Topic: Future Vision for Nursing based on Societal Changes & Changes in Technology
Order #: 31138654
Description: Preferred language style: English (U.S.)
Write a 2 page essay titled `Future Vision for Nursing based on Societal Changes & Changes in Technology`
Propose a vision for the future of the nursing profession by including a rationale that encompasses an analysis of the following factors:
1-the projected societal changes and challenges.
2-the projected worldwide changes in science and technology.
no references needed.
The nursing profession is continuously undergoing changes in association with the current improvements in technology and changes in social structure. It was considered a noble profession in the past, and its reputation is guaranteed in the future. However, nursing has to adopt certain changes to keep up with the demands and the needs of the society. Sometimes, it may be difficult and unacceptable to adapt to these changes. However, they are vitally required and should be included, at any cost. In the future, the nursing professionals have to play a greater role in providing information services to the patients. The advances in technology may help the nurses to cope up with the greater demands of society, if utilized, appropriately.
With the trends in globalization and information technology, the world is slowly becoming a smaller place. This has resulted in the spread of several diseases and infections, along with an alteration of the environment. Nursing may have to consider certain international aspects of healthcare. Populations living in cities, now contain diverse communities, from different parts of the world. Nurses will be required to obtain, interpret and supply information.
The nursing professionals should be able to apply the principles of management such as guidance and leadership in healthcare backgrounds containing population from diverse communities. Strategic planning can play a very important role in healthcare, but efforts should be on to make them static, as changes are constantly expected. They should be capable of understanding the various concepts of finance, and hence be capable of making an effort at lowering the costs of healthcare. People are giving more importance to holistic care, and specialty and super-specialty treatment. Nurses would have to maintain and improve delivery of healthcare, when such a situation exists.
Technology is advancing at a very fast rate, and it is beginning to have an impact on the delivery of healthcare services. Telemedicine is emerging as a separate branch of medicine. Specialists in one part of the world can provide guidance and expert advice to healthcare professionals in another part. Even surgeries can be performed by expert surgeons using sophisticated robotic machines and communicating devices. Nurses could also make great use of this technology, as nursing professionals requiring urgent help would be able to obtain it without any problems from experts.
Nurses could also use information technology to communicate with patients needing nursing care. Medical records can now be computerized and can be sent to any part of the globe. Besides, X-rays and other imaging reports can be stored and sent to other parts of the world, using computers. Patients or consumers are able to gather a lot of information on the internet about the diseases they are suffering from, and also able to know more about the various diagnostic interventions and treatment interventions available to them. Patients are demanding advanced forms of treatment and quality care. Nursing has to develop along with these technology changes and societal demands. Nursing as a part and parcel of the healthcare sector should be able to take up new roles. Appropriate techniques should be adopted by the nursing schools itself, so that future nurses are compliant with advanced technology and rising societal demands.
The society is becoming more and more aware of the benefits of holistic treatment, herbal medicine, spirituality, and complementary and alternative forms of medicine. The healthcare professionals should not consider these forms of medicine as a threat to modern medicine, but as supplementary modes of treatment. Nurses should have adequate knowledge of these systems of medicines, so that the patient could obtain a more holistic form of therapy.
Medicine has developed many relatively new issues such as end-of-life care, pain management, organ transplantation, etc. Besides this, ethical, legal and social issues are becoming more and more important in relation to delivery of healthcare. It would always be better if the nursing professionals are aware of these changes and so that they can contribute appropriately. The nursing professionals have to conduct appropriate research in all these fields so that changes are implemented only after obtaining strong evidence. It is only through development of research and theory that more knowledge can be added for practical application. Specialization in several nursing disciplines has really improved the quality of care. Special emphasis should be given to holistic nursing care.
The population of the world is growing at a very fast rate, and there is an increase in the life-span of humans. There would be a significant rise in the elderly population. Besides, there is also a rapid increase in incidences of chronic illnesses in this group. A sufficient amount of nurses would be required to provide nursing care to this group. However, at the moment there is a severe shortage of nurses, and efforts should be made to increase their numbers. Several biotechnological companies, pharmaceutical companies, information technology firms, educational institutions, etc, would also require the services of nurses, and this could further add to the demand.
In recent years, there has been an increase in disasters. Nurses need to be sufficiently trained in disaster management and provision after a natural or a manmade tragedy. Nurses should also be a part of the political process in order to be compliant with these threats.
Certainly, the future of the nursing professionals seems to be filled with a lot of challenges and opportunities. Nursing should be compliant with all current forms of technology, so that the present demands of the society can be met. Only through advanced planning could issues that would become more critical in the future, be sorted out.