ABSTRACT:
The need for continuing education in nursing has been accentuated in response to rapidly changing health care environment. Expanding knowledge by pursuing higher education allows nurses to enlarge one’s practice. Furthermore, higher education in nursing has been shown that a nurse’s level of education can become a critical factor to the patient-centered quality of care. This essay describes increased demand for higher education in nursing and emphasizes the necessity of continuing education to provide optimum patient care in various setting.
Techniques and technologies in the medical field constantly evolve and change. With such a huge increase in information, there is no doubt that nurses should update their skills constantly. Nursing education provides from basic building blocks of nursing knowledge to competence in the nursing profession. Seeking higher education in nursing not only expands one’s practice but also permits nurse to remain up to date with the latest practice issues which links to patient’s overall outcome. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) suggests several keys to upgrade nursing practice. According to IOM, nurse should practice to the full extent of their education with achieving higher education and training. Moreover, nurse should be having partnership with physicians and other health care personals in being a leader and policy maker. (IOM 2010: The Future of Nursing.) A registered nurse defined as an individual who treats patients from illness, educates patients about health issues, prevents from illness, offers help, and supports patients and their family physically and mentally. Since registered nurse takes great roles in patient care, it needs scarcely to be said that continuing education is essential in this constantly evolving world.
There is nationwide demand for higher education due to the increasing needs for highly skilled workers as labor market grows. According to
References: The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health retrieved from: http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing-Leading-Change-Advancing-Health.aspx Taking the IOM quality changes, Retrieved from: http://www.behavioral.net/article/taking-iom-quality-challenge