The RWJFC and the ION Initiative: Advantages, Action Coalitions of Maryland, and Overcoming Barriers

Running head; The RWJFC and the ION Initiative 1
The RWJFC and the ION Initiative
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The RWJFC and the ION Initiative 2
The year 2008 saw the launch of a two years initiative whose main aim was to assess the
nursing profession in the United States and bring a transformative effect on the future of nursing.
The initiative was launched by the Robert wood Johnson foundation committee (RWJFC)
together with the institute of medicine (IOM) which is today known as the Health and Medicine
Division (HMD). Two years later the initiative referred as the future of nursing; leading change,
advancing health was released by IOM. This paper focuses on the initiative, its advantages and
the role of the action coalitions of Maryland and how they have advanced the goals of the future
of nursing examining the barriers and how the barriers can be overcame.
The RWJFC and the IOM were able to produce an initiative that had four main pillars.
These pillars were set to be a tool of transformation in the nursing practice to produce a more
inclusive and action oriented method of service delivery. According to LoBiondo-Wood, &
Haber, (2017) the decision of forming the committee to focus on the nursing profession was
arrived at due to the fact that the nursing profession has the largest number of healthcare
providers making it the biggest pillar of health in the country. It was also noted that nurses had
the capability of transforming the healthcare sector but were limited by a number of barriers.
These and more other factors saw the formation of the committee that led to the future of nursing
report.
The four pillars of the report included a focus on professional indemnity which outlined
that nurses were to utilize all the education and skills acquired in their respective fields to the
fullest without any limitations. Another pillar saw the improvement of the education system
where it was possible for nurses to acquire higher level of education and skills with ease which
allowed them to increase their knowledge in the profession. This objective was to be realized

The RWJFC and the ION Initiative 3
through improving the education systems to make it accommodate these demands (Cronenwett,
et al 2007).
The other main pillar of the initiative was centered on collaborative efforts to unite all
health care providers with the main aim of promoting health services. The initiative urged nurses
to collaborate and cooperate with all healthcare providers such as doctors, clinicians and
nutritionists for the sake of the common good of the patients. This was seen as essential in
reshaping the focus of medical care to be for the best interests of the patients. Lastly, the fourth
objective of the initiative focused on the essence of making good plans and policies that will
foster efficient flow of information, through proper data collection, efficient record keeping and
effective management.
Importance of the report
According to Buerhaus, (2008) as a result of the report, the campaign for action was
initiated in all the states independently in order to arrive at the actions best suited for each
individual state. Several schools and other higher institutions have developed programs and
policies that have favored continuous learning for nurses and other health workers to boost their
skills in the field of health which in turn has increased the quality of health services. In addition
these policies and programs have also improved learning conditions of other students wishing to
advance their studies in different fields too.
The campaign for action has also improved collaboration and co-operation efforts
between different healthcare providers. The increased cooperation and collaboration has in turn
promoted learning and skills acquisition through sharing, common practices and setting goals. To
the larger population, the action plan has also promoted the service delivery through a common