The Future of Nursing Report
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine produced a report to create a culture of health, improve population well-being, and reduce health disparities (Wakefield et al., 2021). The committee considered emerging COVID-19 evidence, lessons from the Campaign for Action, and anticipated healthcare demands from 2020 to 2030.
Current Nursing Workforce Trends
The profession is characterized by integration of EHRs, exponential telehealth growth, AI use for predicting patient outcomes, holistic care provision, and nurses occupying more leadership positions. Nursing education emphasizes specialization in informatics, critical care, and geriatrics, alongside leadership and technology training (Groom et al., 2021).
State-Based Action Coalitions
Colorado's initiatives include a coaching program for professional development and a primary care training enhancement program focused on improving interprofessional teams in community health clinics (Campaign for Action, 2024).
Barriers to Advancement
Major barriers in Colorado include restrictive APRN prescriptive authority requiring 3600 hours of physician supervision, shortage of clinical placements, and inability of APRNs to receive insurance disbursement. These can be mitigated through policy advocacy enabling independent practice.
References
- Campaign for Action. (2024). Colorado coalition. https://campaignforaction.org/state/colorado/
- Groom, L. L., et al. (2021). Telemedicine and telehealth in nursing homes. JAMDA, 22(9), 1784-1801. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1525861021002589
- Wakefield, M., et al. (2021). The future of nursing 2020-2030. National Academy of Sciences. https://sadil.ws/
Related: See our nursing shortage or healthcare reform and wellness prevention.