Robert Wood Foundation (RWF) Committee Work and IOM Report

 

The Future of Nursing report was developed during a propitious period in the U.S health care – an era typified by the increasing need for modifications in the care delivery framework. First, the “IOM Vision of the Future of Nursing” report was developed by the RWF committee that envisioned a future where disease prevention and primary care would be the healthcare system’s main focus. Second, RWF supplied the IOM with leadership and the human resources needed to produce the Future of Nursing’s blueprint report. For example, RWF staff spearheaded the research that identified the significant issues within the healthcare framework that the IOM sought to address. An opinion survey conducted by the foundation to establish the influence level nurses should be given on different healthcare aspects was cited in the report’s call of action for nurses to assume leadership roles (IOM committee, 2016). RWF also investigated the issues of the U.S. healthcare system and presented the findings to IOM. It made recommendations on how to address the distinguished problems.

Thirdly, the foundation financed numerous sponsorship and funding programs to promote its vision for the future of nursing. For example, it funded the Nursing Alliance for Quality Care to foster their vision for safe, quality, and patient-centered healthcare for patients, families, and communities. Through the RWJF leadership program, the institution provided an entry point for nurses to act as leaders in health policy changes (IOM committee, 2016). In this vision, nurses would serve as the main driving force for the attainment of these goals.
Key Messages of the IOM Report
The report was based on four recommendations: the need to transform nursing practice, nursing education, nursing leadership, and the demand for better healthcare data. The following are the key messages of the report (IOM committee, 2016):

 	
Nurses must be accorded the authority to practice to the maximum level of their training and education.
 	
Nurses must seek to attain higher education and training levels. An education structure that allows a continuous and smooth transition through academic levels would facilitate the attainment of higher education.
 	
Nurses should spearhead and lead the redesigning of the healthcare system.
 	
Improved data collection procedures and infrastructures will facilitate effective workforce planning and policy development.

Transforming Nursing Practice
The report recognized the role played by policy and regulatory measures in restricting nurses from adequately fulfilling their obligations. For example, it noted that Advanced Practice Registered Nurses’ (APRN) scope of practice is the same as that of nurses with lesser education and training in some states (IOM committee, 2016). It further asserted that allowing nurses to perform to the maximum level of their training and education would result in better health outcomes. Over the years, APRNs’ responsibilities have changed as states eliminate the practice-related barriers. For example, New Jersey and Florida have amended their legislation to expand the registered nurses’ scope of practice within the state (Joyce et al., 2019). Regarding the IOM’s vision of a future where the value was rewarded, value-based programs are becoming normalized in the modern healthcare system (Chee et al., 2016). The recommendations have influenced and shaped contemporary nursing practices.
Transforming Nursing Education
The IOM report highlighted the importance of nursing education in equipping nurses with the skills and competencies needed in meeting their professional obligations. It revealed that nursing had the least number of baccalaureate degree when compared with other professions. These findings influenced the employment requirements of nursing that currently need at least a BSN or an associate degree to get an entry-level job (IOM committee, 2016). The report recommended that the nursing curriculum reflect the healthcare system changes, for instance, teaching concepts of primary care and disease prevention as opposed to acute care treatment. In 2011, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing initiated transitions to the recommended models for new graduates (IOM committee, 2016). Furthermore, it also highlighted the significance of lifelong education. In response, various states currently mandate continuing education as a prerequisite for license renewal.
Transforming Leadership
The IOM recommendation that nurses spearhead the redesigning of the healthcare system demanded that they take up leadership positions. New roles in clinical nursing were conceptualized in the wake of the report. For example, the clinical nurse leader and care coordinators were established after the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (Joseph & Huber, 2015). The report further mandated nurses to take up leadership roles in advocating for health policies that improve patients’ health outcomes. In line with these recommendations, the ANA code of ethics requires nurses to always advocate for their patients’ rights. Therefore, the IOM report has also influenced the professional regulations related to the discipline.