NUR 302 Concepts In Nursing

Importance of “Future of Nursing” IOM report

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative (RWJF) and Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the Future of Nursing in Washington, USA is a transformation in nursing exploring the rules and responsibilities of nurses and their education meeting the increased care needs in the current healthcare system (campaignforaction.org, 2013). It started in the year 2008 by RWJF with a purpose of making changes and recommendations for action based coalition for the face of future of nursing. This initiative is a thorough examination on the education, roles and responsibilities of nurses that should change responding to the complex, aging and diverse population needs in the evolving healthcare system. In the healthcare system, nurses’ act on the frontlines in patient care, therefore, this initiative is important to make nurses realize their objectives, roles and effectively work to the changing healthcare needs. To envision future of nursing profession, this report acts as guideline conveying key messages to nursing profession in the present healthcare scenario (Ellerbe & Regen, 2012). This initiative will help in the establishment of major milestone changes advancing to meet the needs of public healthcare. This action based initiative is a giant leap in the reform of healthcare preparing the system to advance towards change.

There are major challenges witnessed in the healthcare system like burnout, shortage of nursing workforce, technology and societal issues. This initiative is crucial in reconceptualising of nursing practice and overcome these challenges focusing on major areas. The goals of this initiative is to expand nursing faculty, nursing education strength so that competent nurses work in meeting the current and future needs of the clinical scenario. The delivery and quality of healthcare services is important and IOM initiative aid in examining innovative ways enhancing delivery of care in every healthcare setting (Lee, 2013). The transformation taken by this initiative is vital and work towards proper retention of nurses and reduction in burnout situations. This initiative also plays an important role in preparing nurses for every sphere of their profession working in every setting whether acute, ambulatory and long-term care in community, private or public setting.

State-based action coalition (role and achievement)

This state-based action coalition initiative started in collaboration with nurses and business partners to drive change in the current healthcare system. This coalition is aimed at building healthy America at local, regional and state levels being executed across every state of Washington including education representatives, business and healthcare organizations advocates. This action based initiative is working in six areas of nursing profession so that advancement in health and transformation in healthcare system is achieved. Recommendations are provided in six categories; improvement of access to healthcare, fostering inter-professional collaboration, promotion of nursing leadership, transformation in nursing education, increasing nursing diversity and collection of workforce data (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, 2016). In every state, this action coalition works in collaboration with policymakers, educators, nurses, healthcare professionals, business leaders in responding to the country’s increasing needs for high-quality, safe and effective care. After implementation of these recommendations, in 2015, this initiative made progress within nursing workforce and urge to achieve on all fronts. It is also working to increase diversity in healthcare system working to synthesize efforts for the collection of data believing that every individual deserve to live healthy life to the fullest (Reinhard & Hassmiller, 2012). 

Texas initiatives

In Texas, it is believed that every citizen deserves better care, health at affordable rates and nurses are the biggest healthcare providers working at the frontlines in the state. With this aim, the state is working towards building a healthy community with transformation of future of nursing in Texas. Until now, there is no such barrier witnessed while implementing recommendations provided by IOM (campaignforaction.org, 2017).

Nursing education

Texas is working towards transformation in nursing education and taking this initiative into consideration; nurses have to finish their post-secondary education have to undertake associate degree in nursing (ADN) course. This is a stepping-stone for the nurses in their education and profession and as per IOM report, this degree is crucial for nurses for delivering high quality healthcare services. This course plays a crucial role in the diversification and preparing nursing workforce to meet the demands of current healthcare and skilled care. This program is being successfully implemented in the country, for example in University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing offering online RN to BSN program. Under this program, education is delivered to nursing students providing affordable and accessible education to diverse students. They are also awarding funded scholarship to minority nursing students enrolling in BSN programs. This initiative is offering strategies for the nurses to make their education or higher degrees easier being offered at state, region or community colleges among universities (campaignforaction.org, 2014). Therefore, this progress in nursing education is remarkable spearheading towards building a competent nursing workforce and enabling minority students to transit seamlessly from ADN to BSN program.

Inter-professional collaboration

Another area of progress is inter-professional collaboration to implement RWJF efforts resting on Culture of Health. The healthcare providers in Community Health Centre in Middletown, Connecticut is accompanying clients to nearby farmer markets talking about role of fresh foods in helping people lead healthier lives as shown in an online RWJF video. In this initiative, nurses are contributing to healthier lives not only in healthcare settings, but outside of it. The report published by Times Story demonstrates that people are recognizing the importance of healthier living in the community. There is a RN at the Food Bank of Corpus Christi in Texas, Georgiana Bradshaw guiding people who visit them and with their help, people are staying healthy and taking medications on time. This initiative depicts that nurses are serving wisdom at the farmers markets, food banks by working in inter-professional collaboration with business and community partners aiding in leading healthy lives (campaignforaction.org, 2016). As per this initiative, healthcare professionals in Texas are working in team promoting participation and inter-professional collaboration of each discipline; physicians, pharmacy and nursing towards healthy living. Therefore, healthcare professionals in Texas are making efforts in learning promising practices providing the best quality of possible care and working in collaboration to put the practice into action.

References

campaignforaction.org. (2013). The Future of Nursing IOM Report | Campaign for Action. Retrieved 17 December 2017, from https://campaignforaction.org/resource/future-nursing-iom-report/

campaignforaction.org. (2014). Transforming Nursing Education – Campaign for Action. Campaign for Action. Retrieved 17 December 2017, from https://campaignforaction.org/transforming-nursing-education/

 campaignforaction.org. (2016). Nurses Serve Wisdom at Food Banks, Farmers Markets, Campaign for Action. Retrieved 17 December 2017, from https://campaignforaction.org/nurses-serve-wisdom-food-banks-farmers-markets/

campaignforaction.org. (2017). Texas Team Action Coalition – Campaign for Action. Campaign for Action. Retrieved 17 December 2017, from https://campaignforaction.org/state/texas/

Ellerbe, S., & Regen, D. (2012). Responding to health care reform by addressing the Institute of Medicine report on the future of nursing. JONA’S healthcare law, ethics and regulation, 14(4), 124-128.

Lee, J. A. (2013). The Future of Nursing IOM Report.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2016). Assessing progress on the Institute of Medicine report The Future of Nursing. National Academies Press.

Reinhard, S., & Hassmiller, S. (2012). The future of nursing: Transforming health care. The Journal AARP International.