IOM Report Nursing

The Impact of the Institute of Medicine Report on Nursing To improve the quality of health care provided to patients, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) developed a two-year initiative to transform the nursing profession. Through this initiative, the IOM developed the Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, also known simply as the IOM report. The IOM report discusses changes to nursing education, nursing practice and the nurse’s role as a leader. Whether practicing as a new graduate or a seasoned nurse, the information presented in the IOM report should be utilized to provide quality care to each patient. As the healthcare needs of the population change, the roles, responsibility

The first recommendation discussed is to increase the number of baccalaureate prepared nurses to at least 80 percent by the year 2020 (The National Academies of Sciences [NAS], 2010a). To accomplish this goal, the IOM recommends federal agencies, as well as private foundations, increase funding available for students who wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree or higher (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2011). The IOM report also recommends that the number of nurses with a doctorate degree double by the year 2020. This recommendation will not only provide a higher level of care for patients, but also provide faculty to educate the next generation of nurses and ensure an adequate number of nurse researchers (NAS, 2010a). The IOM report also stresses the importance of lifelong learning among all levels of nursing. The IOM (2011) recommends lifelong learning that includes: “basic education, academic progression, and continuing competencies.” (p. 213). These recommended transformations to nursing education are designed to better prepare nurses for the evolving healthcare needs of

According to the IOM (2011), “Nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training.” (p. 85). The IOM urges for reform to each state’s scope of practice laws that would especially allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) perform skills based on their specific training (NAS, 2010c). Because of their advanced training, some APRNs are trained to assess patient’s conditions, order and evaluate test results, and prescribe medications but they are prohibited from doing so due to the practice acts of their state. To standardize roles of APRNs, the IOM report recommends that the federal government regulate the practice act instead of individual states (IOM, 2011).
Furthermore, the IOM recommends that facilities hiring new nurses provide transitional nurse residency programs (IOM, 2011). Nurse residency programs increase the retention rate, thus decrease the costs associated with recruiting and training new nurses (IOM, 2011). In addition to the cost savings associated with implementing nurse residency programs, the programs also help new nurses to develop skills necessary to provide safe, quality care (NAS,