Summary Of Iom's Recommendations For Nursing

In 2011, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) published its recommendations for how to improve the nursing practice and promote recognition of nursing as a profession. IOM’s report consisted of some key suggestions, such as increasing the proportion of nurses with a bachelor degree, expanding leadership opportunities and nursing leadership development, eliminating barriers to practice to the full extent, and creating an effective workforce that resolves health policy issues (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2011). Since the power to implement those recommendations does not belong to nurses only, the key suggestions were also addressed to government, health care institutions, organizations, and health care professionals. Together, these groups have the ability to better the nursing profession and support its recognition among public as well as health care industry.

Allowing nurses to practice to their full potential and eliminating scope-of-practice barriers certainly will give the nursing profession recognition and validation. This will let nursing professionals utilize their skills and practice care

for which they are qualified for. It also will make use of nursing practice more effective and will help to meet health care needs, ensuring delivery of care to those who need it (Hickey & Starck, 2012).
Nursing is a lifelong learning profession. It has been challenged over the years by ever-evolving changes in the health care system as well as changes in communities’ health needs (Fineberg & Lavizzo-Mourey, 2013). Nurses always should be up to date with the current information, research and technology used in patient care. Nowadays, it is expected of nurses to be better trained and know more to go along with innovations, scientific discoveries and transformations in the health care system (Fineberg & Lavizzo-Mourey, 2013). Promoting higher education and higher levels of training among nurses, undoubtedly, supports nursing’s recognition as a profession that requires extensive education and a lot of knowledge.
There is an essential need for nurses to be full partners with physicians and other health care professionals (Hickey & Starck, 2012).

The opportunities for leadership skills development and mentorship programs should be available for nurses in any specialty. Nurse leaders at the bedside as well as boardroom bring critical skills, coordinate and manage care, advancing community health (Fineberg & Lavizzo-Mourey, 2013). Nurses should be engaged and have a voice in health policy decision making. With advanced leadership programs nurses at all levels will have the competencies to play an active role in leading and implementing changes in the quality of health care (Hickey & Starck, 2012). Strong leadership development will advance the nursing profession and allow it to be recognized as a valuable member within and beyond health care environment (Fineberg & Lavizzo-Mourey,

2013).
Finally, realization that there is a need for a nursing workforce data collection to monitor the number of nurses available at the moment and the number of nurses required in the future acknowledged the role and importance of the nursing profession in patient care (Hickey & Starck, 2012). In other words, monitoring the supply of nurses to address workforce needs in the future was another way to recognize the nursing profession as highly demanded, needed, and necessary.
To sum discussed above, the key suggestions recommended by the Institute of Medicine definitely promoted acknowledgement and validation to the nursing profession. IOM’s recommendations certainly supported recognition of nursing as a profession that requires extensive training, has a broad scope of practice and leadership competencies, and playing an important role in health care policy making.