Review the National Academy of Medicine Sample 

Recent years have highlighted the growing awareness of the need to expand healthcare access to a wider range of people in the ever-evolving world. Certain disparities embedded inside the system necessitate quick addressing. Nonetheless, we can put a lot of faith in the youth of today to carry the nursing profession into the future. This paper seeks to delve into the importance of equity in healthcare, what factors influence people’s health in present society, the efforts made by individual nurses, along with the necessity of self-care for those who work in the medical field.

Significance of Health Equity

The American healthcare system has inherent inequities that have left certain groups of people largely neglected. These health inequities have a substantially negative impact on some populations, such as racial and ethnic minorities, the LGBT community, those with disabilities, the economically disadvantaged, and people who live in urban cores (NASEM, 2021). As such, health equity is a needed balance of opportunities and advocacy for all individuals, regardless of their age or socioeconomic status, to have a voice in the healthcare system. According to the scholars’ point of view, there is a clear correlation between such inequities and the quantitatively poor health outcomes for patients as contrasted to the nations that are considered to be contemporaries. In light of this, the United States must take action to address these issues. Examining the features of modern society that, on the whole, lead to the existence of these disparities is one step that may be taken to help alleviate this issue.

Social Determinants of Health

The comparatively poor health outcomes in the United States are partially attributable to several fundamentally faulty aspects of society. The term “Social Determinants of Health” refers to factors beyond an individual’s control that have an impact on their physical and mental wellbeing (NASEM, 2021). In other words, the discrepancy is entirely due to the substandard quality of these specific factors.

The state of people’s living spaces is a major social determinant of health. Especially in urban areas with low incomes, the chances of infection and pollution rise when there is inadequate waste management, ventilation, plumbing, and heating, as well as other basic amenities. Overcrowding has been related to a variety of health problems, including respiratory infections and mental distress in both children and adults. This is much too typical of accommodation for those with modest incomes (Rolfe et al., 2020). Housing for the higher and middle classes, on the other hand, tends to have a larger floor plan and fewer tenants. Through adjustments to government legislation together with coordinated social care on a personal level, inequities like these may be averted.

Role of the Nurse

Individual nurses’ efforts, when combined, might bring about significant change in the nursing profession in the United States, bringing with them the possibility of achieving health equity. This can only be accomplished if all nurses have access to a high-quality education, a high degree of autonomy, and a positive work setting (National Academy of Medicine, 2021). By virtue of their presence in a variety of societal contexts, registered nurses have, for an extremely extended period of time, been vocal proponents of health equity. They perform such duties as vaccine distribution, education services, service coordination, and safety monitoring. As a result, health disparities are reduced, and social requirements are more effectively met (NASEM, 2021). Nurses, as individuals, however, are unable to achieve this goal unless they attend to their own psychological health.

Self-Care

It is common for a nurse who is overworked to forget about their personal requirements when providing care for patients becomes more demanding. It’s possible that the symptoms may present themselves in visible ways, such as skipping meals and falling asleep at odd times. Emotional exhaustion, breaching of professional bounds, and neglect of self-care are all possible outcomes (NASEM, 2021). It is the responsibility of every nurse to practice self-care in order to prevent fatigue and maintain a mental state that is optimal for caring for patients. Some techniques that may be adhered to by all nurses comprise maintaining a healthy diet that allows for indulgences in moderation, avoiding excessive use of alcohol and drug abuse, regularly meditating and reflecting on oneself, and getting enough sleep on a constant basis.

Conclusion

It is possible to make progress toward health equality at the individual level by tackling health disparities at the societal level. A future for nursing that includes the implementation of these essential safeguards is the best-case scenario. It also involves proper support services for the individual nurse, which aids in keeping a psychologically and emotionally effective nursing workforce. A society that persistently ignores the demands of its people, particularly when such disparities have been proved to be preventable, ought to be shamed and condemned.

 

References

National Academy of Medicine (2021, May 12). Report Release Webinar: The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miqhzx0Qr9M

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, National Academy of Medicine, & Committee on the Future of Nursing (2021). The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 : Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. National Academies Press.

Rolfe, S., Garnham, L., Godwin, J., Anderson, I., Seaman, P., & Donaldson, C. (2020). Housing as a social determinant of health and wellbeing: Developing an empirically-informed realist theoretical framework. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1-19. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-020-09224-0

 

Order:  Review the National Academy of Medicine Sample 
 
Review the recommendations of The National Academy of Medicine 2021 report and explain why health equity is significant in this report.  
Define social determinants of health. Discuss one of the determinants and how this impacts health equity.
Describe the role nurses have in improving health equity and impacting social needs.
Discuss the significance of self-care to decrease nursing burnout. What self-care and evidence-based strategies are available for nurses to maintain personal and spiritual health?
You are required to cite a minimum of three sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be appropriate for the assignment and relevant to nursing practice.  

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion. 

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Rubric Criteria

The Significance of Health Equity in the National Academy of Medicine 2021 Report
55 points







Social Determinants of Health
40 points







Role of the Nurse in Improving Health Equity and Impacting Social Needs
40 points







Significance of Self-Care for Nursing Burnout and Strategies for Personal and Spiritual Health
40 points







Thesis, Position, or Purpose
17.5 points







Development, Structure, and Conclusion
17.5 points







Evidence
15 points







Mechanics of Writing
15 points







Format/Documentation
10 points






Total250 points