How has nursing practice evolved over time? Explain the significance of evidence-based practice and critical thinking in modern nursing.

This assignment aligns to AACN Core Competencies 1.1, 9.5.

Verified Expert Answer

The nursing practice has changed over time to incorporate new and different forms of action and practices. Nurses have become an integral part of modern medicine and have a role to play towards the attainment of effective healthcare performance and improvement of the overall healthcare policies (Ahmadian & Mokhtari, 2017). Conventional nurses were regarded as caregivers and were mainly comprised of women who in their nature, were “loving and caring.” The nurses did not need to acquire an academic profession as their role was based on caregiving and ensuring the stay of the patient at the facility was comfortable.

Currently, the nursing sector has greatly changed with the majority of nurses being required to have a bachelor’s degree and other advanced learning to increase the diversity of the roles. Nurses need to know how to use modern technology and make use of evidence-based strategies to offer patient-centered care (Ahmadian & Mokhtari, 2017). The skills can only be achieved when the nurses are informed of the different issues affecting patients and how to handle the different issues with the needed interventions.

There are different events and people that have been at the forefront in advocating for the transformation in the nursing sector. These advocacies have enabled the creation of proper nursing education and an increase in nurse roles in the contemporary nursing profession (Wang et al., 2021). For instance, in 1860, Florence Nightingale came up with the first secular nursing school where individuals could be trained on nursing and become professional nurses. To aid with creating nursing roles and regulations, the American Nurses Association was established in 1911 (Wang et al., 2021). The policies and governmental policies related to nursing changed in 1992 when the first registered nurse was elected as a member of congress in the US.

References

Ahmadian, S., & Mokhtari, J. (2017). A review of the evolution and challenges in nursing role development. Iranian Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine9(6), 48-60.

Wang, Q., Zhu, R., & Duan, Z. (2021). An Analysis of Past Florence Nightingale Medal Recipients: Insights Into Exceptional Nurses and the Evolution of Nursing. SAGE Open Nursing7, 2377960820988392.

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