Force 12: Image of Nursing. The VA recognizes the importance of individual care to the perception of quality healthcare in its facilities. Even if the entire organization operates in an effective and compassionate manner, if the nurse that cares for a patient fails to deliver on this level of care, the individual perception of nursing care will be diminished. To this end, the organization's nursing fact sheet proclaims, "VA Nursing Service is dedicated to promoting optimal health, patient safety, quality health care, and the highest professional standards, in order to ensure that our veterans receive the best possible care and that our staff work in the best possible health care system" (VA Nursing Service, 2005).

Force 13: Interdisciplinary Relationships. The VA's Web page, "VA & Experienced Professionals" (2008) states, "Our doctors, physician assistants, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and other professionals work together in an interdisciplinary care team structure" (p. 3).

Force 14: Professional Development. VA Registered Nurses (RN) serve in four career paths including: clinical, advanced practice, supervisory/administrative, and consultative. Examples of advanced practice roles include Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS), Nurse Practitioners (NP), and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA); nurses in these roles are generally referred to as advanced practice nurses (APN) (VA Nursing Service, 2005).

Identified Strengths and Weaknesses.

A fundamental weakness of the VA has historically been a lack of adequate resources to fulfill its mandate. Indeed, the VA has experienced an enormous increase in the number of veteran patients seeking healthcare in recent years; in fact, the number of patients treated by the VA increased from 4.2 million in 2001 to nearly 5.5 million in 2006, an increase of 29% (Facts About the Department of Veterans Affairs, 2008). On the plus side, the VA nursing service has embraced the Fourteen Forces of Magnetism and has implemented steps to provide information and education concerning these forces system-wide. As one VA nurse emphasizes, "Maintaining a Magnet culture requires a continued focus on integrating the Forces of Magnetism into all nursing organizational activities. It took years to create this culture and you will now...

3).
Conclusion

The research showed that today, the Department of Veterans Affairs is the nation's largest healthcare provider and one of the largest healthcare providers in the world. The research also showed that notwithstanding some major constraints to the provision of high-quality healthcare services to the millions of veteran patients the organization has encountered in the past, the VA is well situated to recruit, retain, and support a qualified workforce and to support the professional practice of nursing in the 21st century. The JCAHO has consistently rated VA facilities as being equal to or superior to their civilian counterparts in recent years, and the talented and dedicated nursing staff leading the VA's nursing service continues to provide the vision and direction needed to maintain this organization-wide improvement.