Discuss your options in the job market based on your educational level.
I am a graduate of an entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs. The job market is currently favoring my field and that of master’s nursing programs compared to other fields. The current market trends show that there is an up to 59 percent chance for Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students to get job offers right after graduation (RWJF, 2013) . That said, my degree gives me a wide range of options in the job market. In a world where most college graduates have a hard time finding a position in the tight job market, a graduate of baccalaureate nursing program is excellently positioned to secure a well-paying job. At this point, I can get a job as a bedside nurse at any hospital or healthcare setting.
Review the IOM Future of Nursing Recommendations for achieving higher levels of education.
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The IOM Future of Nursing report presents a couple of recommendations towards the achievement of higher education levels. These include:
Eliminate any scope-of-practice barriers to make it possible for the nurses registered within the advanced practice to fully practice according to their training and education. This will ensure that no further education and training goes to waste and that all the nurses are able to maximize their full potentials. This recommendation can be accomplished by having the congress expand the offering of the Medicare program to cater for the advanced practice registered nurses. Also, congress should extend the higher Medicaid reimbursement rates offered to service the primary care physicians within the ACA to also benefit the advanced practice registered nurses.
Healthcare organizations, nursing associations, public and private funders, and nursing education programs should increase the opportunities that make it possible for nurses to take the lead. With these increased chances of taking the lead, it will be easier for the nurses to build up confidence to carry out their operations in a more successful manner (Kershaw, 2011) .
Healthcare organizations, the federal government, accrediting bodies, and the state boards of nursing should also be actively involved when it comes to offering transition-to-practice support for the nurses once they are done with the advanced practice or pre-licensure program.
The academic nurse leaders representing different schools of nursing should also be active when it comes to increasing the proportion of nurses who hold baccalaureate degrees. The current goal is to increase this proportion from the current 50% to 80% by 2020. This recommendation can be accomplished by having the leaders strike partnerships with the education accrediting bodies, employers, and public and private funders.
On a similar note, the public and private funders, university trustees, accrediting bodies, and academic administrators should focus on doubling the number of nurses who hold a doctorate by 2020 to increase diversity and representation (Kershaw, 2011).
Describe what professional certification and advanced degrees (MSN, DNP, etc.) you want to pursue and explain your reasons for wanting to attain the education. Discuss your timeline for accomplishing these goals.
I am currently interested in pursuing a doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) degree, which I first learning about from one of my undergraduate professors. This professor described DNP as ‘the future of nursing’ that was set to move the nursing profession beyond the patient bedside. After a further talk with the professor about this program, she explained that she hoped that this new degree was going to introduce us to a ‘system level’ of thinking and help us develop though leadership when it comes to technology and health policies (RWJF, 2013) . I was intrigued at the thought of being able to care for my patients without necessarily having to memorize what was ailing them and their treatments. Also, I thought it was cool that I would be able to immerse myself into systems thinking, teamwork, and leadership.
I just graduated from nursing school and I am working at a local mental health clinic. I am currently at a point where I am unable to provide care in the right manner despite the fact that I have advanced knowledge in psychopharmacology and psychiatric conditions. At this point, I feel the need to enroll in a DNP program for me to be better positioned to handle chronic issues more systematically. I intend to start by enrolling in health outcomes management, organizational behavior, health policy and ethics, and information technology. I am especially interested in taking the DNP program because it will better position me to compete with other doctoral professionals.
Discuss how increasing your level of education would affect how your competitiveness in the current job market and your role in the future of nursing.
I believe that increasing my level of education will greatly lower competition in the job market because not many nurses get to this advanced level of education. I will also be able to shift from the role of a bedside nurse to a managerial role. I am excited about these new opportunities because they open up me to a new world of challenges to enhance professional growth.
Discuss the relationship of continuing nursing education to competency, attitudes, knowledge, and the ANA Scope and Standards for Practice and Code of Ethics.
Competency refers to the continued ability of a nurse to incorporate the gained knowledge, skills, judgment, and other qualities in their setting and operations and in accordance with the nursing practice jurisdiction. Continuing nursing education boosts the competency of the nurse, making it possible to exceed the expected operational levels. A competent nurse is proactive, has excellent decision making, problem solving, and critical thinking skills. However, there is no guarantee that a single evaluation tool or continuing education on its own will ensure competency.
When it comes to attitudes and knowledge, continuing nursing education has the benefit of that it better equips the nurses to be able to adapt to the continually changing healthcare environment. Also, it is evidence based, which means that it promotes professionalism and increases the chances of delivering better care (Nalle, Wyatt, & Myers, 2010) . However, the challenge with this technique is that education is expensive and there is no guarantee that the expected results will be achieved.
Discuss whether continuing nursing education should be mandatory. Provide support for your response.
While a lot has been invested towards continued education for nurses, it is important to remember that nurses bear personal responsibility to pursue the appropriate education ("Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) - What Is a DNP and Is It worth It?” 2019) . It is important to understand that mandatory continuing education does not give the guarantee of addressing advanced practice nurses. Also, the process of acquiring advanced education in remote areas is complicated. Besides, several healthcare professionals have already taken up the mandate of advancing their education on their own. That said, whether a nurse is interested in pursuing education or not should be a personal decision that a nurse should be allowed to make based on their circumstances.
References
Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) - What Is A DNP and Is It Worth It? (2019). Retrieved 19 December 2019, from https://nurse.org/articles/how-to-get-a-dnp-is-it-worth-it/
Kershaw, B. (2011). The Future of Nursing – Leading Change, Advancing Health the Future of Nursing – Leading Change, Advancing Health. Nursing Standard , 26 (7), 31-31. Doe: 10.7748/ns2011.10.26.7.31.b1274
Nalle, M. A., Wyatt, T. H., & Myers, C. R. (2010). Continuing education needs of nurses in a voluntary continuing nursing education state. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing , 41 (3), 107-115.
RWJF. (2013). A Bright Job Outlook for BSN Nursing Grads. Retrieved 19 December 2019, from https://www.rwjf.org/en/blog/2013/12/a_bright_job_outlook.html
