The Future of Nursing and Healthcare

Advanced practice nurses’ (APNs’) role is becoming more and more crucial in navigating and enacting change as the healthcare landscape evolves. The future of nursing will play a crucial role in determining how healthcare is delivered in the face of demographic shifts, technological advancements, and emerging healthcare paradigms (Vogenberg & Santilli, 2019). Advanced nurse practitioners should be equipped with management strategies to promote appropriate change and leadership qualities that can ensure the realization of future healthcare dreams. This discussion focuses on my vision and goals alongside how change management strategies can be utilized to adapt to the rapidly evolving healthcare system.

Future Vision Role

Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) are in a unique position to meet the needs of a wide range of patient populations and tackle changing healthcare trends. One of my visions and goals as a future FNP is to increase focus on providing holistic and patient-centered care. With a growing emphasis on preventive care, health promotion, and disease prevention, FNPs are poised to become primary care providers who not only treat acute illnesses but also prioritize health education and wellness promotion. This goal aligns with the emerging trend of value-based care which deals with patient outcomes and satisfaction. In this trend, healthcare providers are incentivized to prioritize quality over quantity (Vogenberg & Santilli, 2019). Actions like engaging patients in their care and reducing the cost of patient care can help FNPs match the future of healthcare regarding value-based purchasing.

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With the aging population and growing complexity of healthcare systems, FNPs are expected to assume leadership positions to better improve care delivery. In my future role as an FNP, I intend to assume leadership roles and advocate for better service delivery to patients. The goal is to utilize current technologies to expand access to healthcare services for the elderly, especially in underserved areas. This vision and goal align with the emerging trends of telemedicine technologies. For example, healthcare is moving quickly towards technologies like remote monitoring, artificial intelligence, and other online services that can benefit vulnerable populations (Vogenberg & Santilli, 2019). I intend to assume leadership positions and advocate for the availability of these services to special populations like the elderly and marginalized populations.

Change Management Strategies

To effectively navigate and respond to the rapidly evolving healthcare system, FNPs, and other nursing advanced practice nurses must possess change management strategies. Stakeholder engagement is one of the top priority change management strategies that can be used in healthcare (Phillips & Klein, 2023). Advanced practice nurses should actively engage key stakeholders like patients, administrators, payers, and community partners. Nurse leaders should understand that building consensus and soliciting input from diverse perspectives can foster ownership and commitment to proposed changes. Another strategy that can be used to manage change is effective communication. Clear and transparent communication is vital for successful change management because it creates trust and fosters a collaborative environment.   Providing comprehensive education and training is another strategy that can ensure FNPs and their colleagues have the necessary skills and knowledge to implement change effectively (Phillips & Klein, 2023). Lastly. Adaptability and flexibility should prevail to ensure that healthcare providers can navigate the uncertainty and ambiguity associated with change. The FNP and other advanced nurses should remain open-minded, embrace a growth mindset, and be open to feedback.

Leadership Categories

A wide range of leadership skills are necessary for the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) position to successfully navigate the complicated healthcare system and deliver excellent, patient-centered care. For instance, clinical competence is a quality that ensures FNPs possess advanced clinical knowledge and expertise to assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of acute and chronic health conditions (Heinen et al., 2019). Effective communication, critical thinking skills, and decision-making are another set of key skills that these providers should have. In addition to these skills, empathy and cultural competence should prevail to ensure FNPs address the unique needs, values, and preferences of diverse patient populations.

I am currently in possession of several leadership qualities including clinical competence, communication, ethical integrity, critical thinking, and adaptability. I will need to develop qualities like collaboration and teamwork which require the nurse to demonstrate respect for diverse perspectives, communicate openly, and leverage collective expertise to achieve common goals (Wood, 2021). I will also need to work on the quality of strategic visioning which enables the nurse to identify opportunities for innovation and inspire change.

Leadership Tools

Expanding the leadership toolbox for an FNP involves a strategic plan that encompasses various developmental activities. The first tool that I will use is self-assessment to identify strengths and areas of improvement. I intend to reflect on past experiences and seek feedback from my colleagues and mentors to gain insight into what needs change. Mentorship and coaching are other tools that I will use to ensure valuable guidance and support are given during my journey (Wood, 2021). To develop my leadership skills for future needs and challenges, I intend to engage in leadership training programs. Enrolling in leadership courses and seminars will ensure continuous learning and acquisition of necessary skills needed for future change (Heinen et al., 2019). In addition, I intend to network and collaborate with other leaders to ensure my sphere of influence is expanded. Lastly, staying informed and engaged is a strategy that can help me to navigate the rapidly evolving healthcare system and broaden prespectives on the future of healthcare.

References

Heinen, M., van Oostveen, C., Peters, J., Vermeulen, H., & Huis, A. (2019). An integrative review of leadership competencies and attributes in advanced nursing practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 75(11), 2378–2392.

https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14092

Phillips, J., & Klein, J. D. (2023). Change management: From theory to practice. TechTrends, 67(1), 189-197. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-022-00775-0

Vogenberg, F. R., & Santilli, J. (2019). Key trends in healthcare for 2020 and beyond. American Health & Drug Benefits, 12(7), 348–350. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6996619/

Wood, C. (2021). Leadership and management for nurses working at an advanced level. British Journal of Nursing, 30(5), 282-286. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2021.30.5.282