IOM Future of Nursing Recommendation

Having completed my associate degree in India, I have provided my services to the United States as a nurse for ten years. The changes in policies and regulations of the health sector have driven me to enroll at Grand Canyon University. This will enable me to pursue the registered nurse (RN) program and eventually the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The introduction of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations offers me and hundreds of other health professionals in the region better employment opportunities. The provision of infrastructure and proper policies by the government in the sector has resulted in the realization of .

The significance of the health care system in the United States has qualified in the industry as a model for other countries (., 2011). There are concerns as to whether the above development provides qualified health practitioners with better opportunities.

Recommendation 5: Double the number of nurses with a doctorate by 2020
In its fourth and fifth recommendations, the implementation provides for the increase in the number of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80% by 2020. A few factors will be significant to the successful implementation of this recommendation, one of them being changes in demographic trends. Today, the demographic trends in the United States indicate that the number of older patients making visits to the emergency department will increase from 15% to approximately 25% in the next 30 years. This demographic change in the population involves citizens who are over the age of sixty-five years. The group accounts for the majority of patients admitted frequently to the intensive care unit and the hospital. This group of patients needs more tests that are time-consuming with every patient (Cronenwett et al., 2011).

Recommendation 6: Ensure that nurses engage in lifelong learning
The increasing number of older patients will present new challenges to the health care industry. To address the special needs of the older patients, health care employees will look in to employ nurses prepared by a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The need for a BSN qualification results from the need to introduce patient acuity, which requires an advanced level of nursing education. This is because patient acuity is a concept that guarantees the safety of the patients. The increase in the number of older patients demands advanced expertise to meet the unique needs of the older patients (Cronenwett et al., 2011).

Identify your options in the on your educational level
How will increasing your level of education affect how you compete in the ?
In the quest to address the emerging issues in the ever-changing health care sector, health care professionals have found out that people over the age of 65 years are now living longer. The trend shows that this group will continue to increase in number. This group creates opportunities for health professionals who are required to meet this need. The state legislation that provides for affordable care under Act 2010 will increase the coverage to approximately 33 million people in four years. From these projections, more health care providers are required to meet the demands of the various states. The issue is further worsened by the move by to specialize instead of focusing on primary care.

How will increasing your level of education affect your role in the future of nursing?
Further studies in primary care may contribute to the number of primary care assistants, which is crucial in reducing the primary care gap. Competency in nursing can only be achieved by further studies and practice of the profession. Changes in trends among the population can only present new opportunities for students and professionals. As the challenges evolve with time, so do the new ways how to solve them. Focusing on primary care instead of specialized care may be an opportunity for me as well as the many professionals who further their studies according to the demands of the industry (Wilber et al., 2006).