Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, Education

This essay examines the future of nursing, emphasizing the importance of advanced education, such as MSN and DNP, for career progression and improved patient outcomes. The author, a nursing student, discusses various specializations like mental health nursing and the increasing demand for highly skilled nurses in the US healthcare system. The essay highlights the need for nurses to adapt to new advancements, embrace continuous learning, and adhere to ethical standards. It also references key recommendations from the Institute of Medicine and emphasizes the importance of nurses being prepared to practice to the fullest extent of their training, fostering effective communication, and contributing to improved healthcare policies. The author stresses the role of higher education in enhancing nurses' critical thinking, compassion, and ability to navigate challenging situations, ultimately leading to quality patient care and safety.

Running Head: FUTURE OF NURSING
Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1FUTURE OF NURSING
In the field of nursing, several prospects are open for students who are into the education
of nursing. Certain degrees and courses are specially designed for specific jobs in the area of
medical practice. The education level I have reached allows me to be a practicing nurse, and in a
few months, I can enroll in being a registered nurse. The job market has a positive approach for
me right now, but after achieving more level of education, I can apply in other healthcare sectors
that specializes in doctorate level of nursing such as MSN and DNP. As a nurse, it is easy for me
to be appointed a nurse, and after a few years, I can be promoted as a director of nursing if my
peers like my performance and efficiency. Nurses who can take a risk in their professional life
can achieve more and success and satisfaction, which will be a progressive factor during the
process of job search. Nurses have various fields such as mental health, emergency ward,
geriatrics, pediatric, intensive care unit, obstetricians, surgical ward, and diagnostic laboratories
(Nesje, 2015). The specialization I have done is mental health, which will give me a better
prospect in the area of the psychiatric field. It will give me exposure in the field of psychology
through the help of several patients who will be diagnosed with their mental instability
conditions. I can also work under experienced neurological doctors and psychiatrists, who will
show me how to treat critical patients.
The healthcare system of the United States has the demand for highly experienced and
nurses who are aware of the new advances and previous nursing literature that can improve their
practice and increase the positive patient outcome, including quality of patient safety and care.
These improvements are required by them even before they receive their license. This is the
reason the nursing education system should be developed and attained by all the nurses who are
doing their bachelorette because it will guarantee a systematic approach and a better critical
reflection in their field of practice. I want to achieve more knowledge and experience in my

2FUTURE OF NURSING
profession, and it is only possible if I get more educated and go for higher studies. I am planning
to do a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) as it is one of the degrees in nursing, which
provides a doctorate after completing my Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN). It will take me a
notch higher because the curriculum has evidence-based practice, leadership systems, and quality
improvement. It is similar to a master’s degree because it is done after graduation, and it needs
specialization. One of the practice opportunities in this doctorate is a Psychiatric Mental Health
Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), which is related to my interest and curriculum (Paplham & Austin-
Ketch, 2015). This will help me in developing my choice of the field because the curriculum
design is informative and practical, which is required in the medical field. The American
Association of Colleges of Nursing recommends transitioning from MSN to DNP because it will
mold a nurse towards the advances and development in the healthcare sector. The emerging
health needs due to the issues in the environment needs more experienced and trained medical
professionals. This will be achieved if nurses involve themselves in achieving more education,
such as Masters and Doctorate in Nursing.
Due to new nursing programs and advances in the field of nursing, various students are
planning to enter the profession of medical professionals such as nursing. This means that the
competitiveness is increasing in the academic and professional scenario, which needs to be
looked upon to prosper in this field. Every profession requires fresh candidates to elevate the
standard of admissions and eliminations. In the same manner, I need to groom and build myself
to such an extent that I can stand strong in this competitive job situation. My degree of MSN and
DNP will increase my value and academic progress due to which it will be easier for me to gain
access to better job opportunities. As the US healthcare system demands trained and advanced
nursing professionals, it will be a great opportunity for me to approach the best healthcare

3FUTURE OF NURSING
organizations. The future of nursing will be prosperous if more nurses decide to go for their
higher studies as it will guarantee an experienced and strong workforce during practical
situations. Medical profession is unpredictable because various diseases have different prognosis,
diagnosis and treatment procedures, which requires a nurse to be alert and aware about their
specialization. More academic progression will influence the personality of nurses that will
support them in facing challenging situations, which will lead to quality care and safety in
patients (Gorski et al., 2015).
Nursing education is infinite because science and technology keeps developing and
discovering new ways of treatment and diagnosis. Continuing nursing education will widen the
horizon and scope of practice for nurses, which will make them explore more opportunities in
this profession. Nurses need to have compassion, patience, interpersonal skills, empathy and
critical thinking to achieve success in the practice of nursing and acquiring more education will
make them competitive, knowledgeable, easy approach to positive thinking and more familiar
with the American Nurses Association’s Scope and Standards for Practice and Code of Ethics. It
is necessary for nurses to follow a certain framework or protocol to be more efficient and
accurate during their interactions with the patients. ANA’ code of ethics is the national code of
practice for all the nurses in United States of America and it outlines the way a nurse should
behave during their professional hours. Behaving in an ethical manner, coming through
challenging barriers with the help of intelligence and awareness, and how they should be
professional enough to prevent their obligations that can obstruct their wellbeing. Nursing
education programs focuses on these protocols for efficient academic experiences, which makes
it essential for nurses to search for more opportunities to increase their knowledge and exposure.

4FUTURE OF NURSING
Higher education in nursing will also save me from competitive approach because my academic
credentials will make it easier for me to enroll for best opportunities (Zheng et al., 2017).
Attaining knowledge in any field will always be beneficial for the professional field and
life as well. This makes it evident that achieving nursing education should be made mandatory so
that they can explore their capabilities and learn more accurate practice that will help them
during their practice. Nurses need to be highly educated so that they can transform the healthcare
system to a positive note and do wide reaching changes for the prosperity of public health and
government. The ad hoc committee in the Institute of Medicine (2011), formulated few key
points to showcase the purpose of higher education in nurses and it will also prove that why it
should be made mandatory. Firstly, nurses should be open to practicing to the fullest extent
possible of their training and education, which will improve their strategies to maintain a smooth
working the medical field. Secondly, nurses should achieve higher education and training with
the help of advance education system so that they can promote unified academic progression.
Thirdly, nurses should have efficient communication so that they can have friendly approach
with their peers, full partners, physician and other healthcare professionals, which will help them
in altering the healthcare system on a better prospect. Lastly, an effective workforce policy and
planning needs better collection of patient information and educational infrastructure, and that is
possible only when nurses are more educated and familiar with the usual practices of nursing.

5FUTURE OF NURSING
References
Gorski, M. S., Farmer, P. D., Sroczynski, M., Close, L., & Wortock, J. M. (2015). Nursing
education transformation: Promising practices in academic progression. Journal of
Nursing Education, 54(9), 509-515.
Institute of Medicine (US). Committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the
Future of Nursing. (2011). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health.
Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
Nesje, K. (2015). Nursing students' prosocial motivation: does it predict professional
commitment and involvement in the job?. Journal of advanced nursing, 71(1), 115-125.
Paplham, P., & Austin-Ketch, T. (2015, November). Doctor of nursing practice education:
impact on advanced nursing practice. In Seminars in oncology nursing (Vol. 31, No. 4,
pp. 273-281). WB Saunders.
Zheng, Z., Gangaram, P., Xie, H., Chua, S., Ong, S. B. C., & Koh, S. E. (2017). Job satisfaction
and resilience in psychiatric nurses: A study at the Institute of Mental Health,
Singapore. International journal of mental health nursing, 26(6), 612-619.