Impact on Nursing of the 2010 IOM Report on the Future of Nursing

Introduction

Nursing is one of the popular and most versatile professions in the health sector. The nurses are better known for the care services they offer to patients. Transformation of the nursing profession is vital for better health care services. The current paper examines how the 2010 Institute of Medicine Report (IOM) on the future of nursing impacts on nursing education, practice in primary care and leadership. The paper also presents how I would change my practice to meet the goals of the IOM report.

Impact of the IOM Report on Practice, Particularly in Primary Care

The Institute of Medicine report has a direct impact on nursing practice. The report champions for better methodology and process in the whole nursing practice which is a great benefit to the patients and the general public (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & Institute of Medicine, 2011). The nursing profession is likely to adopt more technological advancement in caregiving. For instance, an automated order entry system could be adopted to perform activities such as drug prescription. The machine could also assist in establishing the right dosage for patients.

Expansion of scope of practice for nurse practitioners is a likely impact from the IOM report. The document shows that a majority of the nurses believe that with the expansion of their scope, the access to primary health care would be improved (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & Institute of Medicine, 2011). With an increase in scope, the load of work for nurses is likely to rise since the demand for qualified nursing is higher than the available human resources. The number of patients continually increases as people get sick daily. The geriatrics who need care also increases significantly hence widening the workload for nurses.

The report could lead to an increased ethnic and racial diversity in caregiving. The nursing workforce is likely to grow more diverse to meet the needs of providing care to people from different cultures. Embracing diversity enables nurses to develop their abilities to communicate and interact with patients (Andrulis, Siddiqui, PURTLE, & Duchon, 2010). The number of nurses from underrepresented ethnic groups is likely to increase, leading to improved equality and access to health services for all citizens from different demographic positions.

Impact of the IOM Report on Nursing Education

The IOM 2010 report advocates for positive transformation of nursing education (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & Institute of Medicine, 2011). There would be an improved education system for the nurses. There could be more nurses enrolling for the baccalaureate degree which is more preferred than the diploma or the associate degree. The registered nurses without the baccalaureate degree are likely to enroll for further training to progress in their professional studies. The researchers at the doctorate level would also increase purposely to establish a stronger nursing faculty.

The report could lead to the updating of the current nursing curriculum. An updated curriculum could lead to improved skills in understanding health programs and how to work efficiently with healthcare teams (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & Institute of Medicine, 2011). Enacting of the newly discovered scientific information and developed policies into the curriculum could assist in producing all-rounded professionals.

Impact of the IOM Report on Nursing Role as a Leader

Leadership is a vital element in achieving the vision of the health care system (Moiden, 2002). The report advocates for strong leadership to help in the transformation of the Healthcare system. The report will provide a positive influence on nursing leadership. Every nurse will have to be a leader in their capacities. The nurses would be the leaders in ensuring the achievement of transformation in the health sector. The process of designing reforms, implementing programs and finally evaluating methods will be lead by nurses.

Nurses will be required to adopt partnership with other health practitioners. The nurses shall also work with other stakeholders such as the public and private organizations hence assist in the developing and improvement of the health sector (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & Institute of Medicine, 2011). The nurses will fully participate in the development of nursing policies rather than just being implementers of what has been developed by others. Mutual working relationship and professional respect will be the result of coming together of the different health professionals with the aim of achieving a similar goal of better health care.

The decision-making process is critically significant in the success of health professionals. The nurses will take the lead in providing the relevant input in the decision-making process for better health care. The involvement of nurses in the advisory committees and commissions shall further indicate their leadership. For instance, the nurses will lead in the various research findings and in relating the results from such discoveries into real policy and practical work. The report empowers the nurses to be active participants in the boards that make vital decisions regarding the general health sector. The nursing, though perceived as a female-dominated profession, shall be more of a strategist profession than an implementer of actions.

Changing my Practice to Meet the Goals of the IOM Report

Change in current practices is necessary to meet the goals of the IOM report. I would ensure that I read and understand the proposals and integrate them into my daily practice. I would be more flexible and adaptable to change for better health care. I will seek counsel from the senior doctors to help me receive better guidance on how to adopt the report findings. Achieving the desired goals from the report would require teamwork. I would work in collaboration with my fellow nurses to share experiences and insights about the report. I would discard outdated policies and embrace the new updated ones as presented by the report. Attending more seminars and training on the benefits and implementation of the report would significantly help me to make the relevant change in practice.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the report is likely to have a positive impact on the nursing profession. There would be advancing in practice, leadership, and the education of nursing professionals. Even though some individuals may not entirely agree with the proposals from the IOM report, they are beneficial to the nurses and the general public hence necessary steps should be taken to implement them.