Personal Reflection Based on the IOM Future of Nursing Recommendations

Introduction

Since the pioneering work of Florence Nightingale to develop a clear academic pathway for aspiring nurses, education has remained at the forefront for the nursing field. As nursing has become increasingly evidence-based, practitioners, teachers, employers and nurses have all placed greater emphasis on developing educational strategies for improving the quality of the field. The purpose of this paper is to provide a personal reflection of my own role in this greater emphasis on education. Drawing mainly on the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) recommendations, discussion will first focus on my own role as an aspiring nurse at the baccalaureate, doctoral, and lifelong learning levels. Employment options will then be considered based on my educational level, depending on market trends and career advancement opportunities. This paper will conclude with a brief summary and outline of key points. 

Personal Reflection

Recommendation four of the IOM's (2010) report for future nurses pertains to the need to increase the percentage of nurses with baccalaureate degrees. Specifically, the IOM recommends that the field seek to increase the percentage of nurses with baccalaureate degrees to 80 percent by the year 2020. Recent trends suggest that the field is on its way toward meeting this goal. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2013), just 22 percent of all nurses held a baccalaureate degree in 1980. However, nearly 40 percent held such degrees by the year 2008. While the proportion of nurses with baccalaureate degrees is still far from its desired level, this trend suggests that employers and practitioners are placing greater value on obtaining a four-year degree. My own efforts to complete my baccalaureate degree reflect this trend, and I believe that when I earn this degree, I will have greatly assisted in the evidence-based movement of the nursing field. As I expect to earn my degree within the next few years, I will be well on my way to helping the IOM meet its 2020 deadline. 

Recommendation of the IOM's (2010) report suggests that the field seek to double the number of nurses with a doctoral degree by 2020. A doctoral degree generally requires at least five additional years beyond a baccalaureate, which deters many nurses who enter the field to ensure a generous salary and benefits in a relatively short period of time (American Nurses Association, ANA, 2010). According to the AACN (2013), just 13.2 percent of all nurses held any form of an advanced degree as of 2008. Although this percentage is substantially higher than in previous decades, this figure still suggests that an advanced degree is less essential to gaining employment in the nursing field. This is unfortunate, as an advanced degree in nursing requires a heavy emphasis on research (ANA, 2010). Even if one does not expect to conduct research as a career, understanding how to read and disseminate information from current studies can help improve one's use of evidence in applied settings (ANA, 2010). My personal goals are currently limited to obtaining my baccalaureate degree, although I may continue with my education once this goal is complete. Ultimately, I think that my earning a doctorate would greatly enhance my own marketability as an employee, as well as the overall quality of the field. 

Recommendation six of the IOM's (2010) report suggests that nurses engage in a process of lifelong learning. Nursing is a field that strongly supports career advancement opportunities for its employees, and I intend to continue to capitalize on these offerings. Most major nursing organizations offer continued training in critical areas of need, and this emphasis on lifelong learning has largely been responsible for the increased use of evidence to guide healthcare decision-making (ANA, 2010). Not only do I intend to utilize the career advancement opportunities I am given, but I also plan on continuing to stay apprised of current research and issues in the field that will help me direct my own lifelong learning. 

Career Options

As can be evidenced by the IOM's (2010) recommendations, as well as trends identified by the AACN (2013), increasing one's education greatly increases his or her marketability as an employee. A recent report by the Georgetown Public Policy Institute (GPPI, 2013) showed that graduates of nursing programs experience the lowest unemployment rate of any major academic field, thereby contributing to the nursing shortage. The necessity for qualified nurses probably indicates that I will not have trouble gaining employment following graduation. However, the GPPI (2013) report also showed that this unemployment rate drops even further with greater levels of education. Nurses with higher levels of education have more options as to where they want to work, which sub-discipline they choose, and the level of complexity of the cases they work with (ANA, 2010). For example, the development of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) was due to the need to employ healthcare practitioners who possess many of the same expanded skills and abilities as physicians, but without the requirement of a medical degree (ANA, 2010). The unemployment rate for APRN's is among the lowest of any career, and reflects how increasing one's education can greatly enhance his or her career options now, as well as in the future. 

Conclusion

The purpose of this paper was to provide a personal reflection of my role in meeting the IOM's Future of Nursing recommendations. This reflection specifically focused on recommendations four, five, and six, which pertained to increasing the average education level of the workforce over the next decade. Based on recent trends, it is clear that the nursing field is placing greater value on four-year and post-graduate degrees. It seems likely that two-year degrees will no longer be acceptable for employment in the field in the future, and aspiring nurses should ideally seek advanced degrees to successfully compete in the future job market. 

References

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2013). Nursing fact sheet. Retrieved from: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-fact-sheet. Accessed 7 September 2013. 

American Nurses Association (2010). Nursing: scope and standards of practice, 2nd ed. Silver Springs, MD: American Nurses Association. 

Georgetown Public Policy Institute (2013). Hard times: college majors, unemployment and earnings. Retrieved from: http://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/HardTimes.2013.2.pdf. Accessed  7 September 2013. 

Institute of Medicine (2010). The future of nursing: leading change, advancing health. Retrieved from: http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing/Future%20of%20Nursing%202010%20Recommendations.pdf. Accessed 7 September 2013.