Introduction
“The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health” is a seminal report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) outlining the trajectory of nursing practice, education, and workforce development. This 2021 publication underscores nurses’ pivotal role in promoting health equity. It highlights the imperative for nursing professionals to address disparities in access to treatment, resources, and autonomy to support health equity.
The report highlights the work done by NASEM and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The latter “sponsored this study to explore the important contributions of nursing to addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) and health equity in the United States” (Wakefield et al., 2021, p. xiii). In other words, it wanted to properly analyze the core SDOH factors and how they enable equity in the US.
Nursing Trends and Initiatives Described in the Report
The nursing workforce is witnessing trends: increased demand for leadership and advanced practice roles, as well as efforts for diversification. As a result, nurses are recognized as pivotal change agents in patient care and policy advocacy (NASEM, 2021). Education is becoming more experiential, with a focus on developing students’ skills to reduce health inequities. The nurses’ role is to promote better well-being and health by serving as a bridge between organizations, communities, and people.
State-based action coalitions’ role is to remove the existing legal and practice restrictions placed on nurses. For example, “27 states still do not allow full practice authority for nurse practitioners” (NASEM, 2021, p. 2). They advance the goals of the National Academy of Sciences report by engaging educators, legislators, and community leaders to implement objectives, such as supporting workforce development and policy reform. In essence, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) need greater freedom to exercise full practice authority.
The North Carolina Action Coalition (NCAC) spearheads innovative mentoring programs and instructional approaches, in collaboration with key stakeholders, to support the development of nursing professionals. The first major initiative is related to the Campaign for Action Nursing Innovations Fund (CANIF) award, which helps nurses to properly address health inequities in the state (Campaign for Action, 2024). The second is the Master Aging Plan (MAP), which focuses on improving outcomes for older adults (Campaign for Action, 2024). They advance the nursing profession by expanding the reach and range of responsibilities and practice areas. If nurses are to address systemic health inequities, they need greater capacity to influence public and community health.
Despite the initiatives, North Carolina still grapples with workforce shortages, especially in rural areas, and unequal healthcare access for urban and rural residents. For example, “by 2033, North Carolina faces an estimated shortage of nearly 12,500 registered nurses” (Lynn, 2022, para. 1). Hence, the lack of nurses is a major barrier to advancement in the state.
In addition, similar to 27 other states, there are legal barriers to how freely nurses can engage in health promotion practice. They are being overcome by advocating for legislative changes primarily (NASEM, 2021). The students are attracted to improving education through holistic diversity measures and improved payment models in the profession.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the “The Future of Nursing” report and state-based action coalitions are pivotal in shaping nursing practice, education, and workforce development. Nurses lead transformative change to improve wellness care outcomes and advance health equity by removing obstacles, promoting teamwork, and advocating for equitable policies. The advancement of a more efficient and inclusive healthcare system is guaranteed by its leadership. Collectively, they represent the pinnacle of healthcare quality and social welfare, paving the way for enhanced nursing standards and greater patient care.
References
Campaign for Action. (2024). North Carolina Action Coalition.
Lynn, M. (2022). North Carolina’s nursing shortage: A looming crisis. Carolina Nursing.
NASEM. (2021). The future of nursing 2020–2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity.
Wakefield, M. K., Williams, D. R., Le Menestrel, S., & Flaubert, J. L. (2021). The future of nursing 2020–2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. The National Academies Press.