This report discusses the history of nursing, the recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the impacts of these recommendations on the nursing profession. It also highlights some of the barriers to the future of nursing and the need for effective policies and systems to manage the nursing workforce.
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FUTURE OF NURSING1 Future of Nursing Report Name Date University affiliation
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FUTURE OF NURSING2 Future of Nursing Introduction Nursing is defined as an autonomous profession that is collaborative and unique in nature and concerned with the care of individuals and groups of all ages regardless of their political affiliation, race, creed, gender, economic status, social status and sexual orientation, with the aim of steering them towards achieving optimum health through preventive, curative, and rehabilitative strategies (Vincent, Theodore and Steven, 2011). The profession has made significant strides and transformed immensely over the past few decades. In the past, nurses were viewed as physicians’ assistants with very little skills and knowledge. That has since changed because nurses are now viewed as collaborators in patient care together with doctors and other members of the healthcare team (Blais & Hayes, 2011). The nursing profession is now highly specialized to include various cadres and sub-specialties for nurses. There have been immense debates regarding the future of nursing in the diverse health care sector in view of the highly dynamic, methodological and technological space within the healthcare system. Some scholars have raised questions about the autonomy and professionalisms of nursing within the larger healthcare team (Vincent, Theodore and Steven, 2011). Critics of the ideology have been pessimistic despite the attempts by many nursing scholars to decipher the roles of the autonomous nurse in patient care. This paper will take a critical look into the report of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) on the future of nursing and the impacts of the later of the roles and practice of nurses in various settings. Discussion
FUTURE OF NURSING3 In order to effectively decipher the future of nursing, it is important to try and understand the history of the profession. Nursing role started as the accomplishment of simple physician- initiated instructions that mostly focused on hygiene and first aid. The roles of the nurses have since then advanced and diversified to include higher roles such as academic and research roles, and interdepartmental clinical practice (Blais & Hayes, 2011). The aforementioned steps have since shifted the role of nursing from the ancient task-related to a more patient-centered approach. Nursing education has also introduced different cadres and entry points for different levels of nurses. The IOM in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2010 released a published report that deciphered on the future of nursing, advancement of health and the leading of change. The latter was an initiative that lasted for two years and began by the establishment of a committee that was tasked with the role of assessing and transforming the nursing profession. Some of the recommendations that the committee set by the IOM and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation came up with were that nurses should be allowed to practice autonomously in accordance with their level of training and experience (Eliseo, 2014). The report led to what is referred to as a“Campaign for Action” by the nurses. The nurses were also expected to be steadfast in their pursuit for higher academic progression levels and encourage improved education and health systems. The nurses were also expected to collaborate with the doctors in the planning and execution of patient management. The committee also recommended that the nurse leaders and managers should develop effective policies and systems that would ensure effective management of the nursing workforce through an infrastructure that is transformative. The IOM and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation believed that the eight recommendations stated n their report would improves the nursing prospects in the future
FUTURE OF NURSING4 (Vincent & Steven, 2011). The team noted after their two-year deliberation that there were major barrier to the attainment of nursing autonomy that had to be removed. The barriers were mainly revolving around the scope of nursing. The committee set by the duo recommended that nurses be provided with the opportunity to lead healthcare initiatives that involve a collaborative healthcare team. The report by the two bodies has had significant impacts on the nursing practice. The diversity that is advocated for in the report is viewed by some scholars as a socio-cultural kind of diversity of the clients rather tats of the different nursing cadres and specialties. Nurses have an ethical responsibility to care for all patients equally regardless of their political affiliation, race, creed, gender, economic status, social status and sexual orientation as stipulated by Nurses Code of Ethics(Eliseo, 2014).The impacts of this diversity had its advantages and shortcomings too. The advantage of this was that nurses were at liberty to chose their areas of interest and pursue them I the course of their career progression. The shortcoming of this was that the profession had highly diversified introducing many specialties making it confusing for some nurses to settle on one particular field (Ruth & Erik, 2010). The clients have also diversified over time. Currently, most nurses care for patients drawn from different cultures, religions, backgrounds, and even countries. The profession must, therefore, be proactive in order to change adapt to the current trends. Some of the barriers to the future of nursing as stipulated by the report by the duo were language barriers that made the dissemination of information difficult. Nurses usually rely on the information from the patients or the significant others to plan for care. Language barriers could thus lead to misunderstanding and non-compliance. Other barriers pointed out in the report
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FUTURE OF NURSING5 include poor work environment and shortage of the nursing workforce including instructors and researchers in the academic and research institutions. Conclusion The nursing profession has made significant strides and transformed immensely over the past few decades. In the past, nurses were viewed as physicians’ assistants with very little skills and knowledge. Nurses are now viewed as collaborators in patient care together with doctors and other members of the healthcare team.Some of the barriers to the future of nursing as stipulated by the report by the IOM and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation were language barriers that made the dissemination of information difficult, shortage of nurses, and poor work environment. The duo recommended that nurses be steadfast in their pursuit for higher academic progression levels and encourage improved education and health systems, collaborate with the doctors in the planning and execution of patient management and the nurse leaders and managers should develop effective policies and systems that would ensure effective management of the nursing workforce.
FUTURE OF NURSING6 References Blais K., & Hayes J. S. (2011). Concepts related to Culture:Professional Nursing Practice Concepts and Perspectives. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson. Eliseo T., (2014). Healing with Rituals and Herbs:The Nursing Profession and Practice. Albuquerque: UNM Press Ruth A., & Eric V., (2010). The Nursing Profession:The Hidden Perspective: London: Cambridge University Press Vincent, T. Theodore, S. Steven, A. (2011). Nursing: Principles & Practice:A Primer of the Scope of Nursing Practice. Philadelphia:/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.