Reflection Paper: The Future of Nursing

Reflection Paper: Future of Nursing
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Reflection Paper: Future of Nursing
The purpose of this paper is to examine the value of nursing education and delineate my overall educational objectives. This paper evaluates the job options available for a nurse with an associate degree in nursing, the IOM recommendations for achieving higher levels of education, the relationship of continuing nursing education to competency, attitudes, knowledge, and the ana scope and standards for practice and code of ethics, and whether continuing nursing education should be made compulsory.
Job Options for a Nurse with an Associate Degree in Nursing
Nursing is an area that offers opportunities to practice within many distinct specialties and populations. Depending on one’s intended career path, an individual could work in community settings as a patient coordinator, with children as a pediatric nurse, or within the private sector as an oncology nurse, among other fields. An Associates Degree in Nursing (AND) is typically completed within two years and qualifies the nurse to take the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN) to practice as a registered nurse (RN). AND roles include diagnosis, patient assessment, treatment, offering health training, caring for patients within admission wards, handling medical equipment, and partnering with other medical professionals within care delivery. Therefore, ADNs can secure jobs in any context that offers any of the above-delineated services. Based on my educational level, I can work in various areas within diverse healthcare settings, including home care nurse, patient coordinator, care coordinator, pediatric nurse, clinical nurse liaison, clinical research associate, oncology RN, an emergency room RN, and infection “preventionist” (Indeed Editorial Team, 2021). This implies that an AND works in diverse healthcare contexts and the community.
The IOM Recommendations for Achieving Higher Levels of Education
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Future of Nursing Recommendations for attaining higher educational levels suggests that practicing nurses attain a higher educational level via an enhanced learning structure that enhances continuous academic advancement. In that vein, there is the need to expand nurses’ opportunities to diffuse and steer collaborative development efforts. As an ADN, I need to pursue advanced degrees and professional certifications to attain the IOM recommendation on educational levels for professional nurses.
I am currently working on a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). After graduating with a BSN, I plan to advance my certification and education. Given my great interest in working as a pediatric nurse, I would pursue a certified pediatric nurse (CPN) credential immediately after completing my BSN. I have a natural rapport with children. In order to obtain the CPN accreditation, I must have at least 1,800 hours of pediatric clinical practice completed within the previous two years before sitting for the NCLEX-RN test or have a five-year experience or more working as a registered nurse within pediatrics as well as 3,000 hours within pediatric nursing, and a minimum of 1,000 hours within the past two years (Every...