Daily activities of nurses are essential for enhancing patients’ well-being and improving the quality of care. This issue is stressed in The Future of Nursing report published by the National Academy of Medicine (2011) that was previously called the Institute of Medicine (IOM). This paper will first discuss the work that resulted in the publication of this document. Furthermore, one should examine its implications for the professional roles of nurses, their education, and workplace development.
Finally, much attention should be given to the initiatives of state-based action coalitions that try to translate the recommendations of the IOM into practice. Overall, the guidelines included in this report can significantly empower nurses and help them take a greater part in decision-making; nevertheless, they will also raise the standards that these people will have to meet.
The Work Leading to the Report
While discussing the origins of this report, one should emphasize the work of two organizations, namely, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the National Academy of Medicine (2011). The RWJF funds various programs that are supposed to address the most acute problems affecting healthcare in the United States. This foundation cooperates with many institutions to identify and promote innovations that can improve the quality of care (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2013).
The National Academy of Medicine can be regarded as an important partner of the RWJF. The main goal of this organization is to offer evidence-based guidelines to hospitals and medical workers. The Future of Nursing report was a product of a two-year program launched by the RWJF and the National Academy of Medicine (2013). This report is based on the analysis of many studies describing the work of nurses (National Academy of Medicine, 2011). Moreover, the organizations attracted experts who could identify the changes that had to be made in the education of these professionals and their workplace development. This work eventually culminated in the report published by the National Academy of Medicine.
The Implications of the Report for Nursing Professionals
The recommendations included in this report can significantly transform the work and education of nurses. To a great extent, these changes can be explained by the fact that the IMO urges these medical workers to assume new roles (National Academy of Medicine, 2011). They are not supposed only to help people manage their illnesses. They must also act as educators who can assist patients in developing self-care skills (National Academy of Medicine, 2011).
Additionally, they are expected to coordinate the work of other professionals such as social workers and physicians. According to this report, nurses should also be able to use research and information management systems to improve the quality of care (National Academy of Medicine, 2011). On the whole, these people should act as leaders influencing the policy of healthcare organizations.
Due to these reasons, policy-makers have to pay more attention to the education of nurses and their professional development. Firstly, these people should regard continuous or life-long learning as one of the prerequisites for a successful career. They should be ready to acquire new skills on a regular basis. Furthermore, these people should be offered an opportunity to take a higher academic degree (Smith, Carpenter, & Fitzpatrick, 2015).
For instance, they should be allowed to obtain Masters and Ph. D. degrees in nursing. Hospital administrators should also ensure that nurses can quickly adapt to the workplace environment (National Academy of Medicine, 2011). Therefore, much attention should be paid to mentoring and leadership programs assisting medical workers in developing their skills. Overall, these examples indicate that nurses will have to reach higher standards of performance and education. However, this goal can be attained if colleges and medical institutions support their professional development.
The Role of Action Coalitions
The recommendations presented in The Future of Nursing report can be successfully implemented only if they are widely embraced by healthcare professionals, hospital administrators, and officials. It is critical to discuss the role played by action coalitions that strive to empower nurses and promote the adoption of evidence-based practices. Firstly, these organizations take an active part in the development of various leadership and training programs designed for nurses. They also analyze the difficulties encountered by different healthcare institutions. In this way, they identify the resources and measures required for implementing the principles outlined in the IMO report. Action coalitions also raise policy-makers awareness about the problems that affect the work of nurses.
It is possible to discuss the efforts of the Florida action coalition that undertakes various initiatives supporting nurses. This organization participated in surveying nurses who were asked to identify their most important learning needs (Campaign for Action, 2018). The results of this survey were used for the development of the training programs for these medical workers. The Florida action coalition takes other steps to empower nurses.
For instance, it urges policy-makers to enact laws widening the scope of their authority. For example, the members of this coalition pressured Florida legislators to let nurses prescribe various controlled substances (Denker, 2016). In this way, they helped these medical workers assume new roles in clinical settings. By taking these initiatives, this action coalition helps nurses develop new skills and ensures that their competencies are effectively used.
There are several barriers that limit the advancement of the nursing profession in Florida. At first, it is vital to speak about the shortage of nurses in many medical institutions. Due to this problem, these healthcare professionals are often overworked; moreover, they often do not have time for acquiring new skills. One should also speak about bureaucratic barriers that slow down the process of change in organizations.
Nursing advocates can take several steps to overcome these obstacles. For example, they can continuously draw policy-makers attention to the difficulties caused by the shortage of nursing staff and the lack of professional development. Moreover, they can increase people’s awareness about the benefits of helping nurses assume new roles in clinical settings. In this way, they can implement the guidelines included in The Future of Nursing report.
Conclusion
The report published by the National Academy of Medicine sets the goals that nursing professionals should achieve in the future. The recommendations included in this document emphasize the empowerment of these medical workers. This innovation requires significant changes in the work of educational institutions and healthcare organizations. In particular, they should ensure that nursing professionals can acquire new competencies.
It is also vital to recognize the role of action coalitions that participate in the development of learning programs for nurses. Moreover, they can raise policy-makers awareness about the problems of medical institutions. Their activities can significantly improve the work of many hospitals.
References
Campaign for Action. (2018). Florida state implementation programs.
Denker, A. (2016). How Florida NPs are meeting the IOM’s goals. Advance Healthcare Network.
National Academy of Medicine. (2011). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. Web.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2013). About RWJF.
Smith, M., Carpenter, R., & Fitzpatrick, J. (Eds.). (2015). Encyclopedia of nursing education. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.