Iom Report

The IOM report has had a significant impact on the education of nurses.   With major changes occurring in the healthcare system, major changes must likewise be reflected in nursing education.   Nursing education must continue to evolve to meet the diverse needs of patients, and must prepare nurses to function in an increasingly complex healthcare system.   As a result, an increased emphasis must be placed on community and public health settings.   With the Affordable Care Act (ACA) increasing healthcare’s drive to provide community and primary care, public health settings must be incorporated into the education of nursing students.
The impact on education is also seen in the drive toward nurses achieving higher education.   The fragmentation of the nursing community (associate degree nurses, diploma nurses, and bachelor prepared nurses) has generated confusion among healthcare professionals as well as the general public.   With studies proving a significant connection between the educational level of registered nurses and patient outcomes, the IOM report pushes toward an all Bachelor Science of Nursing (BSN) workforce.   While this long term goal may be unattainable and impractical, the goal of reaching an 80 percent BSN workforce by 2020 is well within the realm of possibilities.   The report concludes that this goal is possible due to the many ways a BSN may be obtained, from distance to online learning.   Hospitals and health care facilities have the responsibility to encourage nurses to attain higher education through scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs.
Nursing practice, especially primary care in nursing is taking a large step forward according to the IOM report.   United States legislation has begun to shift the focus of nursing from that of acute and specialty care to primary, community, and preventative care.   This shift away from acute care to primary will provide continuous treatment, and will enable inter-professional teamwork to provide the best...