A Challenge to Nurses – It’s Now or Never

Representatives from our 31 state teams converged in D.C. this week to celebrate successes and share the challenges as we continue our tireless work to build nursing workforce capacity across the nation. The excitement was infectious and there was unanimous agreement of the pivotal role nurses can and will play in the implementation of health care reform. 

There is much anticipation for the release of the Initiative on the Future of Nursing (IFN) recommendations that will help guide the transformation of the nursing field within this uncharted territory. There is no time like the present for change and nurses have the incredible opportunity and challenge to insert themselves as part of the solution to the systemic issues that plague our health care system.

As evidenced by the work of our state teams, nurses have a direct impact on increasing access and quality of care and reducing health care costs. Barriers like a lack of qualified faculty and disconnect within statewide curriculums no doubt exist; however, solutions like partnerships between public and private universities, shared faculty and curricula, and the use of simulation technology are all contributing to a new, more equipped nursing workforce that is more equipped to meet the demands of a changing 21st century population including long term, transitional and palliative geriatric care.

Shared knowledge, tenacity, collaboration and persistence have become the cornerstones of our collective efforts to redesign the underlying issues in education capacity that are hindering the number of qualified new nurses entering into the profession.  Now, we must look to tackle other pressing issues including scope of practice, retaining the wisdom and knowledge of our experienced nurses and having a powerful presence and impact from bedside to boardroom. Our time is now. Let’s continue to build the momentum and not only visualize but realize a more effective, reformed system, that results in a healthier America.