IOM Recommendations for the Future of Nursing

Running head: IOM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF NURSING
IOM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF NURSING AND EFFECT OF
EDUCATION IN THE JOB RELATED TO NURSING
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1IOM RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF NURSING
Institute of medicine (IOM) presently known as National Academy of Medicine is an
NGO based in USA. It was established in the year of 1970 to guide on the concerns related to
clinical, medical science, healthcare and policymaking regarding healthcare. IOM published
recommendations in 2010 regarding the future direction of nursing practice that will have an
effect on the healthcare industry in the times to come (Unroe, Ersek & Cagle, 2015). IOM
proposed some recommendations, which directly effects my career plans for future. As an
aspirant of nursing, it is a high time for me to decide on the path that I shall follow to have a
successful career ahead.
IOM has proposed to increase the number of nurses holding a baccalaureate degree
from 50% to 80% within 2020. Nurses holding this degree can pursue master’s degree and
PhD later on. Nurses holding the baccalaureate degree have broader variety of skills in the
crucial aspects of healthcare like in critical thinking and decision making, patient handling,
practice based on evidence and collaborative decision making (Wheeler, Foster & Hepburn,
2013). As they are more skilled than a diploma and associate degree holders certainly, they
are more employable in the healthcare industry. I am planning to pursue a baccalaureate
degree in nursing to have a greater depth of knowledge, which will be beneficial for me. I can
pursue higher studies and job opportunities will be higher due to the better skillset that I shall
achieve. Increasing the number of nurses with a doctoral degree within 2020 has also
been proposed by IOM. This will produce enough nurses for research works, faculty jobs and
leadership responsibilities in the healthcare system. The nursing practice cannot evolve
without these interventions. The nurses holding a PhD can handle a leadership role in the
healthcare industry where they can control the patient related outcomes and mitigate the
adverse events (Redman et al., 2015). They can also suggest about any possible reforms in
the education system that will produce more efficient nurses with better skill set for future. I
always aspired to be in a position where I can take critical decisions in the healthcare industry