Do you agree or disagree with how the Institute of Medicine (IOM) describes the advanced practice registered nurse role evolving

The nursing profession has become more and more sought after over the years. With more people wanting to become nurses the ability to get into nursing programs has become so impacted. The ability to start a program depends on what degree you want to obtain at the end as well as how much money you are willing to spend. There are too many avenues to navigate between LVN vs. ADN vs. BSN as well as bridge options, etc. If the option of an LVN or ADN was removed from the community college level then there would not be a multi tired option for nurses to choose from. I understand that financially this may be the best option for people, but in finding a job out of school it becomes increasingly difficult. A majority of hospitals are trying to reach Magnet status and thus will not hire nurses without a baccalaureate degree. As a second degree major myself, I knew that it made more sense for me to find a program where I could complete my baccalaureate degree to help find a job. That being said, I work with a number of nurses whose highest degree is an ADN and their experience alone within the field of nursing makes up for the fact that they do not have a bachelors. Within my institution, if you want to climb the Clinical Ladder then you need at least a Bachelor’s degree to qualify. Putting in the extra time and money to advance one’s education is not always worth the effort if institutions are not willing to help support nurses in going back to school and then reward them with pay differentials when they do complete their advancement. I think that eventually LVN and ADN programs will eventually fall by the wayside due to the fact that most people will need a bachelor’s degree to find a job.

One of the biggest helps in being a new graduate nurse was going through my hospital’s residency program. It allowed me the time and training I needed to navigate this new nurse role. Personally, I think that everyone should go through a program like this to get their confidence in a new position whether this be in a hospital, home health, school nurse, etc. “The Secretary of Health and Human Services should redirect all graduate medical education funding from diploma nursing programs to support the implementation of nurse residency programs in rural and critical access areas” (IOM, 2010). If more places allowed for and had funding for nurse residency programs then there might be less turn over or burn out from nurses leading to a higher retention rate and overall elevated patient satisfaction scores. The residency program at my hospital has been around for almost 10 years. In talking with the nurses who did not go through any residency training, they feel like they missed out and received less support from the institution and it was more of a sink or swim type mentality as a new graduate.

I personally agree with the IOM that there does need to be an evolution in the advance practice registered nurse role. Nurses should be able to practice to the fullest extent of their education and be seen as a partner alongside of physicians. Additionally, nurses should be achieving higher levels of education and training all while being supported, encouraged and rewarded by their hospital. If this is able to happen then it will keep up the drive of advancing the nursing profession forward which will in turn help patient populations in every health care setting.

Reference

Institute of medicine. (2010). The future of nursing: leading change, advancing health. Retrieved from http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/Reports/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing-Leading-Change-Advancing-Health.aspx