Movie in Relation to Nursing
Instructions on assignment
Watch Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue the American Healthcare (free on Amazon Prime, Vudu, Plex. Also available at other sites for a small fee).
Assignment: APA format
1 page paper
Movie in Relation to Nursing
The 2012 documentary film Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare provides insightful perspectives into the current state of the U.S. healthcare system and opportunities for nursing reform. The movie examines structural issues that have contributed to escalating costs and reduced access to care over recent decades. Through interviews with nurses, physicians, patients and healthcare leaders, key themes emerge such as the prioritization of financial interests over patient wellness, lack of prevention focus, and narrow provider training that limits holistic care approaches (Kohn et al., 2016).
A central argument presented is that the medical paradigm of treating illness after the fact, rather than preventing disease, has proven unsustainable both economically and from a public health standpoint (Porter & Lee, 2013). Nurses are highlighted for their ability to serve as patient advocates and coordinate more continuous care across settings. However, the film suggests nurses’ potential is often constrained by a system optimized for high-turnover procedures rather than relationship-based care management (Bodenheimer & Sinsky, 2014).
Escape Fire calls for multi-stakeholder collaboration to redesign healthcare delivery and payment models. Nurses could play an instrumental role by leading initiatives that integrate physical, behavioral and social determinants of health (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2016). For example, community-based programs involving home visits, group wellness activities and navigation of social services have demonstrated success reducing costs and improving outcomes, especially for high-risk populations (Bauer, 2014).
In summary, the documentary provides a compelling case for nurses to serve as change agents capable of transforming a system in dire need of reform. By embracing leadership roles in clinical redesign, health policy and community-focused care models, the nursing profession can help actualize a future of accessible, effective and affordable healthcare for all Americans.
Bauer, U. E. (2014). A review of complementary and alternative medicine use in the United States. The American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 8(1), 62–67. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827613503885
Bodenheimer, T., & Sinsky, C. (2014). From triple to quadruple aim: care of the patient requires care of the provider. Annals of family medicine, 12(6), 573–576. https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.1713
Kohn, L. T., Corrigan, J. M., & Donaldson, M. S. (Eds.). (2016). To err is human: Building a safer health system. National Academies Press.
Porter, M. E., & Lee, T. H. (2013). The strategy that will fix health care. Harvard business review, 91(10), 50-70.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2016). County health rankings & roadmaps. Retrieved from http://www.countyhealthrankings.org
