Reflection Paper Sample about Nurses Professional Development

Continued Professional Development

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that the world of healthcare today is advancing at a rapid rate and the demand for better services is at an all-time high. Healthcare is an essential service and Nurses have always played a critical role in it (American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), 2009). The United States of America stand as a beacon of standards of excellence in this sector. The nurse population makes up the largest segment of the workforce in healthcare and so must have a greater transformational impact at every level.

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In 2010, the Institute of Medicine with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation after a study released a report termed The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. This report assessed the need for the nursing profession to change to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population and evolving system (Blazer, 2016). The report emphasized the need for nurses to advance their education as well as practice regardless of their training then work in partnership with other healthcare providers in policy making. It also made eight recommendations in line with these findings to be adopted as the blueprint for action toward the future.

Every Nurse Practitioner must establish their role in the progression of the profession because the advancement of every nurse means better outcomes for the patient. As a nurse practitioner, I understand that I play an integral role in providing quality primary healthcare service to the community. I owe it to my country, my profession, my patients and myself to ensure I become the best nurse I can be (Buppert, 2015)

Increasing The Proportion of Nurses with A Baccalaureate Degree to 80% By 2020

The need for certified registered nurse practitioners to work in different setups attending to all cadre of patients means a higher level of basic knowledge is requisite. Well trained nurses will meet this need. Aside from this, organizations that cater to nurses welfare have directed that for higher pay grades and work benefits it is best that nurses arm themselves with necessary qualifications. I am pursuing my baccalaureate degree which means I fall into this bracket of nurses.

Doubling The Number of Nurses with Doctorate by The Year 2020

This proposal was made in line with the objective to enable access to safe, quality, and affordable preventive and primary care services to the general population. Increasing the number of advanced nurse practitioners lowers the nurse to public ratio. Increasing the number of nurses with doctorate degrees also means higher representation in policy making bodies and greater exploits in scientific research. I agree with this initiative, though I only intend to study to Masters level by then.

Involvement of Nurses in Lifelong Learning

This proposal was made to achieve evidence based rather than tradition-based practice in the profession. Nurse Practitioners are required to keep updating their knowledge and upgrade their education and training in accredited institutions. Nurses must also be keen on attending seminars and reading published academic articles and scholarly papers. I must keep undergoing individual and continuous professional development and assessment to upgrade the level of service I offer.

My options in the job market based on my educational attainment as a baccalaureate degree trained nurse are inclusive of but not limited to working in a hospital or physician clinic setup. Advancing my education level to Masters will upgrade my licensure to Advanced Nurse Practitioner which allows me to set up an independent practice ("Enhancing Cultural Competency in Baccalaureate Programs", 2008). I will play a monumental role in the future of nursing, as I can be a trainer in an educational institution. I will also be able to do scientific research to provide data increasing the information database which will improve the Nursing practice in various setups.

In summary, as I come to a close in my training as a Nurse Practitioner, I have understood my role in the current and future face of the profession. I see the development taking place in the healthcare industry and the need to position myself accurately to be part of the transformation. The Nursing profession has adopted the recommendation of the Institute of Medicine so my role must be outlined clearly so I can steer my individual development as a part of the cooperate movement.

Reference

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), (2009).T Establishing a Culturally Competent Masters and Doctorally Prepared Nursing WorkforceT (pp. 1-7). California: American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education-resources/CulturalComp.pdf

Blazer, D. (2016). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Review of a Report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.T Annals of Internal Medicine,T 165(6), 441. http://dx.doi.org/10.7326/m16-1209

Buppert, C. (2015) Nurse Practitionerts Business Practice and Legal Guide. (5th ed.) Sudbury, MA. Bartlet and Jones Learning.

Enhancing Cultural Competency in Baccalaureate Programs. (2008).T Journal of Professional Nursing,T 24(5), 263. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2008.08.002