Week 8: Your Future!
Week 8: Your Future!
Week 8: Your Future!
As this session comes to a close, I can’t help but think of all the possibilities that are available for nurses. I never imagined obtaining my bachelor’s degree but, I will be a BSN-prepared nurse at the end of this week. I have already begun my research to determine which university will best meet my needs as I progress forward and obtain my Family Nurse Practitioner licensure. I am excited about the growing possibilities in nursing and am so very happy that I chose a career in healthcare.
Currently, I am not a certified emergency nurse. I am planning to take the exam next month. “Achieving and maintaining certification validates the knowledge required for competent practice, which can make a difference to health care administrators, employers, nurse and physician colleagues, patients, and, perhaps most important, to the emergency nurse” (American College of Emergency Physicians, n.d.). The field of medicine is constantly changing and it is important to stay up-to-date with the advances in healthcare. Nurses are consistently striving for more autonomy and advocating for themselves and the patient. “The dynamic nature of the healthcare practice environment and the growing body of nursing research provide both the impetus and the opportunity for nursing to ensure competent nursing practice in all settings for all healthcare consumers, and to promote ongoing professional development that enhances the quality of nursing practice” (American Nurses Association, 2015, p. 49).
Nursing has come a long way. In the early to mid-1800s, “physicians began scattered efforts to ‘train’ low-status women to assist them with menial tasks” (A Timeline of Nursing Education, n.d.). Now, staff nurses collaborate with the physician to provide the best possible outcomes for the patient. “New roles are empowering nurses to play a greater role in improving patient experiences and population health and lowering costs” (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2015). By obtaining my Doctorates of Nursing Practice, I will be able to assist patients even more. I am eager to pursue my dreams of being an excellent provider.
References:
A Timeline of Nursing Education. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2017, from https:// www.americansentinel.edu/blog/2016/09/06/a-timeline-of-nursing-education/
American College of Emergency Physicians. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2017, from https://www.acep.org/Clinical—Practice-Management/Emergency-Nurse-Certifications-Do-Make-a-Difference/
American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: Author. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2015). Nurses take on new and expanded roles in healthcare. http://www.rwjf.org/en/library/articles-and-news/2015/01/nurses-take-on-new-and-expanded-roles-in-health-care.html.
I am also researching universities to attend from to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. I have been a RN for over 13 years and never thought I would go back to school, but look at me now!
You’re right to say that nursing has come a long way. I have always been interested in the history of things and finding interesting facts. After some research, I found some fun facts about nursing. I’ll share a few. The nurse’s cap was patterned after a nun’s habit so hair would be kept neatly in place. It was phased out because of infection control issues. Nepal, Italy has one of the lowest nurse per capita. They have only 5 nurses for every 100,000 people. And we just think we work short staffed! James Derham was a slave owned by several physicians, who worked as a nurse. He bought his freedom with his nursing salary. He later became the first African-American physician. Mary Todd Lincoln was the only first lady to volunteer as a nurse. She helped in Union hospitals during the civil war (20 Fun Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Nursing, 2017). It is important to know our history. It is amazing to see how far the nursing profession has come and its evolution doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
As you stated, it is important for healthcare professionals to stay up-to-date on the advances in our professions. One of the most important attributes to grow is your curiosity. This is a powerful tool to utilize to stay up to date on changes (Staying current, 2014). Curiosity turns into research. Research turns into evidence. Then what do we have? Evidence-based practice! And that’s how we can give the best care.
Congratulations on finishing your BSN. Best of luck in all your future endeavors.
Reference
20 Fun Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Nursing. (2017, February 09). Retrieved October 12, 2017, from https://www.nursebuff.com/facts-about-nursing/Links to an external site.
Staying current. (2014, April 27). Retrieved October 12, 2017, from https://www.nurse.com/blog/2014/04/28/staying-current/
I enjoy your posting. I see where many people in our community are the emergency room for primary care. This can be very costly and leaves crowing in the waiting room. Half of these people are treated for minor issues and sent home. We do have some primary care clinic in our surroundings, but there is a need for more. A visit to the clinic cost much less than the visit to the hospital. I am interested in being a part of The National Association of Rural Health Clinics. and as I prepare for my next journey, I will use the tools and skills gained in my BSN program to educate and find resources that are of the best quality of care and cost effective for our patients and for the community as well.
“The purpose of the Rural Health Clinics program is to encourage and stabilize the provision of outpatient primary care in underserved rural areas through the use of physicians, physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs) and certified nurse midwives (CNMs).” (The National Association of Rural Health Clinics, 2017).
The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) is an organization is dedicated to providing services to people in rural areas that have unmet needs provided by Medicare and Medicaid. With over 3000 federally certified rural clinics across the United States, they provide primary care services to the underserved in the rural area in the United States. The Rural Health Clinics Program (RHC Program) was developed not only to advocate for the policy needs but to assist in promoting, expanding and protecting the interest of rural health clinics in order to improve cost efficiency, and quality care to people in these regions.
Reference:
The National Association of Rural Health Clinics. (2017). The Rural Health Clinics Program (RHC Program) Retrieved from https://narhc.org/about-us/Links to an external site.