Trends and Issues in Today Healthcare Paper

Trends and Issues in Today Healthcare Paper

Trends and Issues in Today Healthcare Paper

            Nurses comprise the largest workforce among the healthcare providers in the American healthcare system. They provide specialized and general patient care with the aim of improving care outcomes. The crucial role they play implies that nurses should engage in opportunities that contribute to their continued personal and professional development (Jeffries, 2022). Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore nursing opportunities and the need for continuing nursing education.

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Options in Job Market

            I have several options in the job market based on my qualifications as a nurse. The most common one is working as a clinical nurse. I have the knowledge, skills, and competencies that I can utilize to provide high quality care to the patients and their significant others. I can be employed by hospitals to assist them in meeting the care needs of their populations. My other option is the insurance industry. I can be employed in the healthcare insurance industry to evaluate and provide populations with different insurances they need. I can also work with the research companies to explore issues affecting different populations and need for changes in the existing systems and process. The research knowledge and skills that I possess are valuable in undertaking different research activities such as data collection, analysis, and dissemination (Jeffries, 2022). Therefore, I have extensive options in the job market as a nurse.

Professional Certification or Advanced Degrees

            The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity is a document that was developed to guide nurses in implementing actions that enhance equity, reduce health disparities, and promote cost-efficiency, technology utilization, and patient and family-focused care into 2030. The report builds on the foundations of the Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health report of 2011. One of the recommendations by the report is the need for nurses to achieve higher levels of education for high-quality, safe, and efficient care. The report encourages nurses to explore paths of advanced education and continuous development for them to address the existing inequalities in healthcare, costs, and safeguard the interests of the different populations (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; National Academy of Medicine; Committee on the Future of Nursing 2020–2030, 2021). One of the advanced degrees that I may want to pursue in the future is a master’s degree in nursing. I would like to specialize in adult health since it is my passion. I would like to specialize at this level since it will provide me a higher level of autonomy in the patient care process (Fealy et al., 2018). I will also expand my leadership, management, and research skills in nursing. I intend to accomplish this goal within the next five years.

Effect of Increasing Education Level on Competitiveness and Role in the Future of Nursing

            Increasing my level of education will improve my competitiveness in the current job market and my role in the future of nursing. First, the current practice of nursing recognizes the need for specialization. The demand for specialized nurses is high in America because of the changes in population dynamics and physician shortages. Evidence has also shown that specialized nurses provide care that match with those of the physicians in their different areas of focus (Jeffries, 2022). Increasing my education level also increases the rates of payment in my future areas of employment. The rise is attributed to the advanced knowledge, skills, and competencies that I possess in patient assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of treatment outcomes. My role in the future of nursing also changes if I increase my level of education (Rouleau et al., 2019). For example, I can play extensive roles such as leadership, management, and research besides offering care to specific niche of patient populations.

Relationship

            A positive correlation exists between continuing nursing education and competency, knowledge, attitudes, and the ANA Scope and Standards for Practice and Code of Ethics. Continuing education provides nurses with updates on emerging issues in healthcare and their practice (Rouleau et al., 2019). It also equips them with new knowledge and skills that enables them to address complex issues in their practice. As a result, continuing education builds the competency levels of nurses. It also transforms their attitudes towards specific issues affecting them. For example, continuing education exposes nurses to diverse perspectives influencing patient care and their practice. They also interact with professionals from different backgrounds, which contribute to the transformation of their attitudes and knowledge on how to address needs of their populations (Jeffries, 2022). Continuing education also increases the nurses’ understanding of the effect of American Nurses Association Scope and Standards for Practice and Code of Ethics on their practice. As a result, they are likely to provide high-quality, safe, and efficient patient-centered care in caring for the different populations.

If Continuing Nursing Education Should be Mandatory

            I believe continuing nursing education should not be mandatory. Instead, it should be made a requirement for one to get benefits such as job advancements and salary increment. It should also be used as a basic of making decisions during performance management review. Educational advancement is a choice and not a mandatory requirement. Therefore, nobody should be forced to advance their education if they are comfortable with their current status. Making continuous nursing education mandatory may also lead to an imbalance in the demand and supply of the nursing workforce. For example, registered nurses have a different scope of practice from licensed or assistive nursing personnel. Consequently, having all licensed nurses advance to degree level or masters will render lower the value of the advanced nursing roles in the country.

Conclusion

            Continuing nursing education is important for nurses. It contributes to their knowledge, competencies, and attitude transformation. I intend to purse a master’s degree in nursing with a specialization in the future. Increasing nursing education level improves one’s job market competitiveness and role in the future of nursing. Continuing nursing education should not be made mandatory but instead be a personal initiative, to safeguard the future of the profession.

References

Fealy, G. M., Casey, M., O’Leary, D. F., McNamara, M. S., O’Brien, D., O’Connor, L., Smith, R., & Stokes, D. (2018). Developing and sustaining specialist and advanced practice roles in nursing and midwifery: A discourse on enablers and barriers. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27(19–20), 3797–3809. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.14550

Jeffries, P. (2022). Clinical Simulations in Nursing Education: Advanced Concepts, Trends, and Opportunities. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; National Academy of Medicine; Committee on the Future of Nursing 2020–2030. (2021). The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity (J. L. Flaubert, S. Le Menestrel, D. R. Williams, & M. K. Wakefield, Eds.). National Academies Press (US). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573914/

Rouleau, G., Gagnon, M.-P., Côté, J., Payne-Gagnon, J., Hudson, E., Dubois, C.-A., & Bouix-Picasso, J. (2019). Effects of E-Learning in a Continuing Education Context on Nursing Care: Systematic Review of Systematic Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed-Studies Reviews. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(10), e15118. https://doi.org/10.2196/15118

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The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity€ report makes recommendations for lifelong learning and achieving higher levels of education.

In 1,000-1,250 words, examine the importance of nursing education and discuss your overall educational goals.

Include the following:

Discuss your options in the job market based on your educational level.
Review “The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity” report’s recommendations for achieving higher levels of education. Describe what professional certification or advanced degrees (MSN, DNP, etc.) you may want to pursue and explain your reasons for wanting to attain this education. Discuss the timeline for accomplishing these goals.
Discuss how increasing your level of education would affect how your competitiveness in the current job market and your role in the future of nursing.
Discuss the relationship of continuing nursing education to competency, attitudes, knowledge, and the ANA Scope and Standards for Practice and Code of Ethics.
Discuss whether continuing nursing education should be mandatory. Provide support for your response.
You are required to cite a minimum of three sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years, appropriate for the assignment criteria, and relevant to nursing practice.

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

Rubric Criteria

Job Options Based on Educational Level
12.5 points

Goals for Professional Education
12.5 points

Increase in Level of Education and Effect on Competitiveness in Job Market and in Role in the Future
12.5 points

Relationship of Continuing Nursing Education
25 points

Mandatory Continuing Education Nursing
25 points

Thesis, Position, or Purpose
8.75 points

Development, Structure, and Conclusion
8.75 points

Evidence
7.5 points

Mechanics of Writing
7.5 points

Format/Documentation