Analysis of the IOM Report: The work of RWJF and IMO
The future of nursing report is a fundamental tool that discusses the need for a better healthcare system in the United States that will cater for the increased population. Several debates on the health care system discussed how the health of the people would be improved and amicable solutions were reached. The affordable care act (ACA) posed some weaknesses and strengths specifically how the healthcare system of the US would treat the increased population leading to the formulation of more strategies. Expansion of the role of healthcare providers was one recommendation made during the debates (Sullivan, 2014). The expansion focused on the physicians, pharmacists and the nurses. The nurses were the central focus of the expansion because they provide most of the care to the patients. These issues were addressed by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) initiative and the Institute of Medicine (IMO).
The RWJF approached the Institute of medicine in 2008 with the aim of establishing a two-year initiative on the future of nursing. The mission of the approach was the production of a report containing recommendations for an action-oriented blueprint for the future of nursing. The recommendations could also include the changes in institutional and public policies at the local, state and national level (Sullivan, 2014). The RWJF played a major role in the formulation of the recommendations that were later adopted into the healthcare system of the US. After the suggestion was approved by the IMO, a committee sat down and produced recommendations with the goal of defining the vital roles of nurses in the designing and implementation of an effective healthcare system. The IMO and RWJF worked together to come up with four critical recommendations relevant to the nursing practice and education. Therefore, the role of the two groups in the formulation of ‘The future of Nursing’ report was mutual and collaborative.
Importance of the Report
The IMO report established in 2008 provided various recommendations relevant to the nursing practice that could guide the health sector in improving the quality of care to the patients. To expand the role of nurses, there was a need to allow the nurses to practice according to their professional training (Sullivan, 2014). There was recognition of the need for educating nurses for the essence of improving quality of care and increasing the managerial competencies required for redesigning of the healthcare system. Among the areas of importance focused on the report include the nursing practice, nursing education, and nursing workforce development.
The first part of the report recommended that nurses practice to the full extent of their education and training (Reinhard and Hassmiller, 2012). The section is important because it recognizes the potential of nurses in leading innovative strategies to improve healthcare outcomes in patients. The part has opened the mind of nurses in the practice of what is learned in class and what is practiced in the field. It identified that the scope of the nursing practice was limiting and some adjustments had to be done to give nurses more power and control over the patients
The second part of the report recommended that nurses should achieve higher education levels of education and training through improved educational systems (Reinhard and Hassmiller, 2012). An improved education system in the nursing profession is helpful in delivery of quality, safe and patient-centered care. The nursing profession requires competent nurses in areas such as public health, community health, and primary care services and higher education can provide the relevant knowledge needed in the areas. Over the years, the role of nurses in the healthcare sector has changed. Some years back, nurses were allowed to work in the wards, and some essential posts only belonged to other groups. Through higher education, nurses can work as managers, public health officers, as leaders in the health sector and other complex units such as research.
An effective workforce planning and the making of policies in the healthcare sector will require data collection strategies and improved information infrastructure (Bleich et al., 2015). A workforce cannot be defined by the involvement of the nurses only but also the physicians and other healthcare workers. The IMO report emphasizes the need for identification of all the workers in a specific region and their roles in the team. Through such measures, gaps can be identified, and appropriate measures are taken.
Role of State-Based Action Coalitions
State act action campaigns were created in the United States as a measure of implementing the recommendations of the IMO report. The coalitions comprise of the nursing, business and other healthcare consumers in the United States. The groups are primarily involved in capturing the best practices, tracking the lessons learned, determining the research needs of each state and identifying replicable models (Bleich et al., 2015). According to the IOM, the action coalitions will function by strengthening the nursing education and training. The coalitions are important in the advancement of interprofessional collaboration among the healthcare professionals to ensure improved patient care.
Florida Action Coalition
The Florida action coalition aims at bettering the lives of Americans and the people of Florida through various initiatives. The first initiative supported by the coalition is the Florida, West Virginia collaboration of 2016 aimed at improving access to healthcare (National Academies, 2016). The scope of practices for the registered nurses in Florida has been expanded to cater for the needs of the population. The areas of focus in the Florida act include leadership, infrastructure, and diversity. The coalition between West Virginia and Florida will address the three aspects for the betterment of healthcare services in the region.
Building a more diverse nursing workforce is an initiative by the Florida action coalition that aims at providing culturally competent care and reduced health disparities in future nursing. In 2014, diverse nurse leaders from across the state discussed the issue in Florida and proposed that partnerships are expected to help in improving quality care across the nation. The initiative also focused on increasing the number of nurses in Florida and also the production of competent nurse leaders in the region.
The two initiatives discussed advance the nursing profession through the promotion of nursing services and increment of the number of nurses in the state. Collaborative care will ensure that nurses are recognized countrywide and that effective policies are set to favor the nursing profession (Bleich et al., 2015). Enforcement of the recommendations proposed by IMO act is a challenge in the state because of financial constraints and lack of good strategies. Many nurses have not advanced their practice because of poor implementation of the healthcare policies. The barriers can be overcome if the leaders set aside their differences and focus on the future of nursing. The state will benefit from financial support by the federal government to promote nursing practices and advanced education in the state.
References
Bleich, M. R., MacWilliams, B. R., & Schmidt, B. J. (2015). Advancing diversity through inclusive excellence in nursing education. Journal of Professional Nursing, 31(2), 89-94.
Sullivan, T. (2014). Institute of medicine report—The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Policy and Medicine.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2016). Assessing progress on the Institute of Medicine report The Future of Nursing. National Academies Press.
Reinhard, S., & Hassmiller, S. (2012). The future of nursing: Transforming health care. The Journal AARP International.
