Nowadays, many factors drive healthcare improvements at different levels. It is not enough to promote change in nursing education. Nurses, as well as other medical staff, should be aware of how to solve current problems, accept and support innovations, and deal with sustainable and unsustainable costs and disparities (Salmond & Echevarria, 2017). Many organizations and healthcare facilities introduce new approaches and implications for nurses, leaders, and managers. The Institute of Medicine is one of the most influential authors in the 2000s. Its representatives use current research and credible publications to explore on nurses’ roles and responsibilities regarding available resources and innovations (Institute of Medicine, 2010). The IOM report has a certain impact on nursing in terms of education, primary care practice, and leadership that will be discussed and analyzed in this paper.
Nursing Education
A career of a nurse begins with a properly chosen pathway of education and a facility where students can develop their skills. According to the Institute of Medicine (2010), nurses have to achieve a profound understanding of healthcare management, change, and reconceptualization of their roles. It is expected to increase the number of the bachelors’ of science in nursing up to 80% in 2020 (Institute of Medicine, 2010). With time, this degree may promote an increased number of doctor of nursing practice degrees that create a solid base of nursing in the United States (Redman, Pressler, Furspan, & Potempa, 2015). This improvement helps to meet the demand of advanced practice positions, reduce nursing shortage, and possess the required competencies in different areas of nursing work, including public health, research, primary care, and leadership.
The impact of the IOM report cannot be ignored because it shows the initial steps that have to be taken by individuals and organizations at the same time. The field of nursing will be improved in case cooperation between students, academic facilities, and hospitals can be offered. Transformational changes happen when nurses understand their roles and respect what they can do (Salmond & Echevarria, 2017). Education is a significant part of an educational process, and nurses cannot neglect it. Regarding the report under analysis, it is better to support the idea of lifelong learning and academic progression with the help of which nurses can use their skills and competencies in different spheres of nursing management.
Nursing Practice
Nursing practice has to be safe and appropriate for both patients and nurses. Some hospitals establish their own rules and standards and introduce new perspectives in health care. There are also several important norms that cannot be neglected by hospitals and their leaders. For example, the authors of the IOM report admit the impact of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 on health experts and the system according to which patients receive care and cooperate with the medical staff, as well as the role of such federal programs as Medicare and Medicaid that predetermine the access of patients to care (Institute of Medicine, 2010). The scope of modern nursing practice includes a number of requirements and expectations. For example, nurses have to diagnose and define patients’ needs and responses to the existing problems and challenges. At the same time, nurses should teach health and provide life support care. Still, the Institute of Medicine (2010) identifies a number of cultural and organizational barriers and financial problems in nursing practice. Therefore, effective management of technological and organizational skills, communication, and evaluation should be developed.
To meet the goals of the IOM report, my nursing practice may be changed in several ways. First, intercultural communication of human needs is required. The exchange of cross-cultural experience and meetings with different people can promote a better understanding of human needs and expectations. Qualified nurses may investigate programs and introduce the options that are available to a hospital. Finally, it should never be forgotten that nursing is in constant transformation, and only lifelong learning is the solution to promote improvements.
Nursing Leadership
Effective nursing is characterized by strong leadership. However, it is hard for nurses to begin their careers as leaders. Therefore, the profession of a nurse leader is determined by the success of the healthcare system, the level of cooperation and communication between colleagues, and the contributions that have to be offered and are actually offered to nursing practice. According to the report developed by the Institute of Medicine (2010), leadership qualities can be properly developed in a collaborative environment only. Therefore, the impact of this report on the nurse’s role as a leader is high. Leaders should know how to guide people. However, giving orders and checking the quality of work are not the only tasks that should be followed. Leaders have to be good listeners and appropriate users of information. Leaders have to demonstrate their skills not in the hospital setting only, but stay qualified in communities, schools, and even political arenas. Such participation can identify strong and weak aspects of the American society.
Conclusion
In general, the Institute of Medicine creates strong guidelines for nurses at different levels. Nursing pathways may have multiple directions. Still, there is a root that cannot be neglected or misunderstood. Nurses have to be educated in order to demonstrate good results in their practice and achieve their goal that is to become helpful and remarkable leaders.
References
Institute of Medicine. (2010). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. Web.
Redman, R.W., Pressler, S.J., Furspan, P., & Potempa, K. (2015). Nursing in the United States with a practice doctorate: Implications for leading in the current context of health care. Nursing Outlook, 63(2), 124-129.
Salmond, S.W. & Echevarria, M. (2017). Healthcare transformation and changing roles for nursing. Orthopedic Nursing, 36(1), 12-25. Web.