Assignment Instructions
Explain how health care reform has helped shift the focus from a disease-oriented health care system to one of wellness and prevention. Discuss ways in which health care will continue this trend and explain the role of nursing in supporting and facilitating this shift.
Sample Answer
Explain how health care reform has helped shift the focus from a disease-oriented health care system to one of wellness and prevention.
Healthcare reforms have facilitated the shift from a disease-oriented healthcare system to that of wellness and prevention. The shift in healthcare is due to the recognition of the effectiveness of preventive care in reducing the costs of care and improving long-term health outcomes. This shift emphasizes preventive care such as the conduction of regular screenings, check-ups, and immunizations. In this new mode of care, these services are not provided at additional costs to the patients and this encourages their utilization. The new reform promotes patient-centered care that meets the needs, values, and preferences of the patients. In this new reform, the patients are active participants in the delivery of healthcare. The shift towards wellness and prevention enhances the management of chronic diseases and improves quality of life and complications in care (Warner et al., 2020). Additionally, the new care reforms emphasize health promotion and encourage the adoption of healthy lifestyles that prevent diseases.
Discuss ways in which health care will continue this trend and explain the role of nursing in supporting and facilitating this shift.
Nurses play an important role in facilitating the shift towards achievement of disease prevention and wellness. They are the major point of contact with the patients who are well-positioned to provide patient education, provide preventive care, and advocate for patient-centered care. Some of the roles of nurses in facilitating this shift are advocacy, education, research policy, and care coordination (Wakefield et al., 2021). Nurses are in charge of educating the patients on preventive measures such as engagement in regular exercise and eating healthily. Through advocacy, nurses ensure that the patients receive preventive services and they fully understand their health conditions. Nurses coordinate patients' care by ensuring that patients with chronic diseases receive the necessary support and services. Additionally, nurses engage in research that promotes evidence-based policies and practices that support wellness.
References
Wakefield, M., Williams, D. R., & Le Menestrel, S. (2021). The future of nursing 2020-2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. National Academy of Sciences. https://sadil.ws/bitstream/handle/123456789/781/The%20future%20of%20Nursing%202030.pdf?sequence=1
Warner, J. J., Benjamin, I. J., Churchwell, K., Firestone, G., Gardner, T. J., Johnson, J. C., \... & American Heart Association Advocacy Coordinating Committee. (2020). Advancing healthcare reform: the American Heart Association's 2020 statement of principles for adequate, accessible, and affordable health care: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 141(10), e601-e614. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000759