Education's Role: IOM Recommendations for the Future of Nursing

This essay reflects on the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) recommendations for the future of nursing, particularly focusing on increasing the proportion of nurses with baccalaureate and doctoral degrees, and the importance of lifelong learning. The author discusses their career aspirations in nursi...Read More

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

2IOM RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF NURSING
and explore new dimensions in nursing. In the next ten years I want to see myself playing a
vital role in the nursing profession and healthcare industry overall.
IOM also proposed to focus on learning of the nurses throughout their career. This
will help them to cope up with the constantly changing healthcare environment (Kelly
Brooks, 2019). Learning should be encouraged by conducting seminars and educational
campaigns for the nurses. Each nurse should be motivated to learn new things throughout
their professional career. This is crucial for them to cope up with the ever-changing
environment of the hospitals where adding newer skill sets will be quintessential for job
sustainability. I personally believe that there is no end to learning. Learning throughout my
life will be critical for me if I want to progress in my career.
The recommendations of IOM has created a roadmap for my nursing career as in this
competitive industry getting a job with decent sustainability will be a challenge. I have a high
level of ambition for my nursing career and achieving a postgraduate degree followed by a
PhD in nursing will be my priority at this moment. I hope that it will boost my employability
chances for future.

3IOM RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF NURSING
References
Kelly Brooks, P. (2019). Lifelong Learning - Johns Hopkins Nursing Magazine. Retrieved
from https://magazine.nursing.jhu.edu/2012/11/lifelong-learning/
Redman, R. W., Pressler, S. J., Furspan, P., & Potempa, K. (2015). Nurses in the United
States with a practice doctorate: Implications for leading in the current context of
health care. Nursing outlook, 63(2), 124-129.
Unroe, K. T., Ersek, M., & Cagle, J. (2015). The IOM report on dying in America: A call to
action for nursing homes. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association,
16(2), 90-92.
Wheeler, R. M., Foster, J. W., & Hepburn, K. W. (2013). The experiences of internationally
educated nurses in the southeastern United States of America. International Nursing
Review, 60(3), 397-404.