 |
With an I-Phone in hand, Sheila e-mails her professor about
a recent assignment and texts a coworker as she informs me of next weekend’s
‘on call’ duties. With a backpack filled
with Cheerios and string cheese strung to her back, she also entertains her
young child. The upcoming paper was
weighing heavily on her mind and this evening is sure to turn into a late
night. It was mid September, a new
academic year was in full swing, and I had at last found an individual who had
discovered the knack for striking that delicate balance between professional,
personal and student life.
The future of our healthcare will be one in which there will
be more of an emphasis on collaborative care, where physicians will play
a more supervisory role over advanced degree nurses. Advanced degree nurses hold training that
will be relied on for routine care and will play more of a direct role with
patients, referring to their physician supervisor when situations have more
complex problems and multiple diagnoses.
A substantial body of research has shown that when advanced degree
nurses such as Nurse Practioners (NP’s) are utilized in this role, it has
resulted in positive clinical outcomes and compares well to those that solely
relied on one-on-one physician care.[ii] According to the Institute of Medicine
(IOM), these changes are allowing advanced degree nurses to utilize the full extent of their education
and training. Significant cost
savings have also been noted in 26 studies by an increased reliance on NP’s.[iii] In specialties such as anesthesia, studies
have recommended that the industry embrace this model.[iv]
For the first time in over 30 years, the nursing industry will
accept major changes in order to keep up with the times. Promoting a doctorate of nursing practice has
been a direct response to the changes in healthcare. These changes are necessary in order to meet
the demands of the greater patient load, keep up with technology and innovation
and meet the demand for higher knowledge.
These advanced degrees will come with a higher expectation for
continuing competency, more frequent recertification and continuing
education.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
includes multiple provisions in order to meet these new demands in the
healthcare industry. Beginning in 2010,
funds were available to nursing schools and training facilities in order to
increase the number of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. $15 million was also made available for Nurse Led Clinics in underserved and rural
communities. The PPACA also invests multiple other resources for workforce development and support for existing nursing infrastructure.
As Sheila works to balance her busy life, she has a positive and hopeful outlook on the future of her profession. She states, “The changes represent a smarter and better use of resources, a more holistic and well-rounded approach to patient care and it is an exciting time to be in healthcare.”
[i] Association of
American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Center for Workforce Studies, “Physician
Shortages to Worsen without Increases in Residency Training,”
[ii] Kaiser
Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. “Improving Access to Adult Primary
Care in Medicaid: Exploring the Potential Role of Nurse Practitioners and
Physician Assistants”. March 2011.
[iii] Roblin D et al,
“Use of Midlevel Practitioners to Achieve Labor Cost Savings in the Primary
Care Practice of an MCO,” Health Services Research, 2004 June; 39(3):
607-626.
[iv] Brian Dulisse
and Jerry Cromwell. Health Affairs,
29, no.8 (2010):1469-1475
No Harm Found When Nurse
Anesthetists Work Without Supervision By Physician
No comments:
Post a Comment