Health care reform shift to wellness and prevention

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.