Essay Sample on Future Development of Nursing

Introduction

The health care system of our country is characterized by a high degree of disintegration across all the departments, which in turn raises considerable hurdles to providing quality and accessible care at affordable prices. The disintegration in our health care system usually stems from disconnections between private and public services, between patients and health service providers, between the prerequisites of the patents and how the service providers are trained (Blas & Kurup, 2010). As the years roll by, the future of nursing development as envisioned by many is equated to being in a galaxy; hence nursing profession can be seen to be in the middle of revolutionary changes. Since nursing remains a vibrant occupation, changes seen taking place in it will in the long run have a positive impact on its future development (Alligood, 2017). In relation to the future of nursing development, some transformations that have been aligned in its sector to address its future viability include; nurse residency program, training for leadership roles, continuing education, community and public health advocacy, involving political policy, advocacy and activism skills, improving communication among health providers and nursing values.

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Nurse Residency Programs were championed in 2004 by the University Health System Consortium and AACN (Alligood, 2017). It is through this program that the nursing practice is seen to be made safer since this program provides prospects for learning, improving and building one another. The program basically emphases on new nurse graduates who are getting on the practice. Its evidenced-based curriculum covers the following areas that are critical for the future of nursing development; Leadership, professional development and patient outcomes (Valentine-Maher, 2008). Through the evidence-based curriculum, the program supports professional and personal growth. The program also leads to the development role of a nurse's profession. The program equally strengths the critical thinking, clinical competency, clinical judgment and even an opportunity to work in partnership with other subject matter experts and participants (Valentine-Maher, 2008).

Nurses are required to perform their duties with empathy and reverence for the intrinsic self-respect, value, and distinctive qualities of every individual. Various ethical values underlie the prioritization of nurses' environmental thinking. In this case, communicating the above perspectives depends on the particular provisions of the code of ethics for nurses with interpretative statements. One primary nursing value essential to the choices is respect for human dignity. The profession necessitates that nurses must respect the dignity and self-worth of their patients while discharging their services (Winland-Brown, Lachman, & Swanson, 2015). The main reason for upholding this value is to ensure access to health care for all regardless of personal differences.

The second ethos is the right to self-determination which implies that patients have the moral and legal right to know the type of treatment they will undergo. Also, they deserve to be given accurate, comprehensive and understandable information to facilitate informed decision. Moreover, the primacy of patients' interest is another essential nursing value. According to Winland-Brown, Lachman, & Swanson (2015), interests of patients always come first; hence nurses must always commit to addressing these interests. Lastly, professional boundaries necessitate that nurses should identify and maintain appropriate personal relations. These relationships include that between nurses and colleagues, as well as nurses and patients. The latter has therapeutic significance, including enhancing patient security, restoring health, and alleviating pain and suffering.

With a workforce which is more diverse attributes to the development of our future nursing. A call from nursing organizations and leading educationist, for a well educated workforce and trained leadership roles goes hand in hand to creating a unified transition between the entire academic programs which will assist in the creation of a highly learned workforce which in return will be useful in offering improved patient care and advanced roles in the nursing practice sector (Valentine-Maher, 2008). The educated workforce and trained leadership roles will help in strengthening the nursing education, diversity, and training. The educated nurse workforce will also be useful in supporting the future supporting nurse leaders who will be at the forefront in eliminating any future barriers that may restrict the nurse's ability to provide care; promote interprofessional collaboration amongst healthcare professionals.

Since the Victorian Era, nurses' perspectives on the environment vary significantly. These standpoints are based on idiosyncratic and universal perceptions about public health. Today, many health care professionals share some of these viewpoints, hence the need for proper communication (Valentine-Maher, 2008). The future of nursing is dependent on effective communication to improve patient care. Three key ecological dynamics influence how nurses communicate with their work environment. They include egotistic, homocentric and ecocentric exemplars (Kleffel, 2006). Nurses should adopt these ideas to improve the state of health care in their work milieus. Egotistic ideas are rooted in the principle that whatever is best for an individual is best for the community. This aspect entails respect for the patients' freedom, dignity, and self-determination. The nurses' embracement of egocentric ideas dates to the Victorian era. The pioneer of this concept was Florence Nightingale, who highlighted the core environmental dynamics fundamental for patient-centered care and healing (Nightingale, 1992). In her book titled "Notes on Nursing," she mentions the need for clean air and water, practical sewer system, hygiene, proper diet, light, and warmth (Nightingale, 1992).

On the other hand, homocentric thoughts are ingrained at the societal level. The basis of this concept is the notion that social objectivity supersedes subjective growth. These ideas are based on the protection and preservation of the environment to improve the patients' well being. During the Victorian period, nurses realized that practices such as proper dumping of sewage and leftovers, the necessity for irrigation and clean water supply, mitigation of congestion, and improved housing could improve the healing process (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee, 2013). According to Nightingale, nursing extends the primary roles of prescribing doses, giving medications (Alligood, 2017). Even so, it is essential that nurses undergo training in corporate social responsibility (CSR). They can use the skills they acquire during such training to promote advocacy campaigns aimed at protecting and preserving the environment which will be essential for the future of nursing development. For example, they take the initiative to teach the public about general hygiene and sanitation and make a report about the available loopholes in public health (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee, 2013). Over the years, some recommendations provided by Nightingale are still in use today and may be applicable in the future (Nightingale, 1992).

Political policy, advocacy, and activism skills are also ingredients that are crucial for the future of nursing development (Ehrenreich, 2002). During the Victorian era, nurses began to advocate for an end to socioeconomic and political issues such as famine, poverty, female slavery, and sex trafficking (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee, 2013). Moreover, others like Nightingale campaigned for prison reforms and protection of endangered bird species (Nightingale, 1992). Politics was also integral to health care reforms. For instance, Nightingale addressed issues related to imperialism, immigration, and autochthonous health (Nightingale, 1992). That said, the political environment has a significant impact on nursing today. Many health care providers are embracing good politics to encourage the effective provision of medical services. Currently, many stakeholders in the healthcare sector are discouraging the spread of medical propaganda, including those that promote the notion that women as health care clients should be submissive, reliant and unquestioning (Ehrenreich, 2002).

Nursing remains a vibrant occupation. Changes seen taking place in the nursing occupation will, in the long run, have a positive impact on its future development. In relation to the future development of nursing, transformations such as nurse residency program, training for leadership roles, continuing education, community and public health advocacy, involving political policy, advocacy and activism skills, improving communication among health providers and nursing values are aligned in the nursing sector to address its future viability.

References

Alligood, M. R. (2017). Nursing Theorists and their Work-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Blas, E., & Kurup, A. S. (Eds). (2010). Equity, social determinants and public health programmes. World Health Organization. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44289/9789241563970_eng.pdf;jsessionid=0B181995206504324EF2BE24A978C9B2?sequence=1

Chaffee, M. W., & McNeill, M. M. (2007). A model of nursing as a complex adaptive system. Nursing outlook, 55(5), 232-241.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17950117

Ehrenreich, B. (2002). The emergence of Nursing as a political force. Policy and politics in nursing and health care, 141-156.

Kleffel, D. (2006). The evolution of the environmental metaparadigm of nursing (pp. 97-108). Jones and Barlett Publishers, MA.

Mason, D. J., Leavitt, J. K., & Chaffee, M. W. (2013). Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare-Revised Reprint. Elsevier Health Sciences. https://evolve.elsevier.com/cs/product/9780323242417?role=studentNightingale, F. (1992). Notes on nursing: What it is, and what it is not. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Valentine-Maher, S. (2008). The transformative potential of realigning agape and eros in the continued development of nursing's role. Research and theory for nursing practice, 22(3), 171-181.

Winland-Brown, J., Lachman, V. D., & Swanson, E. O. C. (2015). The new'Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements'(2015): Practical clinical application, Part I. Medsurg Nursing, 24(4), 268.