The Impact of The Institute of Medicine Report on Nursing Education and Practice

In October 2010 the Institute of Medicine(IOM) released a statement on the future of nursing which detailed the needs for the evolution of nursing profession in preparation for impacts and transformations brought by healthcare reforms (Institute of Medicine (US) Committee, 2011). The report elaborates the importance of the nurses’ responsibilities education as well as their physical roles. It’s projected that there about 3 million nurses which equate to the single most significant sector of the healthcare workforce (Garner, 2011). In most of the cases, nurses also devote a lot of time in offering services in patient care as a profession. In this research paper the discussion will focus on the impacts of the IOM report on nursing education and how it influences the practice, especially in primary care. It aims to change to meet the goals of IOM and the role of the nurse as a leader.

The Impact of (IOM) Report on Nursing Education

Nurses should aim to achieve higher levels of education which accompanied with training through an upgraded education structure that encourages seamless academic progression. The system should allow them to concentrate on offering healthcare and allocate some time where training takes place after shifts. For significant changes to occur in the healthcare system, essential elements will mainly involve the education reforms in nursing where the nurses receive quality and constant adequate training. It is a mandatory need for practicing healthcare professionals to obtain accreditation, licensing and certification from the relevant government agencies. Healthcare licenses in the US require proper understanding of the practice hence the improved scheme should allow nursing education at all levels (Garner, 2011). The mastery of core skills and competencies in nursing is essential and compliments the concepts learned from the degree programs as well as the written board of exams. It needs to offer enhanced insight into the experiences in the quality improvement methods the nurses will use.

Education helps the nurses to understand concepts like care management during its administration and get the systems-level change management skills acquired in the process. Re-conceptualized practices offered by nurses in a transformed health care system will improve the quality of services and solidify the primary objectives of the practice (National Academy of Sciences, 2011). Nurses are required to be ready to meet different needs presented by patients an also are called to serve as leaders and advance science that is advantageous to the patients and the ability of health professionals to deliver safe and quality patient care. Simultaneously, nursing education requires a transformation in various ways in preparation for nursing graduates to perform job tasks collaboratively as well as efficiently with other professionals in the field. Moreover, they need to work together in a complex environment of the evolving health care system.

The Impact of IOM Report on Nursing Practice and Caregiving

The committee which came up with the IOM report forged four central messages that made the foundation for the discussions and recommendations as documented within it (Institute of Medicine (US) Committee, 2011). The primary focus was on the practice of the nurses where three of the objectives related to the subject. For example, the nurses should exercise their skills to the full magnitude of their education and preparation. Secondly, nurses should acquire high levels of training and through an improved system. Lastly, they should collaborate with physicians in addition to other health professionals in remodeling healthcare in the United States. The IOM report recommendations were not aimed at the substitution of any practitioner but instead suggest that nurses, especially in APRN’s, should work together with physicians to offer healthcare services (Garner, 2011). In primary care, the nurses should understand that the amount of potential in the sector requires a constant update in practice and can lead innovative approaches to advance the health care system.

The Impact of the IOM Report on Nurse’s Roles as Leader

Historically the perception offered of nursing made them be viewed as the workers delegated by physicians to carry out tasks and not as strategic thinkers who act independently. However, nurses are now considered as both administrators and policymakers (National Academy of Sciences, 2011). As stated in the IOM report, all healthcare providers perform progressively inter-dependent roles. For changes to be implemented the presence of strong and active leadership is essential and gets critical since it expects quality traits that reflect the vision of future nursing. In the US, nurses are encouraged to assume the leadership roles and work with the physicians to implement faster changes in the healthcare scheme.

The nursing career should be accountable for their contributions in providing high-quality primary care in addition to working collaboratively with other leaders from different sectors in the health profession (National Academy of Sciences, 2011). Furthermore, nurses will require leadership skills and capabilities to transform new studies outcomes and influence the job setting as well as the quality nursing techniques acquired through nursing education.

References

Garner, C. (2011, Jan 10). IOM Advocates for Higher Levels of Nursing Education. Retrieved from The Sentinel Watch: https://www.americansentinel.edu/blog/2011/01/10/iom-advocates-higher-nursing-education/

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee. (2011, July 11). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Retrieved from US National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24983041

National Academy of Sciences. (2011, July 17). Transforming Leadership. Retrieved from NCBI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209867/