Identify and discuss one (1) example of the impact the Future of Nursing report has had on the Advanced Practice Nurse role – Clinician, Educator, Researcher, Administrator, Entrepreneur, Consultant, or Leader

Despite the U.S. being one of the top leading countries in science technology and innovation in most aspects imaginable, one can wonder why, particularly our health care delivery system is not at par to this reputation. Our health care system is in need of help in re-organization, improvements and approach to battle multiple disparities that our community is currently experiencing.

This was put into focus, hence, the campaign of the IOM 2010 Report – The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advance Health was put in play. They saw the need to focus and discuss possible solutions and reform to address health complexities and concerns lingering in our great nation. The ultimate goal is to provide safe, high quality care and effective services to our people.

Since nurses are considered to be the backbone of our health care system, we play an important role in making an impact to these drive of change and improvement. One example of the Future of Nursing report’s impact on the Advanced Practice Nurse role is the need to transform education. According to the report, “Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression” (Institute of Medicine, 2011).

One key element on the call for reformation is to ensure nurses attain high quality education through improved education system that ultimately results for future nurses to provide safe and quality care to patients they cater. Despite the projection is slow, desirable increase of nurses with higher school degree was noted in comparison since when the report was published that recommends 80% of RNs have a bachelor’s degree or higher by 2020. (Spetz, 2018). This is because based from statistics that nurses with higher education have provides higher quality of care and produce better patient outcomes compared to entry level nurses.

However, barriers still exists. One noted reason of the slow progression in the past that hinders a nurse who holds an associate’s degree in nursing and finishing BSN or higher is financial challenges. Fortunately, our leaders and committed nurses work tirelessly to address the issue. Currently more school’s clinical partners are now able put the student’s financial challenges into consideration and allow working students to have more flexibilities for school hours.

Furthermore, according to one article, “California plans to launch the state’s first concurrent enrollment system, which will allow students to be concurrently enrolled at Riverside Community College and either California State University Fullerton or CSU San Bernardino. This new system allows students to receive financial aid from both institutions while completing the program” (Stringer, 2019).

This is a huge lift from the financial burden of an aspiring RN who is advancing their education by attaining more knowledge and skills while trying to make ends meet. With the improving education delivery system impacted by the report, nurses are now more prepared and developed in providing higher quality of care, proactively promoting health equity and bridging the gaps on health disparities.

References

Institute of Medicine. 2011. The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12956

Spetz, J. 2018. Projections of progress toward the 80% Bachelor of Science in Nursing recommendation and strategies to accelerate change. https://nepincollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Spetz-2018-BSN-80-percent-forecast.pdf

Stringer, H. (2019, July 1). IOM Future of Nursing report card: Progress after 10 years. https://www.nurse.com/blog/iom-future-of-nursing-report-card-progress-after-10-years/