Nursing as a profession is transforming worldwide. Healthcare as a sector is facing unprecedented challenges from different fields and the issue of finding the right
nursing professionals for patient care is definitely one of them. The fact that
nurses have to face several professional challenges on a regular basis has caught the attention of several administrators, researchers, publishers among others, that has led to voluminous work being done on the future of nursing. In this article to will try to identify some of the noticeable trends in nursing that will make an impact on the future of
nurses.
The Future of Nurses & Nursing Profession
- No longer a gender specific profession: Research shows that there has been a steady increase in the number of males that have chosen nursing as their career. Way back in the 1970s when nursing was considered primarily a feminine profession, only 2.7% of all nurses in the United States were male. The number has since then trebled with strong indications that the number is going to increase further in the forthcoming years! (US Census Bureau, 2011)
- Making Qualifications mandatory: Yes, gone are the days when all you needed was will power, determination and the urge to serve others that would make you into a professional nurse. Contemporary nurses are literates and come with appropriate qualifications. There are several colleges and universities that offer bachelors, residency and doctoral degrees on nursing. There are also certifications available like the Advanced Practice Nurse Certification that allows nurses to perform specific care based on the state’s regulations. Certain specialties, like Registered Nurse (RN) for instance, require mandatory certificates. The idea is to increase by 2020 the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80%!
- Improving working conditions to deal with Shortage: It is a fact that over the years there has been underinvestment in healthcare workers like nurses. They receive low compensation for their services and are often working in difficult environments and dealing with unhappy patients and their families. According to the WHO it is estimated that there will be a shortage of 4.3 million nurses and physicians across the globe in the forthcoming years. The statistics has compelled legislative measures to be taken for improving workplace safety for nurses so as to make it a more lucrative medical career.
- Effective workforce planning: In a report by the IOM it has been recommended that a procedure should be set for the collection and analysis of workforce data on inter-professional healthcare. The idea is to have a collaborative approach to healthcare between nurses and physicians so as to redesign and bring improvements where there are loopholes. A collaborative effort would help to gather real-time data so that authoritative bodies can engage in effective workforce planning.
The future of nursing is bright. Leading change and advancing health begins from the point where all branches of healthcare can collaborate and function together. Considering that in recent surveys it has been seen that there has been a dip in student enrolment into nursing schools and colleges, what lies ahead is the challenge of making better policies and laws that would facilitate maximum utilization of available resources.
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