Paper Iom

Running head: THE IOM REPORT 1.

Goals of the IOM
Julie A. Maher
Grand Canyon University: Professional Dynamics
April 11, 2013

THE IOM REPORT 2.

Nursing is the largest part of the United States health care system workers. As the healthcare system changed rapidly it was difficult for nurses to keep up, and avoid obstacles along the way. The new Institute of Medicine (IOM) created a committee of professionals from different backround’s, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In 2010, this committee created a report about the future goals of nursing. The goal was to promote change based on their recommendations, at different governing levels. The report emphasized eight recommendations, and some key points to guide the profession in a new direction.
I am going to focus on three key elements of the IOM report pertaining to education, primary care and leadership. Education is needed after a nurse is licensed, to develop the idea of life-long learning in our profession. Examples of this are Licensed Practical Nurses, (LPN) -to-Registered Nurses (RN), Associate Degree Nurses (ADN) -to- Bachelor of Science Nurses (BSN) and BSN-to Masters of Science Nurses (MSN) transitions. There has become a desperate need for more Advance Practice Registered Nurse Specialist (APRNs). Our health care system is ever changing; science is advancing leading to more skills needed to provide safe and effective care. Patients are more complex, sicker and require more efforts; time and mostly more educated nursing personnel. When the education system improves, nurses can easily progress academically. The Government can help with creating more options to make continuing education more feasible financially. School curriculums need to be reviewed and changes made to keep novice nurses up to speed on all the health care advances. Hospitals can assist with continuing
THE IOM REPORT 3.

education by developing a nurse residency program for nurses to participate in. In 2002 Joint Commission recommended this transition experience for novice nurses or nurses moving to a new area. Skills are developed to provide quality care, evidence based practice. Hospital settings have been popular for residency programs, this needs to change to adapt to the community nursing that is gaining popularity. Turnover rates in the nursing workforce have decreased when nurses feel supported, and can develop their critical thinking, time-management and professional behavior skills. I participate in a nurse residency program for all new graduate nurses at my facility. This program involves meeting once a month for four hours over a year time span. We cover a wide range of topics, including sepsis, congested heart failure, professional behaviors, and wound care. Generally support each other by sharing situations we have been in and can seek guidance, opinions and suggestions to motivate us within our practice. Nurses need to be partners with physicians to change healthcare. One recommendation of the IOM report was to focus more on primary care then acute care. Include the community setting more and recognize the need for more APRNs. Many people have difficulty accessing primary care for a multiple of chronic illnesses. Some doctors create a difficult work environment for APRNs, often questioning their skills, knowledge and practice. If they would work side by side with these nurses, they would soon realize how helpful these nurses could be. Patients would benefit greatly, especially in rural, community settings that require more primary care specialists. There is a shortage of primary care physicians, by utilizing the skills of advance practice nurses;
THE IOM REPORT 4.

doctors can focus their attention on the sicker more critically ill patients. These improvements in health care will promote easier access to primary care and help decrease costs. Most people still view nurses as the caregiver only. Many nurses go into this profession because they want to be the caregiver, they enjoy helping others. The thought of being a nursing leader never crosses their minds. The American Hospital Association did a study involving leadership roles among medical staff in 1000 hospitals in the United States. The board members were mainly physicians at 20% and the nurses on various boards were only 6%. The IOM’s report on nursing leadership offers opportunies for our profession to lead in the health care setting. School curriculums need to add more focus on leadership skills, such as delegation, role-playing and decision making as the unit leader role. Nurses need to think outside the box, being a caregiver is wonderful but being a leader and guiding others can be just as rewarding. The IOM report refers to health care workers, needing to play multiple roles, respect each other and work together as a team. There are many types of leaders, but the leadership team that focus’s not only on the patient but also the staff will have better outcomes and most likely less turnover, happier, supported staff means less medical errors. Our nursing profession is the largest portion of the healthcare workforce. We need to be able to adapt to the ever-changing environments we work in. Nurses need to meet the needs of patient’s, deliver safe and quality care. We may also need to function

THE IOM REPORT 5.

as a leader. Education and advance practice will help us to succeed and remove barriers that may currently exist. We can reshape the foundation of Nursing.

THE IMPACT OF THE IOM REPORT ON NURSING 6.

References

The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing-Leading-Change-Advancing-Health.aspx www.nursingworld.org/IOMReport.aspx or http://thefutureofnursing.org/.

AARP INTERNATIONAL- The Journal - The Future of Nursing: Transforming Health Care: Susan Reinhard and Susan Hassmiller. AARP Public Policy Institute / Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

References: The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing-Leading-Change-Advancing-Health.aspx www.nursingworld.org/IOMReport.aspx or http://thefutureofnursing.org/. AARP INTERNATIONAL- The Journal - The Future of Nursing: Transforming Health Care: Susan Reinhard and Susan Hassmiller. AARP Public Policy Institute / Robert Wood Johnson Foundation