SWOT Analysis - Assignment Example

? SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis Question One: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the nursing profession in this evolving health system? The apparent strengths in the nursing profession are as follows: (1) continued reliance on the knowledge, skills and abilities gained through the course in terms of addressing the needs for direct patient care; (2) continued current high demand for the skills required of the profession (Dolan, 2011); (3) “science of nursing is always advancing, and a successful nursing career requires a commitment to learning and openness to change” (Dolan, 2011, par. 6); (4) flexibilty and variability in responsibilities that make the profession dynamic and continuously evolving; (5) access to competitive compensation as compared to other health care professions; (6) portability, explained as “a career that you can take with you wherever you go. Once you have a registered nurse license in one state, you can apply for reciprocity in another state” (Dolan, 2011, par. 9); and (7) the profession has been considered the most trusted, to wit: “since 1999, nurses have been ranked as the most trusted profession in the United States every year except 2001. (That year, fire fighters were ranked first)” (Dolan, 2011, par. 11). On the other hand, the weaknesses identified of the nursing profession are as follows: (1) the perrenial shifts and tendencies to work long hours, when the need arises; (2) the need for continuous learning and updates in attending to the needs of increasing number of patients from diverse cultural orientations (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2011, p. 2-2); (3) “t is not as diverse as it needs to be—with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, and age—to provide culturally relevant care to all populations” (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2011, S-3); and (4) apparent lack of leadership skills to advance in the profession. Question Two: What are some of opportunities that are available to nursing in this ever changing and evolving health system? What types of skill sets will nurses need to lead in some of these areas? In was clearly stated in the Occupational Outlook Handbook published online by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that the nursing profession has growth prospects of “26 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will occur primarily because of technological advancements, permitting a greater number of health problems to be treated; an increased emphasis on preventive care; and the large, aging baby boomer population who will demand more healthcare services as they live longer and more active lives than previous generations” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012, par. 1). As expounded, “growth is expected to be much faster than average in outpatient care centers, where patients do not stay overnight, such as those that provide same-day chemotherapy, rehabilitation, and surgery. Also, an increased number of procedures, as well as more sophisticated procedures once done only in hospitals, are being done in physicians' offices” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012, par. 2). Due to these opportunities, the types of skills sets that nurses need to lead in some of the identified areas should focus on “traditional nursing competencies such as care management and coordination, patient education, public health intervention, and transitional care are likely to dominate in a reformed health care system as it inevitably moves toward an emphasis on prevention and management rather than acute care” (O’Neil, 2009; cited in Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2011, p. 1-5). Likewise, to address cultural diversity of patients, nurses must enhance skills on cultural competencies and diversity consciousness, as indicated. Question Three: What are some of the threats to nursing as a profession and to nurses as they work to implement change with quality care and patient centered focus in the acute care environment and in ambulatory settings? How do we counteract these? Who are our partners in doing this? In the report prepared by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (2011), some of the threats and challenges to the nursing profession and to the nurses as they work to implement change with quality care and patient centered focus in the acute care environment and in ambulatory settings include the following: (1) the composition of the workforce where apparently “at least 900,000 nurses over the age of 50” (BLS, 2009; cited in Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2011, p. 1-6) need to be replaced; and (2) “producing a health care system that delivers the right care—quality care that is patient centered, accessible, evidence-based, and sustainable—at the right time will require transforming the work environment, scope of practice, education, and numbers and composition of America’s nurses” (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2011, p. 1-6). The recommendations proposed by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies to counteract these threats include: “(1) nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training; (2) nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression; (3) nurses should be full partners, with physicians and other health professionals, in redesigning health care in the United States; and (4) effective workforce planning and policy making require better data collection and an improved information infrastructure” (p. 1-12). Thereby, as mentioned, the partners in addressing these threats include physicians and other health care professionals and practitioners who are enjoined to support and assist in the improvement of this endeavor. References Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). (2009). Employment projections: Replacement needs. Retrieved July 22, 2012, from http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_110.htm Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2012, March 29). Registered Nurses: Job Outlook. Retrieved July 22, 2012, from Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Healthcare/Registered-nurses.htm#tab-6 Dolan, T. (2011, October 12). Top Ten Advantages of Being a Nurse. Retrieved July 23, 2012, from nursingdegreeguide.com: http://nursingdegreeguide.com/2011/10/the-top-ten-advantages-of-being-a-nurse/ Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. (2011). Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Retrieved July 22, 2012, from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/Future%20of%20Nursing_Leading%20Change%20Advancing%20Health.pdf O'Neil, E. (2009). Four factors that guarantee health care change. Journal of Professional Nursing, 25(6):317–321. Read More