The Impact of the Institute of Medicine Report (Iom) 2010
The Impact of The Institute of Medicine Report (IOM) 2010
Laurella Dotson Grand Canyon University April 15, 2012
1
The impact of The Institute of Medicine Report (IOM) 2010 has a major influence on nursing education. The first issue addressed in the report is an increased emphasis on public and community nursing. In the past, only nurses holding a bachelors degree were experienced and trained in community and public health, and the IOM wants to change that. One particular area of change is that now associate degree nurses are being trained in these areas in order be able to transition into these fields more smoothly and directly from nursing school. Another area that is addressed in this report is to increase the number of BSN degree nurses to 80% of all nurses by the year 2020. There are many reasons that this would benefit nurses and patients alike. Overall, nurses with higher degrees have a stronger foundation in their knowledge. Also, studies have also shown that they adapt to changes in the ever changing healthcare system, much better. A number of hospitals, especially teaching hospitals, prefer BSN to ADN. Teaching hospitals have a goal of at least 90% of their nursing staff to be bachelor degree nurses. Thus, more education will only help a nurse to obtain and retain employment and give him/her the tools needed to more capably care for their patients. The American Association of Nurses stated, "The need to increase the number of BSN prepared nurses will deliver safer and more effective care" (AACN 2010a). As the baby-boomers get older and sicker, the care that nurses offer is becoming more complex, thus requiring nurses to have excellent critical thinking skills, in hospitals and clinics alike. However, in order for more nurses to become bachelorette licensed, a number of things must take place. First, nurses need to step up to the plate and take the initiative to go back to school and
Laurella Dotson Grand Canyon University April 15, 2012
1
The impact of The Institute of Medicine Report (IOM) 2010 has a major influence on nursing education. The first issue addressed in the report is an increased emphasis on public and community nursing. In the past, only nurses holding a bachelors degree were experienced and trained in community and public health, and the IOM wants to change that. One particular area of change is that now associate degree nurses are being trained in these areas in order be able to transition into these fields more smoothly and directly from nursing school. Another area that is addressed in this report is to increase the number of BSN degree nurses to 80% of all nurses by the year 2020. There are many reasons that this would benefit nurses and patients alike. Overall, nurses with higher degrees have a stronger foundation in their knowledge. Also, studies have also shown that they adapt to changes in the ever changing healthcare system, much better. A number of hospitals, especially teaching hospitals, prefer BSN to ADN. Teaching hospitals have a goal of at least 90% of their nursing staff to be bachelor degree nurses. Thus, more education will only help a nurse to obtain and retain employment and give him/her the tools needed to more capably care for their patients. The American Association of Nurses stated, "The need to increase the number of BSN prepared nurses will deliver safer and more effective care" (AACN 2010a). As the baby-boomers get older and sicker, the care that nurses offer is becoming more complex, thus requiring nurses to have excellent critical thinking skills, in hospitals and clinics alike. However, in order for more nurses to become bachelorette licensed, a number of things must take place. First, nurses need to step up to the plate and take the initiative to go back to school and
References: American Association of Colleges of Nursing. AACN.com/scopeofpractice. 2012 Catherine Garner, Dr Ph, RN. American Sentinel University. IOM Issues Recommendations for Transforming Nursing Practice. www.americansentinel.edu The Institute of Medicine Report (IOM) 2010. http://www.iom.edu/reports/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing-Change-Advancing-Health.aspx.