I expected to learn about nurses as educators and how they
can help impact the future of nursing. I actually learned a great deal about
where the future of nursing is headed, the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations
for nursing, and how I can prepare myself now to be a nurse leader.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) approached the
Institute of Medicine (IOM) with a challenge to determine what the future of
nursing would be like with America’s new healthcare system. A committee was
made and research was performed. As a result, four key messages were portrayed reflecting
the discussions and recommendations from the IOM.
1. Nurses
should practice to the full extent of their education and training.
2. Nurses should achieve higher
levels of education and training through an improved education system that
promotes seamless academic progression.
3. Nurses should be full partners,
with physicians and other health professionals, in redesigning health care in
the United States.
4. Effective workforce planning and
policy making require better data collection and improved information infrastructure.
(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,
2011)
With the estimated 32 million Americans receiving health
insurance, due to the Affordable Care Act, nursing is seen as a great opportunity
to respond to these needs. Preparing
nurses now by furthering their education and obtaining advanced degrees is what
will enable them to be more visible and dominant in leadership roles.
I enjoyed the team activities and discovering the different
views of my team members about the future of nursing. Once of them stood out to
me the most. By emphasizing achieving higher levels of education, and hopefully
having more financial incentive with it, nurses will feel more empowered to get
their bachelor’s degree and beyond. Although, I can see a major problem
happening in the future. The baby boomer generation is going to retire soon and
be in need of nursing care. With this increased need for nurses, hospital
employers will be more likely to hire new graduate nurses, or those with less
experience. This way they can be paid less, and the company can hire a bunch of
these types of nurses to fill their positions. The problem is, there will be no
incentive for nurses to further their educations if they will likely not be
employed (since having a bachelor’s degree or more experience will equate to
higher pay, resulting in a decreased chance of being hired compared to a new
graduate nurse). I am hoping this
problem can be prevented in the future, where seasoned and educated nurses will
be in just as much a demand (and hopefully more) as newly graduated nurses.
I plan to obtain my bachelor’s degree and then continue on
to become an Advanced Practice Nurse. I also plan to utilize the information I
have learned by being confident in my abilities as a nurse and filling
leadership roles (i.e. team lead, clinical coach, etc).
Personally, I feel the lecture material was very insightful.
I am excited for the future of nursing. I hope that nurses will obtain more
positions of power and leadership in the future, and be financially rewarded
for their endeavors.
Reference
Shalala, D. E. (2011). Initiative on the future of nursing:
IOM recommendations. Retrieved online from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation http://www.thefutureofnursing.org/recommendations
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