As you contemplate the future of nursing, consider how current trends and emerging challenges shape your vision for the profession. Reflect on how your vision aligns with contemporary healthcare realities and everyday practice experiences.
Share your vision for the future of nursing, considering factors such as technological advancements, shifting healthcare policies, evolving patient needs, and emerging healthcare delivery models. Discuss how your vision reflects the changing landscape of healthcare and addresses the challenges and opportunities facing the nursing profession today.
Explore the connections between your vision for the future of nursing and the recommendations outlined in contemporary reports, such as the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report or other relevant publications. Analyze how your vision aligns with or diverges from these recommendations, and consider the implications for nursing practice, education, and leadership.
Identify two action steps you plan to take to promote your vision for the future of nursing in your everyday life and work. These action steps should be tangible and achievable, contributing to the advancement of nursing practice, advocacy, or professional development.
Sample Answer
My Vision for the Future of Nursing
My vision for the future of nursing is one where the profession transcends the traditional acute care setting to become the primary driver of health equity and population wellness. Nurses will be recognized as full partners and leaders in designing and implementing community-based, technology-enabled, and patient-centric care models.
Key Pillars of the Vision
1. The Nurse as Informatics and Telehealth Expert
Technological Advancements: The future nurse will be highly proficient in utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for predictive analytics, clinical decision support, and streamlining documentation via Electronic Health Records (EHRs).
Shifting Delivery Models: Care will increasingly occur outside the hospital. Nurses will lead telehealth and home health platforms, providing remote monitoring, chronic disease management, and patient education to diverse populations, effectively bridging geographical and access gaps. The high-touch aspect of nursing will be preserved by using technology to offload repetitive tasks, freeing the nurse for complex, human-centric care.
The Nurse as Policy Advocate and Health Equity Champion
Shifting Healthcare Policies: The nursing role will explicitly include addressing the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). Nurses will be compensated for community outreach, care coordination, and working with inter-sectoral partners (e.g., housing, education, social services) to address the root causes of poor health.
Evolving Patient Needs: With an aging population and rising chronic illness, nurses will be the lead coordinators of complex care, ensuring seamless transitions across all settings (hospital, home, long-term care, community). The profession will reflect the diversity of the patient population it serves.
3. The Nurse as Full Practice Authority Leader
Professional Status: All Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) will practice to the full extent of their education and training across all states and jurisdictions, eliminating regulatory barriers. Nurses will hold key leadership roles (e.g., CNOs, board members, policy advisors) in every healthcare institution and governmental body.