In the healthcare system, nurses play a critical role in collaborating with other healthcare providers to ensure adequate healthcare services. Nurses perform the crucial task of managing patients' care and providing a cohesive and well-coordinated service for successful patient outcomes. In the past, many factors affected the ability of advanced nurses to perform their duties effectively. For instance, in the mid-20th century, politics played a critical part in influencing the role of nurses in the healthcare system.
The nursing profession during the mid-20th century struggled to define itself and the specific role it plays in the medical field (Darcy-Mahoney et al., 2020). After World War II, the rise in medical technology and scientific advancement in medicine and surgery expanded the nursing setting from working in private duty or public health nursing services to hospital and other extensive healthcare providing facilities. The change that took place after World War II transformed the nursing profession because, in hospitals, nurses could access medical supervision from doctors and physicians, leading to a clear definition of nursing boundaries.
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When in the hospitals, nurses could no longer diagnose or prescribe medication compared to when they work in private duty or public health nursing services (Ruth & Marshall, 2017). Before, nurses were working independently outside hospitals, diagnosing and dispensing medications to the patients. In 1955, the American Nursing Association developed a nursing model that would limit the role of nurses in the healthcare system. The model could not allow advanced nurses to diagnose or prescribe medication to the patients, disrupting their autonomy in healthcare provision. Indeed, nurses have come a long way in defining their roles in healthcare provision. Nurses have the critical responsibility of managing patient care and collaborating with other healthcare professionals to ensure the high patient outcome.
References
Darcy-Mahoney, A., Carter, B. G., Mullan, F., & Beard, K. V. (2020). Looking backwards to move forward: Using a social mission lens in nursing education. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(5) , 412-416.
Ruth, B. J., & Marshall, J. W. (2017). A history of social work in public health. American Journal of Public Health, 107(3) , 236-242.
