The business of healthcare and nursing education are both influencing these issues. I have been a nurse for almost 23 years, 11 of those years as first a diploma nursing graduate then as an RN- BSN graduate. I have served as a preceptor to many NP students and also teach clinical at the undergraduate level. My perspective is frontline.
- Healthcare is a brutal, emotionally taxing, and at times personality altering profession. I have always been a staunch nursing advocate even as a Nurse Practitioner. We have to understand what nursing has evolved into, it is the most abusive relationship you will ever be in. The business of healthcare has lifted nursing on a pedestal on their IG stories, commercials, and other media production. Ask a nurse if they feel that from the core… do they feel supported, heard or protected, most would say no. Yes there are unit managers out there turning themselves inside out to make a difference, but the non clinical administration push back on everything. Never mind the abuse nurses are being subjected to daily, physical emotional from patients and their families… No wonder every nurse wants to run away. Nurses including advanced practice nurses need a seat at the highest levels of the business of healthcare.
- The nursing education system is just another part of these complex problems. It is a problem as a profession that can be fixed by US. Graduate advanced practice degrees in nursing should have strict standards. If you are advancing your nursing career to an advanced practice level, you should have mastered that most basic level. You should have to have completed a standardized amount of time as a nurse. This is where we are going to debate… and that’s appropriate - that’s what we should do as a profession. You should have to have experience in certain specialty advanced practice degrees, such as behavioral health, or pediatrics. PUT THE NURSE BACK INTO NURSE PRACTITIONER.
- One more point on our education, educators please please please stop telling undergraduate nursing students that they should return to school to be a NP! They will never learn to respect the job that is so important for the advancement of healthcare. The healthcare industry stands on the shoulders of nursing, they should be proud, understand and know that they are IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY!!! I understand that nursing programs are underfunded, we need to change that! There are so many more views that I have about this, but as a profession we hold the power to change how we educate each other and how we advocate for each other at all levels of education.
Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer at Yuma Regional Medical Center
1moWhat a fantastic program! Congratulations team!