National Dynamics
The role of nurses in the healthcare setting has greatly increased in the recent years, both due to the expansion of the range of responsibilities and in response to the changing national health care dynamics. The described impact is especially evident for family nurse practitioners (FNP).
The primary reason for this is the gradual shift of care delivery away from the hospitals. Currently, the U.S. healthcare system’s official stance postulates that the quality of care increases significantly with the involvement of the patients, their families, and communities. In order to successfully achieve the first and the second point, it is necessary to introduce stakeholders who have access to patients’ family setting as well as skills and tools required for the delivery of relevant knowledge and resources.
Family nurse practitioners align perfectly with these requirements and are thus the first to feel the said impact. The situation is further enhanced by the Affordable Care Act, which supports the shift away from inpatient care and towards outpatient care delivered within families and communities as an approach to a more cost-effective use of resources (Lathrop & Hodnicki, 2014).
In addition, the introduction of the Affordable Care Act has significantly expanded the insurance coverage of the population, which, in turn, created a situation where the people who had been previously reluctant to visit healthcare facilities started seeking professional medical help. For the providers, this resulted in the increased demand for their services. For the family nurse practitioners in particular, this transpired in the increasing job opportunities and an overall expansion of the job market. Thus, it is possible to state that the current national health care dynamics are favorable for the evolving role of the FNP in terms of job opportunities.
Global Dynamics
Another notable influence on the evolution of the FNP’s role is the global health care dynamics. For instance, the introduction of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals has capitalized on certain areas that align with the family nurse practitioners responsibilities. For example, the fourth goal, which centers on the reduction of child mortality, is consistent with the pursuit of holistic family health relevant for FNP’s role and can thus be considered fundamentally compatible with their range of responsibilities (United Nations, n.d.).
Similarly, the improvement of maternal health (goal 5) can be considered relevant for FNPs due to its evident association with family health. Finally, HIV/AIDS, which is one of the targets of the sixth goal, has been positively associated with the socio-cultural status of the population as well as the level of knowledge on the matter. Since both are within the scope of the FNP’s responsibilities, it would be reasonable to state that the UN’s Millennium Development Goals has contributed to the evolution of the family nurse practitioner’s role.
In the same manner, the goals formulated by the World Health Organization promote health safety primarily in the areas that FNPs are expected to tackle as a part of their range of responsibilities. These areas include education of the stakeholders, promotion of safety at the community, state, and global level, and an institution-wide compliance with the globally accepted safety standards (World Health Organization, n.d.).
Since all of the identified goals are relevant for the development of the FNP role, it becomes evident that its evolution is facilitated in accord with the work of the global organizations such as the WHO. To sum up, the current global health care dynamics have a positive influence on the job market due to the alignment with the values and goals put forward by the reputable organizations in the field.
References
Lathrop, B., & Hodnicki, D. (2014). The Affordable Care Act: Primary care and the doctor of nursing practice nurse. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 19(2), 1-14.
United Nations. (n.d.). Millennium Development Goals and beyond 2015. Web.
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Organization-wide expected results and indicators. Web.