The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity” report makes recommendations for lifelong learning and achieving higher levels of education
Trends and Issues in Today’s Health Care
Professional responsibility is critical in the development of a person’s skills, and expertise. Different professions have different ways in which they exercise their different practice scope. The strategies are critical as they facilitate a means by which the professional meets their practice roles and responsibilities, in the nursing sector, different organizations champion ways in which nurses can improve their overall practice standard. One of the strategies that have been presented s the need to advance nursing education.
The IOM provides various recommendations that the changes in complexities of the nursing industry require that the nurses seek additional studies of attaining certifications (Institute of Medicine, 2011). The strategies can be used to improve the overall outcome of care and ensure that the outcome creates the desired outcome. This paper will focus on the current issues affecting the nursing job market, an analysis of the IOM Future of Nursing Recommendations, and how nurses increase their chances within the job market through the betterment of their education.
Options in the Job Market Based on Education Level
Nurses that have a BSN degree or higher have more preference during the recruitment process (Labrague et al., 2018). The nursing sector is constantly changing with more tasks being provided to nurses (Jeffries, 2022). The scope of nursing practice is also becoming more complex which requires that nurses get the required education to help address the issue in great detail. With increased awareness of the nursing profession, nurses with higher education tend to have a wider job market compared to those without higher education.
To be awarded a baccalaureate degree, a nurse is would be required to first attain the required education and teaching on the different issues affecting the healthcare sector (Jeffries, 2022). As a result, the BSN degree provides an additional advantage to the nurse and also higher demand from employers. The need to increase the educational levels of nurses is in line with the recommendations provided by the Future of Nursing: Leading Change and Advancing Health (Labrague et al., 2018).
IOM Future of Nursing Recommendations
One of the key messages of the IOM Future of Nursing is the need to advance in one’s education. Advancement in education equips nurses with the ability to be conversant with the different issues in the healthcare sector (Institute of Medicine, 2011). Be that as it may, the nursing profession has different units with each focusing on different aspects. In this regard, there is a need for nurses to identify the areas of expertise they want and focus their education on advancing the profession. Some of the different alternative pathways to choose from include a baccalaureate degree (BSN), an associate’s degree (ADN), and a hospital-based diploma (Institute of Medicine, 2011).
Those that need to advance further can either select either an MSN or DNP. I intend to complete my BSN degree and take my certification to ensure that I can efficiently practice within the profession. I also purpose that I would in future focus on advancing to the DNP level as it focuses on practical care. As a DNP-prepared nurse, I would be able to deliver on the different components of care (Institute of Medicine, 2011).
With an advancement as a DNP-prepared nurse, I would be able to deliver on my role as a nurse and increase the overall efficiency of care. Each of the processes has a fixed timeline but I will take a one- or two-year gap before proceeding to the next level of education. The break would be used to help in improving my practice skills and apply the knowledge in practice.
Impact of Education Level on Competitiveness
Overall nursing education is a crucial element when it comes to competitiveness in the job market. As the different levels of education attract different job openings (Ten Hoeve et al., 2017). Be that as it may, there is a shortage of nurses to help fill the gap within the healthcare sector. The healthcare sector is changing and as such, requires nurses that have the skills and expertise to work within the new strategies of the practice.
The shortage of nurses has had an impact on the job market creating a high gap for nurses that have the required expertise and educational expertise. Nurses that have higher levels of education have increased opportunities present in the job market. Similarly, there is also a generally high demand for BSN-prepared nurses over RNs with a diploma or lower academic qualification (Yeom et al., 2017). The emphasis on BSN-prepared nurses or higher is in line with the need for care providers to ensure quality care for all patients.
Other than the