of Medicine,
“To do what nobody else will do, a way that nobody else can do, in spite of all we go through; is to be a nurse,” said Rawsi Williams, a registered RN. This quote completely captures the duties and responsibilities it takes to be in a healthcare profession. Like many health care occupations, nurse practitioners provide ‘patient-centered, accessible, high-quality health care’ (NP Public Awareness). They learn their roles by practicing in education facilities before heading out to the real world where everything they have learned help to save people’s lives. Now achieving doctorate degrees, nurse practitioners are slowly widening the professional field for nurses everywhere by continuing to maintain contact with
Nurses need a seat at the table to ensure they have a voice to influence and shape their future. Nursing is constantly evolving and changing, and employers continue to raise the bar for nursing. Nurses understand early in their career the importance of continuing education to enhance future career opportunities. Professional development relates to how nurses continue to broaden their knowledge, skills, and expertise throughout their career, therefore enhancing their professional practice. This advanced knowledge is not only career boosting, but also opens a seat at the table giving nurses the power to make decisions and effect changes. Professional development and continuing education are more important to nurses now than ever before to keep up with the rapid changes in healthcare today. Numminen, Leino-Kilpi, Isoaho and Meretoja’s (2017) article contends professional development enhances personal satisfaction, rejuvenates the love of nursing, builds confidence and credibility. There are many avenues to pursue
The information in this paper will discuss the evolution of health care industry over the last decade. Over the last decade, many changes in technology, economic perspective, and finance have made a prevalent impact in health care. Health in the early 1990’s was simple and minimally effective as the different developments were introduced such as medications, immunizations, antibiotics, testing and treatment for fatal conditions and diseases, such as polio, chicken pox and many others.
Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression
Reinventing American Healthcare This book begins with the introduction of real people who have had to deal with the complex, headache-inducing healthcare system of the United States. Next, the author, Ezekiel Emanuel, begins Part I of the book with a brief history explaining how the current state of healthcare came to be. Physicians used to have minimal education and used hospitals for training.
The Future of Nursing Being a registered nurse affords one the option of working in many diverse healthcare settings. In any practice setting, the climate of health care change is evident. There are diverse entities involved in the implementation and recommendation of these practice changes. These are led by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the Institute of Medicine (IOM), nursing campaign for action initiatives, as well as individual state-based action coalitions. Nurses need to be prepared and cognizant of the transformations occurring in health care settings, as well as the plans that put them at the forefront of the future.