The Growing Nursing Practice

The Growing Nursing Practice

The nursing profession is expected to experience tremendous changes in the coming years due to various shifts in the healthcare system (Afifi, Rice and Komiski, 2011). One such change is the increase in the use of nurses in the healthcare system. The increased opportunities for nurses have been created by changes such as increased population of aging people, incentives provided to Accountable Care Organizations and the increasing number of medical homes.

As the healthcare system restructures, nurses are increasingly required to match the demand for the changing trends. One of the changes that have created more opportunities for nursing practitioners is the reduction of in-patients and increase of out-patients. Many patients are being treated on a daily basis and released from hospitals. Such patients require continuity of care and follow-ups to ensure quick recovery and to prevent re-admission to hospitals. This role is played by nurses who ensure that that the process of transition from a hospital to a home setting helps to improve the health conditions of the patients. Therefore, the increase in the number of out-patients means more nurses are expected to match the demand.

In an effort to reduce the number of patients being treated in hospitals, the government is encouraging the establishment of medical homes. Medical homes are meant to ensure continuous care to patients through coordination by trained staff to enhance access to healthcare services (Melinda, Davis and Haran, 2009). Most of the staff required to provide services to these home cares are nurses. This shows that there is a demand for more nurses to work in the medical homes.

As a means to improve the healthcare system, a more coordinated effort has been put by healthcare providers. More Accountable Care Organizations are coming up, especially because the government is giving them incentives. These organizations ensure coordination by all organizations and individuals providing care to a patient so that there is no duplication of services and to reduce cost and medical errors. The emergence of such organizations is creating more opportunities for nurses. This means that more nurses will be required to work in these organizations.

To cater for the health needs of people with limited ability to pay, Nurse-Managed Health Clinics are increasingly being established. These clinics are managed by nurses although other healthcare providers work in them. These clinics provide health promotions, primary care and disease prevention (America Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). These clinics aim at providing care to vulnerable populations by providing services such as physical examination, immunizations, diabetes and cardiovascular checks. All these services require an increased number of nurses.

The American population for the aged is on the increase. The increasing population creates the need for specialized health care provision in home settings. The home setting care provision is preferred by the baby boomers because they feel more comfortable being cared for in familiar environments. The shift in baby boomers’ population translates to the increased need for more nurses to provide the specialized care since the existing number of nurses is not sufficient.

In conclusion, the nursing profession is shifting towards a positive growth. More nurses are required to take care of the many changes that accompany the restructuring of the healthcare system currently taking place. The increasing number of medical homes, out-patients, Accountable Health Organizations and Nurse-Managed Health Clinics are some of the factors that have increased the demand for more nurses.

References

Afifi, A.A., Rice, T.H., & Komiski, G.F. (2011). Changing the U.S. Health Care System: Key Issues in Health Services Policy and Management. New York: John Wiley &sons.

America Association of Colleges of Nursing (2012). Nurse‐Managed Health Clinics: Increasing Access to Primary Care and Educating the Healthcare Workforce. Retrieved from: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/government-affairs/FY13NMHCs.pdf

Melinda, K.A., Davis, K., & Haran, C. (2009). Can Patient-Centered Medical Homes Transform Health Care Delivery? Retrieved from: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/From-the-President/2009/Can-Patient-Centered-Medical-Homes-Transform-Health-Care-Delivery.aspx

 

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