Highlighting the Advancements of Nursing Througout the 21st Century
DIVERSITY , EQUITY , AND INCLUSION
Nurses come from diverse backgrounds and have unique perspectives . Anyone can become a nurse with the right education and training ! A diverse nursing workforce welcomes an expanded pool of talent and expertise to the nursing career . DEI is an important part of the future and nurses should continue to create spaces that challenge racism and create a safe environment for all genders , races , and ethnicities .
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Nursing provides a variety of career opportunities from home health to in-patient nursing to pediatric intensive care to private nurse practitioner practices . Nurses are in high demand in a variety of specialties nationwide . Specialized certifications and degrees have elevated the practice to provide optimum patient care .
EDUCATION
There is a current movement toward higher degrees of education for nurses . More registered nurses are obtaining Bachelors of Science in Nursing degrees leading to increased clinical preparation and leadership at the bedside . BSN degrees have elevated the nursing practice and thus are becoming more readily available through online programs , accelerated programs , and flexible schedules . Nurses can also pursue advanced degrees such as a Master of Science in Nursing and a Doctorate of Science in Nursing to become nurse practitioners and practice autonomously in some states . Nurses can obtain these advanced degrees online while simultaneously working full-time as a nurse .
COVID AND THE “ YEAR OF THE NURSE ”
During COVID , nurses faced many challenges at the forefront of the pandemic enduring long and emotional hours with increased stress and equipment shortages . Nurses faced and adapted to an unanticipated pandemic that brought immense changes within society and healthcare . The World Health Assembly refers to 2020 as the “ Year of the Nurse ” as nurses were “ resilient , selfless , and compassionate , risking their health and safety for the common good .” COVID was able to bring about an increase in modern technology and generate solutions during this difficult time . Telehealth did exist before COVID , but became increasingly more useful during this time . Now patients find it easier to schedule remote visits which is helpful for patients who may struggle finding transportation to appointments or live in remote areas .
THE NEXT GENERATION NCLEX
The NGN launched on April 1 , 2023 to better measure nursing candidates ’ clinical judgment and decision-making abilities through the use of innovative item types . The need to measure this stemmed from information gathered during the 2013-2014 NCSBN Strategic Practice Analysis , which showed newly licensed nurses are increasingly expected to make complex decisions while caring for patients . NCSBN conducted several phases of research through the NGN project that are shown through the model and the updated NCLEX . Clinical judgment essential to nursing practice and thus the NCSBN created a clinical judgment model as a new way of teaching and thinking to better prepare nurses to critically think after graduation and passing the NCLEX . is
AUTONOMY
Nurses have gained increased autonomy at the bedside as registered nurses but also can pursue graduate degrees as a Nurse Practitioners . Nurse Practitioners can legally run their own practice , make diagnoses , order medications , and so much more without the presence of a physician . Autonomy has led to advancements in patient care due to the shortage of physicians nationwide .
LEADERSHIP
Nurses have expanded their leadership in vast ways and are now considered the physician ’ s trusted partner in healthcare rather than the physician ’ s handmaiden . Increased leadership has led to increased responsibilities . Nurses are essential to the progression and future of healthcare . There are a variety of leadership positions available to nurses as well to expand career opportunities .
ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD
The HITECH Act was passed in 2009 which mandated that all medical records be switched to a digital format known as the electronic medical record . Before this , most patient charting was done through paper charting systems . The EMR created a faster exchange of ideas among the multidisciplinary team and created a smoother continuum of care . Electronic systems have continued to advance and improve nursing communication and patient care .
NURSING SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS
Many nurses have created a presence in online forums as social media influencers . Nursing presence on social media is quickly expanding as a new generation of nurses graduate . Social media can have vast impacts on nursing and the public view of the career . Thus , nurses should be considerate of what they post and interact with on these digital forums . Expanded knowledge on digital forums and digital footprint is needed to increase nursing competence through internet exchanges .
AND THE FUTURE OF NURSING
Nursing will continue to advance and nurses must be willing to adapt to these changes as they come . Just as nurses in the past have overcome the challenges in their path the next generation of nurses must persevere when change comes .
CITATIONS
American Nurses Association . ( 2019 ). A new generation of nurses is here . American Nursing Journal . https :// www . myamericannurse . com / new-generation-nurses /
Keypath Education . ( 2020 ). Recent changes in Nursing Practice & Education . Global Health Education . https :// globalhealtheducation . com / article / recent-changes-nursing-practice-education
Moody , J . ( 2023 , October 30 ). History of nursing timeline : How nursing education has evolved . Post University . https :// post . edu / blog / history-of-nursing-education-timeline /
National Council of State Boards of Nursing , Inc . ( 2024 ). Next generation NCLEX ( NGN ). Next Generation NCLEX . https :// www . nclex . com / next-generation-nclex . page
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