Nursing Education
The future of nursing in the IOM report is comprehensively detailed and profound. Areas in nursing such as, Transformational Education, Transformational Practice and Transformational Leadership have been well structured in the report, which are geared towards enhancing and advancing health care in the United States. In transforming education, nurses are urged to train and achieve higher levels of education using an enhanced education system that promotes ideal academic progression. In order to achieve set goals in nursing, major changes in U.S health care practice environments and system will need major changes nurses’ education both after and before receiving their licenses. Nursing education ought to include various opportunities for flawless shift to higher degree programs which will serve as a platform for progressive lifelong learning. In addition to that, the nursing student body will have to be more diverse in order to respond to the men in the nursing workforce and underrepresentation of ethnic and ratio minority groups (Masters, 2014, p. 116).
As it is the primary goal of nursing education, nurses will have to be very much prepared in order to meet the needs of patients, advanced sciences and function as leaders which will benefit both the patients and the aptitude of health professional to deliver quality and safe patient care. Finally, entry levels for nurses for instance, ought to be able to change efficiently from their academic preparation to a variety of practice environments with increased emphasis on public and community health settings.
Nursing Practice – Transforming Nursing
In order to realize a full transformation in nursing, nurses should practice their training and education to full extent. Seemingly, a proper health care system is of paramount importance in achieving this goal. A fundamental rethinking of the roles of nurses and other health professional will be required to transform the health care system. Various initiatives and programs have been developed already, to target proper improvements in access, quality and value. In order to meet the goals of the IOM, physicians and nurse practitioners will be required to provide most of the primary care in health centers. Each of the primary care provider groups will be required to provide substantial amount care which will be noted. This needed shift in nursing practice is very urgent with respect to chronic conditions, prevention and wellness, transition and coordination and also prevention of adverse events which include hospital-acquired infections. Achievement of this system will enable the health care system to provide higher-quality care, increase safety and reduce errors (Burton, 2011, p. 79).
Transforming Leadership – Nurses’ Role as a Leader
In order to have a transformed health care system, strong leadership is paramount. Physicians should be complete partners with nurses and other health professionals in restructuring health care in the United States. Leaders must be produced from the nursing profession who will be greatly required in realizing the vision of transforming health care systems. Presumably, nurses and physicians will need competencies and leadership skills to act as committed partners with health professionals in redesigning.
New research findings must be translated by nursing leaders from nursing education into policy and practice. Full partnership in nursing requires competence and leadership skills which ought to be applied in collaboration with health professionals within the profession. A full partner in care environments involves identifying devising and implementing plans for progress, identifying problems and making necessary amendments to realize established goals. A new style in leadership will therefore require a unique style of leadership involving working and coordinating with others as partners of mutual collaboration and respect. This style of leadership is associated with a reduction in medical errors, improved patient outcomes and less staff turnover. This type of leadership could also reduce disruptive behavior and bullying, which is a major problem in health care (Nursing, 2010, p. 87). This proposed type of leadership flows at all levels in every direction. Therefore, nurses need strong leadership skills at all levels to contribute to patient quality of care and safety.
References
Masters, K. (2014). Role development in professional nursing practice. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Burton, R., & Ormrod, G. (2011). Nursing: Transition to professional practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Nursing Professional Development Exam. (2010). Nursing Professional Development Exam Flashcard Study System: Nursing Professional Development Test Practice Questions & Review for the Nursing Professional Development Board Certification Test. Mometrix Media Llc.
