Institute of Medicine (IOM) report
Introduction
The Institute of Medicine Report of 2010 served as an important outline on the practice of nursing professionals who serve the largest part of the civilian population within the United States. The committee on the Institute of Medicine Report of 2010 looked at the nursing profession by evaluating the current practice environment (IOM, 2010). Moreover, the functional areas and roles of the professionals as well as the education qualifications and credentials that are necessary for health care provision by nurses also form the gist of the report. The report demonstrated the critical role that the nurse plays in rendering of key healthcare services as outlined within the mandate of the nursing professionals under the relevant regulatory framework. Specifically, the roles of the nurses are laid out in the preamble objectives within the Affordable Care Act that was enacted in the year 2010. The 2010 Affordable Care Act is a clear representation of the commitment of the nursing professionals in the provision of the best health care within the country. However, it is important to note that although the Affordable Care Act of 2010 plays fundamental role in the overhaul of the practice of nursing as a professional area, there are still difficulties in the implementation phase. This paper will delve into the effect that the IOM Report on the work of nursing professionals especially on practicing roles, education and leadership within the field.
Influence of IOM report on practice in nursing profession
Principally, the IOM recommends the urgency in the need for the stakeholders within the nursing sector to undertake a critical assessment of the practice environment. This is to be achieved by use of the Assessment plans that will allow for the effective transformation and future monitoring of the nursing profession within the country. In a bid to push for the adoption and implementation of the assessment and transformation approach within the nursing profession, the Institute of Medicine Report laid out key measured to be observed. In particular, the report made a key appointment by bring on board the some key initiatives to guide the undertakings within the profession. Primarily, main mandate of RWJF Initiative was to develop a conclusive Assessment and a review that would be adopted for the possible actions in making the nursing profession most effective in future. The report also pointed out the diverse nature of the places where nurses undertake their day to day practice activities across the country. Some of the notable places include the schools, homes, hospitals as well as other related health facilities like the private clinics and dispensaries. Moreover, the report also documented the diversity in the population of people who rely on the nurses in the provision of proper health care and these include the communities and other members of the public.
How would one change one’s practice?
It is evident that a professional can successfully design his or her personal goals to align to the goals and objectives outlined within the report. For instance, after completion of the degree, an individual must make progress into a position of leadership. In order to successfully serve as a good leader within the profession, a comprehensive mastery of the health care system and delivery structures, team work and effective collaborative skills will be important. Moreover, skills on partnership formation with other health professionals focus on the patient as well as the innovative and creative skills and the understanding on quality and safety measures will be imperative.
IOM report on education and training
On educational front, the report demonstrates that the nursing professionals have varying educational and training credentials. Specifically, there are categories of professional that form the broader area of nursing. To begin with, at the front of the profession are the Registered Nurses who have the highest level of training and educational background. The report offers a comprehensive understanding on the general role of the nurses and this is important in order for an individual to grasp the differences among the different classes of nurses. At the center of health care provision are the Registered Nurses who possess the highest legal obligation while undertaking their roles. The laws and regulation focuses on the conduct of the Registered Nurses and the professionals are bound to act within the confines of the legal regime as stipulated. The second category of nursing professionals is the Vocational Nurse whose role and obligation closely resembles that of the Registered Nurse.
The third category consists of the Nursing Helpants who are also referred to as the Unlicensed Helping Persons within the nursing profession and this group is not directly under legal obligation to act. However, the actions of every professional within the profession of nursing must be strictly guided by moral and ethical considerations in the making of any decision as to the rightfulness or otherwise of any action. The nurses are very important in the effective delivery of health care within the profession and they are bound to act in the furtherance of the general objective of promoting public good within the health care sector. It is important to note that in some instances, the Registered Nurses are required to undertake the assessment of health care planning and personalized patient attendance as well as other interventions that aid in streamlining of service delivery. On the other hand, the vocational nurses undertake oral care administration while the unlicensed nursing personnel are tasked with the Assessment and performance of assessment of health hygiene and symptoms diagnosis among patients. The report also recommends that the different categories of professionals should be permitted to undertake their day to day roles to the greatest possible level in accordance with their education or training. The obligation of education and training is a mandate that the relevant stakeholders should embrace in a bid to ensure that the nurses are given the best incentives that will encourage them in their daily roles.
IOM Report on the Role of Nurses as Leaders
The practice of nursing requires the nursing professionals to exhibit key leadership skills as they serves as practitioners and works within strict regulatory requirement that govern quality in health care provision (Rosa, 2016). However, the Institute of Medicine Report of 2010 suggests that most nurses have been effective in acting as leaders whenever called upon to take charge within the work environment. Indeed, it is important to note that the kind of environment in which the nurses serve helps in the progress of service delivery and this allows the professionals to discharge their roles without any unnecessary mistakes (Rosa, 2016). As outlined within the Institute of Medicine Report, the outlined categories of professional within the field of nursing such as the Advanced Practice Nurses (APRN), RN, LVN and the UAP are under obligation to ensure effective service provision within the health care area. The nursing categories achieve the requirement on effective delivery of service by undertaking key decisional roles that satisfy both the legal and moral obligations that govern the field of nursing.
Conclusion
The report shows that the high turnover rate within the nursing profession is a major concern that affects the practice area. The report offers a solution by suggesting the need for the mandated stakeholders to develop proper channels that will govern transition from one stage to the next for the new practitioners within the nursing profession. This will ensure that the fresh graduates who enter the nursing field are properly catered for in terms of the general professional practice, roles and education in quality and safe health care delivery. As captured within the report, the challenges to the nursing professionals include obstacles that prevent the proper functioning of the nurses within the dynamic health care environment within the country. The need to remove the operational obstacles that hinder effective performance of the nurses in the advance of proper health care forms the gist of the 2010 Report.
References
Institute of Medicine Report. (2010). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. On October 5, 2010, the IOM Report (1:06:52)
Committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, at the Institute of Medicine., Institute of Medicine (U.S.), & Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2011). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press.
Rosa, W. (2016). Nurses as leaders: Evolutionary visions of leadership. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.
