Reflection Paper: Continuous Professional Development

Answer

Reflection Paper: Continuous Professional Development

            The purpose of this reflection is to examine the importance of nursing and discuss my overall educational goals. The scope includes identification of job market options based on my current educational level and a review of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Future of Nursing Recommendations for achieving higher levels of education. In addition, the paper discusses the rationale, certification and timeline for achieving an identified advanced degree that I would like to pursue. Increasing my level of education would better place me, in terms of relevance, in a dynamic healthcare market. Lastly, this paper includes a discussion on how continuing nursing education impacts attitudes, competency, knowledge, and the American Nursing Association (ANA) Scope and Standards for Practice and Code of Ethics. Continuing nursing education should be mandatory for all nurses so as to enable nurses maintain competence to provide high quality and safe patient care.

            A baccalaureate-prepared nurse has several options in the job market. The roles that can be taken by a Registered Nurse (RN) include a clinical nurse leader and a care coordinator, which are both clinical leadership roles. There is need for clinical leaders at all levels of nursing education. Nurses can take important leadership roles at the program, unit, or microsystem level as well as across the continuum of care (Joseph & Huber, 2015). In addition, RN can work in general medical and surgical hospitals as well as acute care and community settings. RN job market will keep growing. The federal government predicts that more than 200,000 new RN positions will be created each year from 2016 to 2026 (American Association of College of Nursing, 2019). Personally I would like to take up a clinical nurse leadership role. Strong leadership facilitates realization of a transformed healthcare system (IOM, 2011).

            My ambition in the advanced nursing role is to pursue a Master’s of science in nursing with intent of becoming a clinical nurse specialist (CNS). I am obliged to be part of fulfillment of IOM’s (2011) sixth recommendation that nurses engage in a lifelong learning process for achieving higher levels of education. Credit requirements for one to become a CNS at the master’s level should be at least 40 credits as well as completion of at least 500 hours of faculty supervised clinical training. After completion of the required coursework and clinical hours during training, I will be required to take a certification exam offered by the American Nursing Credentialing Center. If I pass the certification exam, I would have demonstrated that I have acquired the specialized professional training, development, and competencies to provide quality and safe care to a specific patient population (IOM, 2011). My rationale for choosing a CNS role is that I would like to conduct research, provide leadership, and perform advanced nursing duties in a wide variety of settings including long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, clinics, hospitals, private practices and palliative care services. I would like to complete a master’s program within a span of two years of study. However, there are some requirements that I must satisfy before pursuing a master’s degree. Following completion of a four-year baccalaureate degree in nursing, I would have to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for RN exam in order to obtain a RN license. This pursuit should take less than a year. Then I will have to gain clinical experience for at least one year before earning a master of science in nursing degree in 2 years.

            Increasing my level of education would have a positive impact in enhancing the level of my competitiveness in the current job market and in my role in the future of nursing. First of all, increased level of education would better position me to function as a leader meet dynamic patient needs and maintain my relevance given the advance in science. Besides, it would increase my ability to work effectively and collaboratively as partners with other healthcare professionals in a changing and complex system (Committee for Assessing Progress, 2016). In addition, increasing the level of my education would make me valuable in the current job market as well as in the future of nursing since I would be able to mentor new nurses, take on leadership positions, and influence future health policy. Besides, upon completion of the Master’s of science in nursing in CNS, I would have demonstrated my commitment to the profession and would have broadened my future employment opportunities. My expanded roles would also include advocacy roles, counseling, and provision of education for individual patients, families and communities so as to improve experience of care.

            Continuing nursing education would significantly transform my competency level, knowledge and attitudes. Evidence of transformation of my competency level, knowledge and attitudes would be my ability to work with diverse patients and workforce in an effective manner, improved cultural and emotional competence skills, and improved knowledge necessary for addressing complexities of care and for handling advanced technology. Besides, my understanding on matter such as health policy will be improved. Continuing education would also improve my ability to contribute towards making of critical decisions, functioning effectively in teams, and for supporting well-being of all.

            Continuing nursing education would also transform my capabilities and competencies as far as the ANA Scope and Standards for Practice and Code of Ethics is concerned. According to ANA (2015), scope of practice for a CNS includes diagnosis, ongoing management of patients, and treatment. Besides, a CNS can provide support and expertise services to nurses who are caring for patients. CNS should also ensure the best practices and evidence-based care has be put in place in patient care (ANA, 2015). Besides, I must meet all standards of practice which include assessment (standard 1), diagnosis (standard 2), outcomes identification (standard 3), planning (standard 4), implementation (standard 5), coordination of care (standard 5A), health teaching and health promotion (standard 5B), and evaluation (standard 6) (ANA, 2015). Besides, continuous education would improve my knowledge and experience of applying the ANA (2015) Code of Ethics and ethical frameworks regardless of the practice setting. I should ensure that I have mastered all the nine provisions of the ANA (2015) Code of Ethics.

            In conclusion, continuing nursing education ought to be mandatory for all nurses. The justification for this recommendation is that the health care system is dynamic in nature. Patient healthcare needs tend to evolve with time and that nurses ought to catch up with the advancement in science and technology so as to continue providing high quality and safe patient care. Thus, nurses need to engage in a life-long learning process so as to stay up-to-date with the changing healthcare market and the changing patient needs.