PROVIDE A POST OF AT LEAST 80-100 WORDS (APA FORMAT) FOR THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION QUESTION:

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. In replies to peers, provide an example of wellness and prevention initiatives your organization or specialty area has in place.

PROVIDE A RESPONSE FOR BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING PEER POSTS:

PEER POST 1: BRENDA Re: Topic 1 DQ 2

In 2010 the Affordable Care Act changed healthcare with providing safer, quality patient-centered care. The roles of many health care workers increase their education after licensure. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) launched a two-year initiative to respond to the need of the nursing profession. (IOM, 2010) The IOM states that healthcare today deals with more chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, cardiac disease, mental health and obesity. With the aging population suffering from chronic diseases the United States is focusing on preventative healthcare for the remaining population. As patients become more complex, nurses need to maintain competency in leadership, health policy, systems improvement, research, evidence-based-practice, teamwork and advanced education to work collaboratively with physicians. Nurses will be called to help with information management with electronic medical records.

Improving nursing education to higher level of competencies will provide a foundation for care management knowledge and decision-making skills in all healthcare settings. Requiring a bachelor’s in nursing would make a workforce with higher level of education and a pathway for continued education for masters or doctrine in nursing which would serve primary care, research and nurse faculty for the future of nursing.

References:

Institute of Medicine (2010). The Future of Nursing: Focus on Education. Retrieved from: http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing/Nursing%20Education%202010%20Brief.pdf

The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” located on the National Academies of Sciences Engineering Medicine website:

http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/Reports/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing-Leading-Change-Advancing-Health.aspx

PEER POST 2: (LAUREN)

The health reform legislation, the Affordable Care Act of 2010, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which proceeded it, include a range of initiatives that seek to redesign the organization, financing, and delivery of health care. Many of these programs, for example, primary care medical homes and accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), rely on interventions that fall directly within the scope pf practice of RNs. With this, the focus of health care reform has shifted from a disease-oriented health care system toward one of the wellness and prevention by presenting guidelines of measures that creates a healthy lifestyle. This includes creating healthy living environments, safe communities, better access to community and preventive measures such as screenings and immunizations and elimination of health disparities. Other areas of priority include healthy eating and exercise, mental health, reproductive health and a drug and tobacco free lifestyle (Benjamin, 2011).

This trend will continue as hospital systems are transitioning and branching out to include community-based health care homes that provide primary community care with ancillary services such as radiological and laboratory services within on facility in the community. In today’s society, patients appreciate the ability to have care services closer to their homes and are more likely to participate in their care and preventive measures when they do not have to travel to separate locations for healthcare (Sochalski & Weiner, 2011).

As nurses, we are positioned to provide education to the patient, family, and communities about health and wellness measures. Explaining the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and what interventions can be taken that is obtainable by the patient such as proper diet. Nurses also have the ability to assess the needs of the patient, family, or community and refers them to programs and resources within the community. Resources such as home aids to prevent falls, dietitians to help with healthy eating, AA meetings or clinics that offer educational programs or screenings for diabetes etc. In addition, nurses are the patients advocate and work closely with the patient more than any other healthy team member works. Nurses can join their concerns together and become a voice to change policies or create improvement in their facilities, hospitals, communities or even their state.

References

Benjamin, R.M. (2011). The National Prevention Strategy: Shifting the Nation’s Health-Care System. Public Health Reports, 126 (6), 774-776. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC31853…

Sochalski, J. & Weiner J. (2011). Health care system reform and the nursing workforce: matching nursing practice and skills to future needs, not past demands. Appendix F in The Future of Nursing: Leading Change advancing health. Institute of medicine. Retrieved from http:// www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/~/media/Files/activi…