The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health

“The Future of Nursing: Leading Change,
Advancing Health
Change-Advancing-Health.aspx), focusing on the following sections: Transforming
Practice, Transforming Education, and Transforming Leadership.
Create a paper (750-1,000 words) about the impact on nursing of the 2010 IOM report on
the Future of Nursing. Include:
1.The impact of the IOM report on nursing education.
2.The impact of the IOM report on nursing practice, particularly in primary care, and how
you would change your practice to meet the goals of the IOM report.
3.The impact of the IOM report on the nurse’s role as a leader.

The Impact on Nursing of the 2010 IOM Report on the Future of Nursing

The Impact of the IOM Report on Nursing Education
One of the key messages the Institute of Medicine (IOM) focuses on is the need for
transforming nursing education. This report explicitly states “nurses should achieve higher levels
of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless
academic progression.” This has had a significant impact on nursing education especially within
the areas of recommendation. The leaders of major nursing organizations and the vital players in
the health care system described the recommendations as “validating” and “energizing” and,
therefore, significantly impacting nursing education.

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The report has led to the spreading Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE), a
fully integrated consortium program that has enabled students to progress from ADN through
BSN using a common curriculum that is driven using a single set of competencies. This is with
the aim of creating seamless pathways in nursing education. Models have been created, for
example, in Texas that has accelerated LVN-to-RN programs and has inspired 40% of nurses
who have graduated recently to pursue BSN with the program becoming a partnership between
Angelo State University and 15 hospitals within rural areas.
Funding has also increased for BSN and doctoral capacity expansion. This it to increase
the number of baccalaureate and Ph.D. enrollment with the aim of achieving IOMs
recommendations of increasing BSN nurses from 50% to 80% and increase the number of
doctoral nurses. This includes increased funding for faculty hiring, new clinical partnerships, and
resource-extending. In addition, there is the expansion of community college BSN programs, for
example, in Florida.
In addition, there is also an up acceleration for program funding. For example, emulate
New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) that are funded by RWJF and administered by the AACN,
NCIN. These allow students from underserved or poor economic backgrounds to undertake
accelerated second BSN or MSN degrees and AACN is further developing a plan that will
facilitate their progress through doctoral degrees. Finally, there is improved faculty
compensation to make the market more competitive for the doctorate nurses. Mentorship has also
increased for undergraduate nurses to persuade them to undertake doctorate programs. Finally, to
change the nurse registration examinations NCLEX-RN, from the common exams to exams that
are in accordance to the level of nursing education.

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The Impact of the IOM Report on Nursing Practice
Professional nursing requires transformation in terms of not only education and
leadership, but also in practice to meet its role requirements for the United States health care
system. The IOM report highlights all levels if practice in nursing and identifies the barriers,
describes the new structures, and gives the general, specific vision of the important contribution
of the Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) within the healthcare system. This has had a significant
impact on nursing practice and especially on primary healthcare.
Primary care involves a wide range of services that include evaluation of new symptoms,
continuous care for individuals with chronic diseases, and offering preventive services. The
Affordable Care Act which partially came into effect in 2010, the same year the IOM report was
compiled, places many demands currently. These will further increase in the future on health
professionals while at the same time offering them an opportunity to create a more patient-
centered approach to treatment, which is one of the aims in the report.
A shortage exists in the number of primary health care professionals in the health care
system. However, a research that was done by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the same
organization that prepared the IOM report revealed that it was possible to increase the number of
NPs and PAs to help in the provision of primary health care. In addition, to improve primary
care, roles of nurses have been redesigned, for example, in the department of Veteran affairs,
Geisinger Health System, and Kaiser Permanente.
In addition, several barriers have been noted that hamper the transformation of nursing
practice. In primary health care provision, a major barrier has been poor payments. The report
has, however, led to the development of reforms though Congress for changes in Medicare law

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to make the coverage of NP services consistent with those of physician services. In addition,
through the IOM recommendations, nurses in centers providing Medicare and Medicaid services
are allowed privileges for admitting and are now eligible to become part of the medical staff.
To achieve IOMs’ goals, I will shift my practice to a more patient centered approach. In
the case where training is required, I will advance my education in the fields of primary health
acre provision and, moreover, try to fit in the modified versions of providing health care earlier
mentioned. To cater with the increasing demand for primary health care, I will engage myself in
primary health care provision at the community level. Finally, I will focus my practice to
community education on preventive health care rather than a curative approach.
The Impact of the IOM Report on the Nurse’s Role as a Leader
According to the IOM report, nurses are committed to improving delivery of care by
responding to the accompanying health care provision. To realize its full potential, the profession
requires fundamental transformations in the areas of practice, education, and leadership.
The IOM report has led empowerment of nurses as leaders and increased their involvement
in the health care system. Nurses are now increasingly involved in the design, implementation,
evaluation, and advocacy for reforms despite the fact that none of them came into the nursing
career with the aim of becoming a leader. The ability of nurses to take up leadership roles has
also allowed nurses to become partners with physicians and other health professionals in
reforming the health care system.
Nurses have now become full partners in the health care system and can now take part in the
identification of wastage areas, coming up with, and implementing improvement plans, track

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improvement, and make adjustments in order to meet IOM goals. Nurses are now actively
involved in advisory committees, commissions, and boards.
The report has led to increased calls for nurses to take up leadership roles. Leadership
programs are being developed such as The Integrated Nurse Leadership Program (INLP),
Fellows Program in Management for nurse executives, and the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation Executive Nurse Fellows Program. There are also the Best on Board, Awards
Programs, and the American Nurses Credentialing Center all aimed at improving the leadership
skills for nurses.
In addition, mentorship programs are being developed to nature nurse leaders, for example,
in the American Association for Colleges of Nursing, the National League for Nursing, through
online communities (at AONE), the American Academy of Nursing, and the American Nursing
Association. Moreover, nurses are increasingly being involved in policy making and other
political engagements.
The report has significantly impacted in the health care system. Although the progress has
been slow, several changes are evident within the health care system and in this case in nursing
practice. The changes are aimed at eliminating the barriers to the provision of quality care, and
ensuring the provision of quality, patient-centered approach to the provision of care.

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Reference

The Future of Nursing.org. (2011). Retrieved April 12, 2014, from The Future of Nursing Web