Future Nursing Essay

Page 10 • ISNA Bulletin

August, September, October 2011

Independent Study
Visioning the Future of Nursing: Analysis of the IOM/RWJ Foundation Report
Introduction In October of 2010, the Institute of Medicine, working in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, released a report entitled The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Recommendations in the report advocate for major changes in the education and practice of nursing in the United States. This independent study summarizes key points of the report and includes evidence from related sources that supports the need for change in nursing. Current and proposed action steps to implement the recommendations are included. Background Information The Institute of Medicine (IOM), part of the National Academy of Sciences, is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to “serve as an adviser to the nation to improve health” (IOM, 2011). The organization is not part of a government agency, but serves as a resource to help both government and private agencies make informed decisions about healthcare issues. Over the past several years, a number of studies have been published relative to nursing, the healthcare workforce, and patient safety. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) exists to “improve the health and health care of all Americans” (RWJF, 2011). The Foundation is an independent, philanthropic organization currently focusing on program areas of childhood obesity, health coverage, human capital, pioneering innovations, public health, quality and equality of healthcare, and vulnerable populations. In 2008, the two groups established a partnership to address key issues related to the future of nursing. This project, entitled Initiative on the Future of Nursing, involved several meetings of stakeholders and data collection from numerous public and private sector sources. Concurrent to these committee sessions, the U.S. Congress was debating the issue of healthcare reform. Dr....