Importance of Nursing Education-Nursing Paper Examples

The nursing profession has significantly grown owing to increased healthcare needs in the contemporary world. Therefore, nurses have become instrumental tenets of healthcare teams that offer patient care in different settings. However, the responsibilities and mandate of nurses depend on various factors such as experience and level of education. Notably, the future of the nursing workforce and readiness of best practices heavily relies on the quality of nursing education (Importance of Nursing Education).

Nursing education prepares nurses to meet diverse patients’ needs, advance nursing science, and function as leaders while improving competency and expertise to deliver quality and safe patient care (Jeffries, 2022). Therefore, nursing education should be transformed to prepare nurses to collaborate effectively with other healthcare professionals in the evolving healthcare system.

Besides adequate preparation, freshly graduated nurses should transition smoothly from academic preparation to a practical care environment. Of importance, nursing training institutes should offer education that prepares nurses to assume roles in acute care, primary care settings, long-term care, and specialized practice as stipulated by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report.

 My Job Options in the Nursing Market

My nursing career journey has been long and emotional. I have always had the compassion to help others who need my assistance. However, my grandfather’s situation indicated that nursing was my calling. My grandfather was 78 years old when he fell and sustained minor injuries. After the fall incident, he developed a fear of falling and required assistance to perform most of his Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) (Importance of Nursing Education).

During this period, I spent most of my time with my grandfather taking care of him and assisting him with whatever he needed. I developed a sense of satisfaction when helping my grandfather. For this reason, I enrolled for a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) as it suited my traits and personal ambitions.

I have various nursing job options after completing my Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) in the competitive market. Consequently, I have acquired academic knowledge, practical skills, and competency throughout my training program. I have also acquired volunteer experience. For instance, I once volunteered in a long-term care facility and volunteered to administer vaccines in my community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through academic and practical training, I have acquired communication and interpersonal skills instrumental in nursing practice (Importance of Nursing Education).

After completing my Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN), I intend to undertake a licensure examination to become a qualified Registered Nurse (RN). As s registered nurse, I can work in a clinical or non-clinical setting. In clinical settings, I can work in different hospital units such as the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Newborn Unit (NBU), Mental Health unit, or even the cancer unit (Importance of Nursing Education).

I will apply a systematic approach in clinical settings to identify, prevent, and treat current or potential healthcare problems and promote patient wellness. In this case, my roles will be to assess and diagnose patients, plan to implement care plans and evaluate my treatment outcomes. In non-clinical settings, I can work in public health nursing, nursing informatics, nursing education, long-term care settings, or administration taking mid-level positions that do not require additional management qualifications (Importance of Nursing Education).

My professional Goals (Importance of Nursing Education)

My ultimate nursing education goal is to become a Doctor in Nursing Practice (DNP). I have chosen to become a DNP because it is more practice-focused and will allow me to assume the role of an Advanced Registered Nurse (APR) roles.Consequently, I also can pursue advanced clinical positions such as faculty positions. I have developed a high interest in practical applications of nursing science. Hence, becoming a Doctor of Nursing Practice is the right call for my ambitions (Importance of Nursing Education).

A Doctor of Nursing Program aligns with my nursing education goals of transforming academic knowledge. In addition, and skills to patient care in clinical care settings (Moran et al., 2023). During my DNP, I will pursue a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role, specializing in the critical care unit. As a Clinical Nurse Specialist, I will serve as a consultant, educator, and expert to other nursing staff in critical care. More so, to promote evidence-based practice and improved patient outcomes. A DNP takes about two to three years. I expect to complete my DNP program within four years. I will ensure I meet the scheduled deadlines for the program to complete it as speculated.

Continued Education to Improve Competency

The future of nursing demands that nurses improve their education. Moreover, to prepare them to meet the changing healthcare needs of the people. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report asserts that advanced nursing education and training allow nurses to understand and experience quality improvement methods. In addition, and care management to improve healthcare outcomes (Wakefield et al., 2021). Therefore, increasing my level of education will improve my competitiveness in the current job market since I will become an expert in critical care. My knowledge, skills, and competency will be instrumental in delivering quality care through evidence-based practice (Importance of Nursing Education).

Nursing education is the future of nursing practice. Seamless nursing education will be vital to reforming the healthcare sector. Therefore, the United States government should formulate and implement policies that foster education for the nursing workforce. In addition, and students as a strategy to improve skills and competency directed to improve the profession. Diversity in the nursing workforce and student training will promote access to quality services for underrepresented community members and diverse races (Importance of Nursing Education).

Relationship between Continued Nursing Education and Competency, Attitudes, Knowledge, the ANA Scope and Standards for Practice, and Code of Ethics

Continued nursing education has a positive relationship with competency. Continued education improves nurses’ personal and professional knowledge and skills in evidence-based practice that informs clinical decision-making and judgments, thus promoting quality care (Kitson et al., 2021). Quality care promotes health outcomes and patient satisfaction. Subsequently, improved health outcomes create job satisfaction among nurses. Job satisfaction motivates and inspires nurses, thus fostering a positive attitude toward patient care (Importance of Nursing Education).

Nursing education is an enable or barrier to ANA scope of nursing practice. In this case, continued nursing education improves the scope of nursing practice. Wiggins et al. (2022) assert that the scope of nursing practice for diploma-level nurses increased after completing their RN program. The nurses could now conduct offer wide range of patient assessments and devise care plans (Importance of Nursing Education).

Continued nursing education improves the standard of nursing practice since EBP promotes effective, safe, timely, equitable, and patient-centered care. Continuing nursing education equips nurses with vast ethical knowledge they apply when faced with ethical situations during clinical practice (Importance of Nursing Education).

Mandatory Nursing Education

The debate for mandatory continued nursing education has become a contentious issue. I support mandatory continued nursing education as it is the most viable means to address the ever-evolving healthcare needs of the people, not to mention technological advancement. Nursing innovations fostered by continued education will be instrumental in addressing current and emerging healthcare issues. While mandatory continued nursing education is costly and time-consuming, the provision for financial incentives such as scholarships and work-study programs allows nurses to pursue advanced nursing studies.

Conclusion

The future of the nursing workforce and readiness for best practice heavily relies on the quality of nursing education. Nursing education determines the responsibilities and competency of nurses in different healthcare settings. Therefore, advanced/continued nursing education prepares nurses to meet diverse patients’ needs, advance nursing science, and assume leadership roles while improving competency and expertise to deliver quality and safe patient care, as the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report stipulates (Importance of Nursing Education).

For instance, my DNP program allows me to serve as a consultant, educator, and expert to other nursing staff in critical care to promote evidence-based practice and improve patient outcomes. Through continued education, I will develop competency and professional and personal skills that improve my attitude towards care and my standards of practice and nursing scope (Importance of Nursing Education).

References

Jeffries, P. (2022). Clinical simulations in nursing education: Advanced concepts, trends, and opportunities. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Kitson, A. L., Harvey, G., Gifford, W., Hunter, S. C., Kelly, J., Cummings, G. G., … & Wilson, P. (2021). How nursing leaders promote evidence‐based practice implementation at point‐of‐care: A four‐country exploratory study. Journal of advanced nursing, 77(5), 2447-2457.

Moran, K. J., Burson, R., & Conrad, D. (2023). The doctor of nursing practice project: A framework for success. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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.

Wiggins, D., Downie, A., Engel, R. M., & Brown, B. T. (2022). Factors that influence the scope of practice of the five largest health care professions in Australia: a scoping review. Human Resources for Health, 20(1), 1-13.