Institute of Medicine (MOM) created a report that served as a foundation for the future and advancement of nursing. MOM reported that, “Nurses have the opportunity to play a central role in transforming the healthcare system to create a more accessible, high quality, and value-driven environment for patients”. (Institute of Medicine [MOM], 2010, peg. 85) The MOM report, “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health”, emphasized on different topics with regards to the future of nursing especially the Importance of nursing education, nursing practice and the roles of nurses as a leader in the healthcare system.
The goal of nursing education Is for the nurses to be prepared to face the increasing needs of a diverse population of patients and to deliver a safe and quality patient care. In addition, the transformation of nursing education is encouraged to prepare new nurses to work hand in hand with other healthcare professionals in different settings. These changes are needed because of technological advancements, older patient population and increasing complexity of the patient conditions.
Care in the acute care setting and outside the hospital has become more complex as well. Nurses have to be trained on flexibility and ability to take In more oleos than what is expected when they graduate nursing. With this note, advancement in the education curriculum and changes are needed to compensate for these demands. Nurses should be able to have evidence-based practice care, collaborative skills with other professionals, be proficient with the new technologies and even more skilled on the acute and chronic healthcare settings.
Most hospitals are teaching hospitals and require more BBS graduate nurses In their workforce. The MOM has a view to Increase BBS nurses working In hospitals from 50% to 100%. In spite of this view, MOM set a goal of having BBS nursing percentage of 80% by 2020. This is “necessary to move the nursing workforce to an expanded set of competencies, especially in the domains of community and public health, leadership, systems improvement and change, research and health policy’. (MOM, 2010, peg. 73) In addition, having a BBS degree Is a good foundation for nurses to advance to a higher education, Aprons and Doctorate levels, that will In turn advance nurses to research, faculty nurses to teach future nurses, ability to participate in creating healthcare policies and leadership roles. MOM also encourages having bridge programs from URN to BBS and having a residency program that will allow nurses to main more skills, experience and knowledge and alleviate the stress around new nurses that are being thrown out of the real world without enough exposure and understanding of the profession.
There are plenty of barriers In accomplishing these nurses, it is not impossible to have a better future in nursing education and have more educated and advanced nursing workforce in our society today. MOM also emphasized the importance of advancing the nursing practice to the community and not Just concentrate in the acute care setting due to the increasing needs of the population and changes in the healthcare system. The outdated policies governing nursing scope of practice is a hindrance to the advancement of nursing practice and because of this patients are limited to access a better quality of care. MM stressed on their report that a necessary alteration in nursing practice is needed to provide patient-centered care; deliver more primary as opposed to specialty deliver more care in the community rather than the acute care setting; care; provide seamless care; enable all health professionals to practice to the full extent of their education, training, and competencies; and foster inter- professional collaboration. (MOM, 2010, peg. 86-87) Nurses are encouraged to pursue their education to Advanced Practical Registered Nurses (APRON) due to a shortage of primary care professionals in the acute and mainly in the community healthcare setting.
Aprons are knowledgeable, well trained and proficient enough to provide safe and high quality of care without the supervision of a primary doctor. MOM believes that changes in the regulations and expanding the scope of practice of nurses and of Aprons are necessary so that they can have the ability to practice and make decisions more independently. “The committee believes all health professionals should practice to the full extent of their education and training so that more patients may benefit”. (MOM, 2010, peg. 96) Again having bridge programs and residency programs for new nurses will help with the advancement of nursing practice.
Redefining the roles and extending the scope of nursing practice is highly recommended by the MOM for the future of the nursing profession and to keep up with the evolution of the healthcare environment. Another vision that the MOM has is nurses as leaders in healthcare. It is time for nurses to move forward from bedside roles and start being active as leaders and partners with other healthcare professionals in delivering high quality care to tenants. Together with the changes of nursing education and nursing practice, nurses as leaders are required to finally reach the goal of an advanced healthcare system.
Mom’s vision “specifically challenges nurses to demonstrate full partnership with physicians and other healthcare professionals in redesigning U. S healthcare. ” (Poorer-Grady, 2011, peg. 33) in addition the MOM “report suggests that the nursing profession must produce leaders at every level of the system and accept key leadership positions in policy, politics, organizations, and practice. ” (Poorer- Grady, 2011, peg. 33) Today’s advancements in technology, nurses have an important role in research and they assist in developing evidence-based practice care to maintain safety.
Nurses are the main caregivers and they understand very well the healthcare process. Nurses also play a vital role in delivering quality patient care through facilitation, coordination and making sure everything is at ease. So it is imperative that nurses be involved in policy making and provide strategies to improve care nurse’s responsibility to advance in their career, through education, be very well rounded with competencies and be active partners and be future leaders in the latherer system. In conclusion, MOM has a very broad insight and goals with regards to the future of nursing.
In order to achieve these goals, the importance of advancing nursing education and practice are emphasized as well as having more nursing leaders in the healthcare system. Having more BBS graduate nurses in the acute care settings and having more Aprons extending their services to the community is going to facilitate the advancement that the MOM views. Changing policies and extending the scope of practice for nurses to avoid limiting their abilities to practice and taking advantage of the nurse’s full capabilities is another goal that the MOM envisions.
