IOM Future of Nursing Report
There are several changes occurring in the nation’s healthcare organization due to the constant increasing demands in our nation. There are over three million members in the nursing profession and with that being said, nursing is the greatest component in our nation’s health care workforce. Nurses play an extremely crucial part in patient care because they have the most direct contact with patients. In order to effectively respond to the expeditiously modifying health care settings in the advancing health care organization, nurses must be able to overcome certain barriers. By overcoming these barriers, nurses will be better prepared to promote health and enhance the nature of health care provided to the patients.
The collaboration between the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWFJ) is a program with a duration period of two years and was put in motion in order to create the transformation needed in the field of nursing. This paper discusses the report on IOM’s ‘Future of Nursing,’ and discusses several other aspects such as the relevance of the IOM report in relation to the workforce of nurses, the intent of the Future of Nursing Campaign for Action, and identifies the principle for state-based action coalitions. This paper will also discuss the action coalition of a particular state, along with the state’s two initiatives. The IOM Report
As mentioned above, there are over three million members within the nursing community, thus making the nursing profession the biggest division in the nation’s healthcare workforce. Nurses play a crucial part in setting the 2010 Affordable Care Act. This act provides Americans the quality and affordable healthcare despite their pre-existing health conditions. (Heathcarereform.org) With the Affordable Care Act, over 32 million more Americans have the sufficient health care insurance coverage that will cover their medical needs. In 2008, The Robert Wood Johnson foundation (RWJF) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) collaborated as one in order to launch a two year initiative program in responses to a transformation needed in the field of nursing. The IOM wanted the involvement of RWJF committee to make recommendations similar to a blue print model in order to improve the prospective of nursing.
Four recommendations were included in the report entitled the Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. One of the four key messages include that nurses are given the rights to practice their scope of practice to the full extent of their training and education. Education plays a major role in society and nurses should aim to achiever advanced levels of education in order to keep up with the constant changes in science and technology. Nurses must also understand that as a health care professional, it is critical to learn how to work well with other health professionals such as physicians. Last, but not least, it is essential to have a better collection of data as well as an improved information framework in order to promote an effective policy making and workforce planning. (IOM, 2010) By succeeding in the improvements and recommendations presented in this report, health care organization can afford a reduced cost as well as an increased accessibility in patient care, allowing almost every individual to have an improved health. (IOM, 2010)
The IOM Report and Nursing Work force
Nurses, as mentioned before are the largest component of the healthcare system. With that being said, nurses also work at an extreme proximity to patients and are capable of providing objectives set forth in 2010 Affordable Care Act. Donna E. Shalala talks about nursing being the most important component of the professional staff. Donna E. Shalala is the chair of the Robert Wood Johnsons Foundation committee. This committee joined together with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) as a partnership in order to create a two-year initiative in order to improve the future of nursing. Donna E. Shalala is not only the chair of this committee, but she was also the former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Donna E. Shalala explains how nurses are the forefront for designing new healthcare organization because they are the most experienced when it comes to direct patient care.
In a video, Donna discusses how nurses should step up and improve the health care system in our country by receiving higher education, taking appropriate leadership roles and responsibilities. To summarize, nurses are central to the idea that the quality of health will improve. Nurses work in several different settings such as hospitals, schools, nursing homes, extended care facilities, public and community health centers. With the key messages the committee created, recommendations were also made as well. Some recommendations include removing certain barriers for scope of practice.
For example, APRNs should have the legitimate right to practice to the fullest extent of their education and training and the state the individual lives in should not affect their scope of practice. Other recommendations include allowing nurses to collaborate more efficiently and more often with health professionals such as doctors, as well as being able to implement nursing residency programs. Education is massive for nursing recommendations and it is recommended that an increasing percentage of BSN nurses to 80% and doctorate level nursing is 50% higher by the year 2020. A nurse should understand that in his/her field, lifetime learning is required in order to keep up with the advances in science and technology. (IOM, 2010) The last and final recommendation is to build an infrastructure for the collection and analysis of interprofessional healthcare workforce data.
The Campaign for Action
The Campaign for Action is a widespread initiative occurring throughout the nation that has been coordinated through the Center to Champion Nursing in America (CCNA). CCNA is an initiative done through the AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundations that was created in the year 2010. The campaign has mobilized diverse stakeholders and appoints to the various obstacles that the nation may face in healthcare such as accessibility, reduced cost, and the overall quality of the care patients receive. (campaignforaction.org) The campaign’s mission is to improve the IOM report implementation. This campaign’s primary vision to provide quality care that can be accessed by all Americans, and this can only be accomplished with the full contribution of nurses.
State based action coalitions
Stipends are required from employers in order to have more nurses go back to school in order to receive a higher education. Along with stipends, tuitions and scholarships from the federal and state government are also necessary. Most nurses would prefer if they can continue their education without the necessity of quitting a current job and this is done via cohort programs that work together with hospitals and universities (Horning, 2011) A state’s regulation, plans of implementation, and passion differ from another state’s.
Action coalitions are considered the driving motivation of the future of nursing’s campaign for action. Action coalition is made in order to create a long-term change within a local, state, or even a regional level. Action Coalitions will determine the level of research needs, as well as capture best practices. Along with the combined help from the Center to Champion Nursing in America (CCNA) and RWJF, Action Coalitions is certainly expanding regional goals based off of the IOM recommendations.
California Action Coalition and Initiatives
The California Action Coalition’s major goal and mission is to advance nurses’ service as well as their leadership in the state of California. Nurses advancing to the next level will set the pathway of an overall advancement in health for the state. Sustainable changes are being made in order to improve healthcare. Each state varies based on the recommendations of their IOM report. California envisions a healthy state through the contribution of nursing leadership and service. The state has implemented eight recommendations in order to reach a goal and has already established work force. Similar to the nation’s recommendations, California desires to remove the scope of practice barriers, allowing health care professionals to work based on their education and training levels and not based on the state they live in.
California also believes that by the year 2020, there should be an increase of up to 80% of nurses with baccalaureate degrees, with the bare minimum education level being at a B.S.N. (caactioncoalition.org) Nurses that have a doctorate should double by the year of 2020 according to the recommendations of the California Action Coalition Report. By obtaining a higher-level education, it will ensure that nurses will also engage in life-long learning due to the advances in science and technology. Other nursing recommendations include the implementation of nurse residency programs in which at least 5% of California hospitals and three health care associations with transition to practice. In addition to the many recommendations listed above, the expansion of current new graduate programs including a more community-based prospect will increase the progress for the state of California.
Conclusion
Nurses play a crucial part and without the contribution of nurses, the advances made and plan to be made in the healthcare system are impossible. With the help of the state, the federal government, and of course the healthcare professionals, particularly the nurses, the nation will definitely advance in its rapid changes in healthcare reform.
References
- Federal Healthcare reform in New York State, retrieved from, http://www.healthcarereform. ny.gov/
- Future of nursing, Campaign for action, retrieved from http://campaignforaction.org/
- Horning, J. J., (2011), the future of Nursing: A blueprint for improving Health and Health care for all Americans, retrieved from http://www.hwic.org/news/may11/hassmiller.php
- Institute of Medicine (IOM), (2010), Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, retrieved from http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing/Future%20of%20Nursing%202010%20Report%20Brief.pdf