What Does the Future of Nursing look Like?
Nursing is rapidly changing right along with the trends that shape this work. From a global pandemic to aging baby boomers, new technology, and more, nursing remains an evolving, exciting, and challenging field. As a nursing professional, you may wonder how the profession will change in the near future. This blog will help you stay updated with the latest changes to clinical nursing practice.
What Factors Affect the Future of Nursing?
The nursing field is affected by trends both inside and outside the industry. COVID brought massive changes to the nursing field as workflows shifted and pressure mounted to respond to unprecedented demand. But this was just one black swan event. Even without a global pandemic, the nursing profession is rapidly evolving.
Nurses must stay abreast of these trends to remain current in their practice. Some of the factors affecting the future of nursing include:
An aging population
The aging baby boomers are putting pressure on our nation’s clinical care providers. Humans generally need more healthcare as they age, so the demand for qualified nursing professionals is higher as we try to care for this population. The need for nurses is expected to increase by 16% through 2024, a rate much higher than other professions. This demand will pressure existing nurses to work to the top of their licensure by taking on more tasks.
Shortages of nurses
The demand for nurses is higher, yet we are also experiencing a need for more qualified professionals in this field. This shortage is expected to continue in the future. Exacerbating the shortage numbers is that more than one-third left their jobs in 2022. Four in 10 cited burnout as a major factor. For nurses remaining in the field, this trend will make their work increasingly valuable to employers.
Technology
Technology will continue to streamline and change the nursing profession, particularly in wearable devices, patient portals, and data and informatics. Data will continue to impact population health and other proactive initiatives to improve patient care. Look for data to increase our ability to personalize healthcare treatments to improve healthcare outcomes.
Changes in healthcare delivery
One of the most significant changes in healthcare delivery came during COVID. Technology will continue to streamline and change the nursing profession, particularly in wearable devices, patient portals, and data and informatics. Data will continue to impact population health and other proactive initiatives to improve patient care. Look for data to increase our ability to personalize healthcare treatments to improve healthcare outcomes.
Political and economic changes
Politics always affect healthcare reimbursement. That’s nothing new. But politics will also affect funding for healthcare and nursing education. Healthcare policies will shift in the coming years, changing accepted best practices for care delivery. Finally, the economy, including recession and budget cuts, will impact the demand for healthcare services and the resources available for nursing care.
Looking to Hire Nurses?
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