IOM Future of Nursing report recommendations and career pathways

¶ … Future of Nursing

Increase the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80% by 2020.

In my opinion, quality nursing care can be ensured by decreasing the number of mistakes made and issues arising out of carelessness -- those examples when proof-based nursing care is not given -- and that data has direct connection to the educational preparedness of nurses. Statistics reveals that proportionally, a 10% rise in BSN nurses in the hospitals caused 4% decline in the chance of death (National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, 2010). So raising the number of nurses with BSN is an encouraging trend.

Double the number of nurses with a doctorate by 2020.

Presently, only less than 1% of nurses hold a Ph.D. degree. In view of the statistical anticipation, by 2020, significant shortage in the numbers of nurses is expected (health resources and services administration, 2004), the human resource of the nation will be damaged due to over-age of the faculty members and lack of educators to fill this gap delaying the sufficient orientation of new nurses (Feeg & Nickitas, 2010). This data compels the immediate need and significance of the proposal. I regard this is the most logical proposal as a scarcity of nursing academics s will stop the progress in nursing profession.

Recommendation 6: Ensure that nurses engage in lifelong learning

According to Albert Einstein, once you stop learning, you start dying. This thought lays emphasis on nurses to make constant effort to enhance their knowledge. The more we acquire knowledge the more capable we become and the more we will be able to save lives, which is the core objective of our profession.

Identify your options in the job market based on your educational level

I believe, I have many job opportunities based on my qualification as a BSN degree holder, some of which are as mentioned below.

Clinical Hospital Staff Nurse

As a Staff nurse, I can be absorbed to discharge my duties in hospitals, clinics and physician offices. I have different options to start my career in the hospital like, critical care, cardiac care, intensive care, and oncology or maternity departments. I am also capable of discharging duties in the supervisory role: overseeing other staff like vocational nurses, medical assistants and unit clerks.

Non-Hospital Nurse

Apart from hospital care some other career possibilities are also present with BSN designations, like administrative posts in nursing homes, hospice care settings, insurance companies and government organizations. I can also pursue my career in pharmaceutical companies, medical research in educational organizations, and in training and advisory positions (Study, 2015).

How will increasing your level of education affect how you compete in the current job market?

According to a survey, from 1970-1994 out of 1.4 million RNs who earned either an AD or BSN only 6% had completed MSN or PhD by 2004 (Aiken, Cheung, & Olds, 2009). This suggests that by enhancing further education from BSN to MSN or PhD, I will be among those few aspirants who compete for jobs for which such qualifications are required.

How will increasing your level of education affect your role in the future of nursing?

Nurses working in long-term care and all community-centered care frameworks also perform duties in complicated, high-acuity settings. In bachelor and master's degree programs competencies are attained in planning, implementing and assessing population-based care, as well as health improvement (Edwards, 2012). Thus through continuous educational advancement, I will be able to offer my services to the job for quality healthcare.