In 2008 The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) joined forces to develop a report to address the important issues facing nursing and healthcare in the future. “The Future of Nursing Leading Change, Advancing Health” was the product of this partnership and made several recommendations intended to shape the future of nursing to meet the current and future health care needs of the United States The report made several recommendations which include: nurses beginning to practice at the level of their education background, nurses should seek higher levels of education, and nurses should be partners in healthcare working together with physicians and health care providers to redesign healthcare to meet the needs of the future.
The IOM Report and the Nursing Shortage
The United states is currently facing significant nursing shortage in the several years and with this ongoing and expected shortage the effects of healthcare are far reaching. From 2008- 2020 Over 50% the nursing workforce are expected to leave the profession at time when healthcare demands increase with the aging population of the baby boomers (US Nursing Workforce, 2013).
With so many of the nursing workforce expected to retire and many new nurses leaving the workforce prematurely the IOM report is recommending ways to better prepare these nurses for to function in the role and possible decrease burn out and possible early exit from the nursing workforce. One of these recommendations includes a nurse residency programs. Not unlike physicians that complete residency programs to prepare them for practice and nurse residence program could better prepare and nurse to transition from school life to actual practice, better preparing highly skilled nurses to meet the more intensive demands in health care (Institute of Medicine 2011).
Nursing functioning at the Level of their Education
With the aging population and more people having access to healthcare largely due to the Affordable Health Care Act and a focus on prevention and wellness more and more people are seeking care and nursing must respond to that need. Nursing practice must change to help meet future demands. The IOM report in alignment with the recommendation that the entry level of RN increases to BSN level but also that all nurse must continue their education beyond the BSN and that nurses must be able to function at the level of their education. At this time many state legislatures do not allow for Advanced Practice Nurses and Certified Nurse Midwifes to function at their level of education. Adjusting legislature and the nursing scope of practice in these states will increase the number of primary care providers available to care for this increased population needs (IOM,2010). implementation of the IOM future of nursing report essay assignment paper example.
To this end several suggestions were made to state governments to make these recommendations a reality. Nursing boards should adjust scope of practice to allow nurses to practice at a level of their education, this would be especially important for Advanced Practice Nurses in allowing them to take an active part in the primary care of the state’s population. The IOM report also suggest that the entry level of education should be of Baccalaureate trained nurse. The report recommends that at least 80% of the American nurse’s workforce should be made up of bachelor’s degree or higher nurses by 2020. (Creating a More Qualified, 2015).
Nurses as Leaders
The IOM report states “Nurses should be full partners, with physicians and other health professionals, in redesigning health care in the United States” (IOM 2010). Throughout history nurses have played key roles in advocating for patients and carrying out the orders of physicians. With the ever increasing complexity and demands of health care nurses need to work as a full partner with other multidisciplinary teams to create policies and programs to continue to provide safe healthcare in this increasingly demanding healthcare environment. implementation of the IOM future of nursing report essay assignment paper example.
State Based Efforts to Support Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action
Many states are striving to make changes to do their part in advancing nursing goals. These coalitions are critical to make changes in nursing practice and meet the needs of future healthcare. New Mexico not unlike many states in the United States face critical nursing shortages now and increasing in the future. The New Mexico Center for Nursing Excellence (NMCNE) was established in 2002. Their main goal is to advocate for nursing profession to better meet the healthcare needs of New Mexico Residents and achieve the recommendations of the IOM report.
One of the projects to help support the implement
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