“The Future of Nursing” indicates four primary problems with which nurses deal regularly and decelerate progress in the domain. The issues are the lack of partnership, incomprehensive education, state laws limiting the extent of nursing practice, and ineffective workforce planning (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010). They act as a barrier to delivering improved patient care and prevent nurses from assuming leadership roles in the process (first bullet point). The importance of the report lies in its call for considerable changes in the perception of nurses, their responsibilities, and education. It suggests modifications that serve to meet the growing need in care and advance the healthcare system (second bullet point).
The report not only outlines the problems but also demonstrates how to manage them. It can be viewed as a fundamental document for envisioning and effectuating the transformation of the nursing profession (third bullet point). Secondly, “The Future of Nursing” explores practical solutions for the stagnation period in the field. For instance, it is proposed to create transition-to-practice programs that would facilitate the adjustment period for young nurses and increase their retention rates (IOM, 2010). Overall, the set of recommendations presented in the report could function as a framework for the field (fourth bullet point).
Moreover, “The Future of Nursing” is seemingly intended to serve as guidelines for vital transformations in the nursing profession and the health care delivery system and explain their necessity. The report suggests a significant shift. Its implementation could change practice, leadership, and education in the domain (fifth bullet point). “The Future of Nursing” emphasizes the extent of nurses’ role in assuring quality and accessibility of health care. The nurses’ ability to act as agents of change and their leadership positions face a lack of progress, which the report addresses by proposing a more active collaboration between nurses and physicians. Thus, the recognition of nurses’ contribution to the healthcare system and communal well-being is propelled by the document (sixth bullet point).
Directed to individual federal decision-makers, government leaders of different categories, healthcare professionals, and the general public, the report attracts attention to emerging issues of the domain (seventh bullet point). Conclusively, on a day-to-day basis, nurses face significant challenges that obstruct the application of their knowledge and complicate providing high-quality care (diversity, leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration between nurses and physicians, et cetera). In this regard, “The Future of Nursing” acts as a manifesto for healthcare change-makers, highlighting present-day priorities. It demonstrates the importance of nurses’ role in a well-functioning and efficient healthcare system, reflects the present problems, and indicates the directions for further development (eighth bullet point).
“The Future of Nursing”:
- outlines problems that obstruct the development of nursing, such as limiting state laws, the lack of collaboration, and incompetent planning;
- serves as a call for a change in the profession, its practices, and its hierarchy;
- assists in envisioning and effectuating transformation of nursing;
- provides practical and overarching solutions for the outlined issues;
- acts as a set of guidelines for creating the future concept of the profession;
- crystallizes the importance of nurses and serves to elevate their role in the healthcare system;
- attracts attention from government leaders of various levels, policymakers, and the general public;
- functions as a blueprint for the developments in healthcare in general and nursing specifically.
Reference
Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. (2010). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health [PDF document]. Web.