The Future of Nursing in an Evolving Health Care System

The Future of Nursing in an Evolving Health Care System: IOM Future of Nursing Report
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The Future of Nursing in an Evolving Health Care System: IOM Future of Nursing Report
The health care system is in a constant state of change in areas ranging from technology to the delivery of patient care. This implies that the roles of healthcare professionals are also changing in tandem with these forces. Nurses form the single largest segment of the health care workforce and spend the greatest amount of time in the delivery of care services. Nurses, therefore, form an important group in the national workforce with valuable insights and unique skills to contribute as partners to the healthcare system. It is in this view that the role of nurses continues to evolve. Thus, there is a need to understand this evolution to ensure members are well-prepared to meet the dynamic needs of an increasingly diverse healthcare consumer. The Robert Wood Foundation Committee Initiative (RWJF) IMO report outlined several recommendations to ensure this preparation. The purpose of the current paper is to discuss the role of this report in advancing the role of nurses in the changing health system of modern times.
The Robert Wood Foundation Committee Initiative (IOM Report)
The RWJF report focused on the role of nurses in the face of increasing demand for affordable, accessible, inclusive, and quality care that is patient-centered and based on evidence (RWJF, 2011). The detailed nature of the report in capturing the position of nurses amidst these changes in health care enables it to serve as a blueprint in ensuring nurses practice to the full extent of their education & training, improvement of nursing education, developing leadership positions for nurses in the health sector, and improvement of data collection for workforce planning. These four areas outline the key messages of the report that underpin the recommendations. In terms of allowing nurses to practice to the full extent of their education & training, for instance, RWJF recommended the removal of scope-of-practice barriers. In terms of the development of leadership positions, the committee recommended the expansion of opportunities for nurses to lead and diffuse collaborative improvement efforts.
In the decade following the RWJF report recommendations, an array of changes has taken place in the nursing profession. In terms of educational development, for instance, Today, nurses can earn an Associate's, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master's of Science in Nursing, and even doctorate level degrees. Many of these programs are available in numerous accredited schools and are designed to accommodate the busy schedules of employed nurses. The changes have also seen nurses rise from ‘physicians’ handmaiden’ to trusted partners in the provision and transformation of healthcare (Azar, 2021); which calls for respect and investment in the nursing workforce.
By positioning nurses as partners in health care, the committee opened up the development of leadership positions for nurses. These leadership positions are responsible for advancing the needs...