The nursing sector has undergone major changes in the preparation for the future, which will involve increased demands, complex healthcare needs, and changes in the healthcare systems (Institute of Medicine, 2010). For the healthcare sector to be ready for these changes, the IOM report recommended various strategies to prepare all those involved in the provision of healthcare services adequately (Institute of Medicine, 2010). This included the major workforce behind the provision of healthcare services who are the nurses.
The IOM report addressed different perspectives relating to nurses, which include their education, their practice in primary care, and their roles as leaders in the healthcare industry (Institute of Medicine, 2010). Impact of the IOM Report on Nursing Education Nursing education is aimed to equip the nurses with the required knowledge to carry out healthcare functions and provide healthcare services efficiently (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017). Nurses directly relate to patients and so it is necessary to equip them adequately to provide effective healthcare, which is the main goal of healthcare institutions (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017). A nursing workforce, which is properly trained and educated, will also positively impact their performance at work.
This means that the nurses will be able to educate patients and relatives to patients on better health strategies, which will impact the overall health status of the community (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017). The healthcare needs are also changing and becoming more complex which the outdated systems are having a difficult time in addressing. With improved education involving the most current technology and strategies, which are more improved than the earlier methods, the healthcare goals will be easily achieved (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017). Some of the nursing practices are becoming obsolete. However, better and improved practices have replaced the old practices, which the nurses should be educated on to improve their delivery of healthcare services (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017).
Majority of the nurses currently graduating with advanced degrees from the universities are easily adapting to the complex healthcare systems and are able to address the changing and diverse healthcare needs. Advanced education also leads to the nurses performing more duties and responsibilities, which will positively impact the healthcare sector (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017). Impact of the IOM Report on Nursing Practice on Primary Care The nursing practice contributes a large percentage of the total healthcare functions. The nursing practice requires important skills to enable performance of all the required duties with the IOM report having recommendations on strategies that can be implemented to improve the nursing practice on primary care (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2013).
One of the recommendations is allowing advanced nurses to practice to the full extent based on what they have been trained for (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2013). Currently, there are healthcare policies, which regulate the functions of advanced practice registered nurses where in some circumstances, there should be close supervision by the physicians. This is discouraging to the nurses who have the knowledge to administer healthcare services yet based on a policy that cannot be done (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2013). With strategies that allow the advanced practice registered nurses to practice to the full extent of their education and training, this will reduce the physician’s responsibility as responsibilities would be devolved to the nurses (Goudreau ; Smolenski, 2013). This will also lead to increased quality and access of healthcare services since physicians will have few responsibilities due to the devolvement and sharing of responsibilities with the nurses, which will increase positive patient outcomes.
With the focus on the patients, nurses will be able to concentrate on their full responsibilities and performance, which will have positive outcomes in the achievement of health care goals (Goudreau ; Smolenski, 2013). Impact of the IOM Report on Nursing Role as a Leader Nurses have the roles and responsibilities of ensuring that health care policies and strategies are implemented as they bridge the gap between the management and the patients (Friberg ; Creasia, 2016). Nurses can take the responsibilities of being leaders in the departments that they serve. Due to the large composition of nurses in healthcare facilities, taking leadership roles will benefit healthcare organizations in achieving the set goals and objectives (Friberg ; Creasia, 2016). With recommendations to remove barriers to nurses, nurses can be confident in taking leadership roles and participate in the decision-making process (Friberg ; Creasia, 2016). With leadership programs aimed at utilizing nurses’ capacity to lead change, this will provide opportunities to the nurses in the creation of innovative opportunities (Friberg & Creasia, 2016).
With the nurses being able to participate in the decision-making process, innovation opportunities can be discovered which will benefit the healthcare sector in achieving set goals and objectives (Friberg & Creasia, 2016). This will also encourage professional growth of nurses, which will benefit the provision of healthcare services. Nurses have been empowered to lead positive healthcare initiatives, which will enable provision of cost-effective healthcare to all citizens of the United States (Friberg & Creasia, 2016). Changing Your Practice to Meet the Goals of the IOM Report A nurse can change his/her practice to meet the goals of the IOM report by taking leadership roles and responsibilities which empower the nurses and improve their performance which will impact the achievement of the IOM recommendations (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2013).
Nurses can practice leadership roles by being patient advocates and leading change for better health policies, which would positively impact the healthcare service delivery. This will also give the nurses opportunities to participate in the decision-making process, which involves changing some policies, which might be negatively affecting their performance as nurses (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2013). Since nurses act as bridges between the patients and the management, they are better placed to understand any challenges in the delivery of healthcare services and are better informed on the steps to take to ensure that change is implemented (Friberg & Creasia, 2016). A nurse can also increase awareness of the benefits of collaborative teamwork. Working as partners will help in the implementation of recommendations as the delivery of healthcare is a system composed of different elements and departments, which must collaborate to ensure mutual benefits (Friberg & Creasia, 2016).
This will also improve patient outcomes, minimize medical errors, and increase employee satisfaction, which is also important to the staff members in discharging their duties (Friberg & Creasia, 2016). The National Academies Press. Name Institution Instructor Course Date Professional Development of Nursing Professionals Impact of the IOM Report on the Future of Nursing The nursing sector has undergone major changes in the preparation for the future, which will involve increased demands, complex healthcare needs, and changes in the healthcare systems (Institute of Medicine, 2010). For the healthcare sector to be ready for these changes, the IOM report recommended various strategies to prepare all those involved in the provision of healthcare services adequately (Institute of Medicine, 2010). This included the major workforce behind the provision of healthcare services who are the nurses. The IOM report addressed different perspectives relating to nurses, which include their education, their practice in primary care, and their roles as leaders in the healthcare industry (Institute of Medicine, 2010). Impact of the IOM Report on Nursing Education Nursing education is aimed to equip the nurses with the required knowledge to carry out healthcare functions and provide healthcare services efficiently (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017).
Nurses directly relate to patients and so it is necessary to equip them adequately to provide effective healthcare, which is the main goal of healthcare institutions (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017). A nursing workforce, which is properly trained and educated, will also positively impact their performance at work. This means that the nurses will be able to educate patients and relatives to patients on better health strategies, which will impact the overall health status of the community (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017). The healthcare needs are also changing and becoming more complex which the outdated systems are having a difficult time in addressing.
With improved education involving the most current technology and strategies, which are more improved than the earlier methods, the healthcare goals will be easily achieved (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017). Some of the nursing practices are becoming obsolete. However, better and improved practices have replaced the old practices, which the nurses should be educated on to improve their delivery of healthcare services (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017). Majority of the nurses currently graduating with advanced degrees from the universities are easily adapting to the complex healthcare systems and are able to address the changing and diverse healthcare needs. Advanced education also leads to the nurses performing more duties and responsibilities, which will positively impact the healthcare sector (Finkelman & American Nurses Association, 2017). Impact of the IOM Report on Nursing Practice on Primary Care The nursing practice contributes a large percentage of the total healthcare functions.
The nursing practice requires important skills to enable performance of all the required duties with the IOM report having recommendations on strategies that can be implemented to improve the nursing practice on primary care (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2013). One of the recommendations is allowing advanced nurses to practice to the full extent based on what they have been trained for (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2013). Currently, there are healthcare policies, which regulate the functions of advanced practice registered nurses where in some circumstances, there should be close supervision by the physicians. This is discouraging to the nurses who have the knowledge to administer healthcare services yet based on a policy that cannot be done (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2013). With strategies that allow the advanced practice registered nurses to practice to the full extent of their education and training, this will reduce the physician’s responsibility as responsibilities would be devolved to the nurses (Goudreau ; Smolenski, 2013).
This will also lead to increased quality and access of healthcare services since physicians will have few responsibilities due to the devolvement and sharing of responsibilities with the nurses, which will increase positive patient outcomes. With the focus on the patients, nurses will be able to concentrate on their full responsibilities and performance, which will have positive outcomes in the achievement of health care goals (Goudreau ; Smolenski, 2013). Impact of the IOM Report on Nursing Role as a Leader Nurses have the roles and responsibilities of ensuring that health care policies and strategies are implemented as they bridge the gap between the management and the patients (Friberg ; Creasia, 2016). Nurses can take the responsibilities of being leaders in the departments that they serve.
Due to the large composition of nurses in healthcare facilities, taking leadership roles will benefit healthcare organizations in achieving the set goals and objectives (Friberg ; Creasia, 2016). With recommendations to remove barriers to nurses, nurses can be confident in taking leadership roles and participate in the decision-making process (Friberg ; Creasia, 2016). With leadership programs aimed at utilizing nurses’ capacity to lead change, this will provide opportunities to the nurses in the creation of innovative opportunities (Friberg & Creasia, 2016). With the nurses being able to participate in the decision-making process, innovation opportunities can be discovered which will benefit the healthcare sector in achieving set goals and objectives (Friberg & Creasia, 2016). This will also encourage professional growth of nurses, which will benefit the provision of healthcare services. Nurses have been empowered to lead positive healthcare initiatives, which will enable provision of cost-effective healthcare to all citizens of the United States (Friberg & Creasia, 2016).
Changing Your Practice to Meet the Goals of the IOM Report A nurse can change his/her practice to meet the goals of the IOM report by taking leadership roles and responsibilities which empower the nurses and improve their performance which will impact the achievement of the IOM recommendations (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2013). Nurses can practice leadership roles by being patient advocates and leading change for better health policies, which would positively impact the healthcare service delivery. This will also give the nurses opportunities to participate in the decision-making process, which involves changing some policies, which might be negatively affecting their performance as nurses (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2013). Since nurses act as bridges between the patients and the management, they are better placed to understand any challenges in the delivery of healthcare services and are better informed on the steps to take to ensure that change is implemented (Friberg & Creasia, 2016). A nurse can also increase awareness of the benefits of collaborative teamwork. Working as partners will help in the implementation of recommendations as the delivery of healthcare is a system composed of different elements and departments, which must collaborate to ensure mutual benefits (Friberg & Creasia, 2016).
This will also improve patient outcomes, minimize medical errors, and increase employee satisfaction, which is also important to the staff members in discharging their duties (Friberg & Creasia, 2016).
References
Finkelman, A. W., & American Nurses Association. (2017).
Teaching IOM/HMD: Implications of the Institute of Medicine and Health & Medicine Division reports for nursing education. Silver, Md: American Nurses Association. Friberg, E. E., & Creasia, J. L.
(2016). Conceptual foundations: The bridge to professional nursing practice. Maryland Heights, Missouri: Elsevier/Mosby. Goudreau, K. A., & Smolenski, M. C.
(2013). Health policy and advanced practice nursing: Impact and implications. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC. Institute of Medicine (2010). Future of Nursing: Leading change, advancing health.
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
