Advancements in knowledge and technology are constantly improving the standard of our medicine and healthcare systems.
To adapt to these major changes, the nurses of today must excel in critical thinking and decision-making, by incorporating profound changes in the education system, both before and after they have received their licenses.
The sole purpose of this article is to outline the fundamental transformations required in nursing education if this dream is to be realized.
Importance of Nursing Education in Healthcare
1. Act as Educational Pathways for Nurses
While the required level of education to become a qualified nurse has been widely debated by key stakeholders and nursing organizations, studies have indicated furthering education prepares nurses to increase better outcomes in patients.
To achieve a competitive edge in your nursing career you need to pursue advanced programs to prepare yourself to assume the role of a caregiver in primary, specialty, and long-term care.
The nursing profession is unique among healthcare professionals and has multiple-level pathways to becoming a registered nurse (RN).
These include a bachelor’s of science in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma in nursing. You can pursue a nursing degree online or through an accredited institution.
In addition to the above, another undergraduate program is the licensed practical diploma in nursing, which can be obtained by a 12-month study program.
Though the teaching is basic, these licensed private nurses contribute greatly to healthcare in hospitals and nursing homes.
Regardless of which pathway a nursing student pursues, those aspiring to become an RN must clear the licensing exam for registered nurses before they can be granted a license to practice.
There are no exceptions made whatsoever,l in this, as to treat the injured and sick, one should be adequately trained.
2. Changing demands in the industry
According to Healthline, the consumer market demand for highly qualified nurses is rising sharply as the medical industry keeps integrating new technologies and policies from time to time.
While there has been an influx of baby boomers needing care, at the same time there has been a steady rise of qualified nurses retiring day by day to make matters worse.
Due to this transition, the healthcare industry is heavily relying on information technology to access medical data which is then analyzed for better clinical research.
Further, they can connect with medical researchers from any part of the world and share information on rare diseases and conditions.
This means that nurses now should be better prepared to meet the diverse demands to adapt to this high-tech environment and keep themselves updated to advise patients accordingly on these advanced methods of treatment.
3. Increase performance and productivity.
Nursing education helps increase performance as it enables nurses to be prepared to meet diverse patients’ needs, including enabling them to function as leaders.
This often increases the performance of the entire Healthcare system. Actually, educated nurses are able to perform their duties more diligently and avoid medical errors associated with a lack of knowledge when not educated well.
4. Help minimize clinical errors
Nursing education help increase the capacity of health professionals to deliver safe, and quality patient care as most medical errors will be reduced.
In most cases, a nurse with less access to information would be more likely to cause medical errors, which might lead to high death rates and patient dissatisfaction.
5. Easy adaptation to the rapid changing in a healthcare environment
Nursing education help nurses to easily adapt to the rapid changing in the Healthcare environment. When nurses are effectively trained, they become more aware and adaptive to the changing environment. In fact, awareness of changes is critical to individuals in nursing education.
These changes include a continuum of care that ranges from episodic to lifelong care, and system-based practice changes, which need regular nursing training.
In addition, technological advancements such as telehealth, telephone triage, machine learning, artificial intelligence, remote monitoring, and home-based care will need appropriate nursing education for nurses to adapt to the health environment.
6. Nursing Education Reduces Staff turnover and increases Morale
Training and development programs for nurses increase their morale, which reduces their turnover, and improves organizational culture.
For instance, when nurses are well educated, they can easily perform their duties, which will increase their morale, whereas nurses who lack appropriate education will struggle to perform their duties, which might reduce their morale.
In most cases, workers are happy when they accomplish their work easily.
7. Adherence to Quality Standards
Nursing education help in increasing adherence to quality standards. To guarantee that nurses adhere to the guidelines of the association, educating nurses is fundamental.
This is particularly critical for all nurses. Thus, this is an effective method for acquainting them with their work and what will be generally anticipated from them as the staff of that Healthcare organization.
8. Improvement of health care systems
Nursing education also helps improve the Healthcare system as there will be more qualified nurses that will perform their duties diligently.
A more educated staff often enhances efficiency and performance across an organization. So within the health sector, most functions would be effectively done, which will increase the efficiency of the system.
9. Improve critical care transitions and treatment of patients
When nurses are educated, there would be an improvement in critical care transitions and the treatment of patients.
For instance, a patient might receive care from a primary care physician or specialist in an outpatient setting, then transition to a hospital physician and nursing team during an inpatient admission before moving on to yet another care team at a skilled nursing facility.
This often needs appropriate nursing education to help in the effective transition, which nursing education offers.
Actually, critical care transfers between hospitals are time-critical high-risk episodes for unstable patients who often require urgent lifesaving intervention. Therefore, appropriate training is needed for all staff to help during the transition to reduce the mortality rate.
10. Nursing Education reduce the hospital readmission rate
According to PubMed, providing effective and appropriate nursing education can help reduce hospital readmission rates, including reduced mortality rates, increase patient experience, and improve the effectiveness of care.
This is a major benefit of training nurses. This is because nursing education allows easy interoperable systems that allow an effective exchange of outcomes measurement data between hospitals, clinicians, and departments as every staff will know the right thing to do.
Know: 10 Benefits Of Group Decision-Making Process
Words of Wisdom
The growing role of information technology is rapidly changing patient data and coordination of care. Advancing your education is therefore imperative to enable you to achieve better outcomes, optimize efficiency and eventually reduce costs.
Moreover, as the nursing system continues to evolve due to changes in the population and employer standards, a well-trained nurse force can not only improve the healthcare system but empower nurses to handle the complex challenges the medical industry is facing.