Throughout the World, the healthcare system is changing. The world has been undergoing a revolution in the healthcare sector. The world has undergone several economic changes, and this has also affected the healthcare sector. In the last ten years, the face of healthcare has been changing. In certain areas, which did not have healthcare facilities, the access and availability to healthcare has been improved. On the other hand, in certain other areas, the access and availability of healthcare facilities have decreased.
The world has undergone a drastic change due to the use of high technology in the field of healthcare. Computers and information technology has changed the face of healthcare throughout the world. Besides, there has been a rise in the incidence of several new infections such as HIV/AIDS and SARS. Bio-terrorism has become a serious threat throughout the world and we are constantly faced with the threat of silent but dangerous bombs taking the lives of millions throughout the world. Nursing as an area of specialization is seriously affected with the new challenges that are developing in the modern world.
In this paper, we would be examining the more general issues that would be affecting nursing in the near future. In the hospital sector, the face of nursing is changing. Gone are the days when nurses were only concerned of providing assistance and care to the patient under the physician’s advice. Today’s modern age has proposed an even greater role of nurses in the hospital sector. The proposed provision of healthcare under ‘The healthcare team’, has changed the face of nursing. Nurses along with the physicians, specialists and other healthcare personnel would be providing efficient care to the patient.
Several new specialties have been developed in nursing, as also the specialties in medicine have been developed and advanced. As the hospitals are being considered vicariously liable for the actions of the physicians and the specialists, the organizations are placing an even greater emphasis on the healthcare team as a whole. Now the hospital would in turn hold the healthcare team including the physicians, specialists, nurses and other healthcare personnel responsible for providing patient care.
Hence, the nurses would be considered more responsible for their roles and would have to step up to ensure that the patient is satisfied with their health outcomes. Previously, nurses were providing care under the advice of the physician. They were responsible for assisting the physician. However, today a nurse would have to maintain greater interactions and communication with the patient. As patients are demanding specialized services, faster discharges, and better healthcare services, nurses would have to do more than just providing healthcare services.