Modern medicine is actively developing, implementing the latest innovations and new approaches to treatment. However, the aspects, which require urgent improvements, still exist. For instance, it is essential to provide a greater part of the population with medical services of high quality. Another issue implies the necessity to adhere to more comprehensive training for nurses. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Committee Initiative is interested in finding solutions for these problems and contributing to the improvement of the healthcare system. It introduced the IOM report with a list of recommendations in this regard. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to describe the work of RWJF, outline key positions of the IOM report, and cover the realization of recommendation in Pennsylvania.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Committee Initiative
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Committee Initiative (RWJF) is a charity organization, whose focus implies health. It is based in the United States, Princeton, state New Jersey, and was founded in 1972 by Robert Wood Johnson. The major purpose of the committee incentive involves contributing to improving the health condition of the American population and the entire healthcare system (Sullivan, 2018). The method of realization of this intention is supplying grants for coping with a particular health issue. RWJF addresses a variety of problems in this regard, from healthcare providers training to child obesity (Sullivan, 2018). In addition, the organization is concerned about multiple factors of social and economic life, which influence the health state of the citizenry.
The associability of medical service of an appropriate quality among the diverse American population appears to be a relevant issue in the context of present-day development. The most effective solution to this problem is considered to be the expansion of the healthcare provider’s role (Sullivan, 2018). RWJF participates in addressing this issue by approaching the Institute of Medicine (IOM), pursuing the aim of creating a report with guidelines for future nursing and public policies on all levels (Sullivan, 2018). As a result, RWJF presented the IOM report, and its significance can be explained by the fact that it supplies an option for transforming the healthcare system in order to solve the aforementioned hardship.
Key Messages
The IOM report includes an in-depth analysis of the current healthcare system and its weaknesses. There are four major messages in the paper in this regard. The first one is expressed in the following way: “nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training” (Institute of Medicine, 2011, p. 57). The authors are convinced that the role of professionalism of nurses should not be underestimated for improving the American healthcare system (Institute of Medicine, 2011). Continuing this idea, RWJF states: “nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression” (Institute of Medicine, 2011, p. 59). In order to achieve profound changes in the healthcare system, it is essential to pay attention to the education of nurses who should be oriented on teaching how to deliver “safe, quality, and patient-centered care” (Institute of Medicine, 2011, p. 61). These steps are important for addressing all the weaknesses of the current medicine.
The third message regards the issue of leadership among healthcare providers. The creators of the report highlight: “nurses should be full partners, with physicians and other health professionals, in redesigning health care in the United States” (Institute of Medicine, 2011, p. 62). It is advisable to encourage to develop of leadership skills among nurses in order to provide considerable changes. The last one conveys: “effective workforce planning and policy making require better data collection and an improved information infrastructure” (Institute of Medicine, 2011, p. 63). Therefore, the IOM report covers changes in different aspects of nursing practice.
State-Based Action Coalitions
Discussing the necessity to change the American healthcare system and elaborating effective solutions to the current problems, state-based action coalitions should also be mentioned. These organizations are run by nurses and business partners, who work on measures contributing to the health care system transformation via nursing and building health communities (State Action Coalitions, n. d.). They are located in every state, and their operation enhances local, regional, and state levels.
Their activity contributes to the realization of the recommendations described in the IOM report. First of all, they are aimed to improve the access to medical services of appropriate quality, which is the problem aimed to address by the report. State-based action coalitions elaborate on sufficient measures in order to achieve this objective. In addition, the organizations encourage a strong working environment and advance nursing leadership (State Action Coalitions, n. d.). The coalitions also focus on education hardships for improving training for delivering quality and patient-centered care by healthcare providers (State Action Coalitions, n. d.). The same as the IOM report mentions, state-based action coalitions address the problem of workforce data collection (State Action Coalitions, n. d.). Therefore, the activity of state-based action coalitions supplement the IOM report and realize the recommendations.
Pennsylvania Action Coalition
As it has been mentioned above, action coalitions are situated in every state, and there is a department in Pennsylvania. It contributes to promoting the objectives states in the IOM report. One of the incentives regards the issue of nursing education. The purpose is determined in the following way: “to advance the educational preparation of the nursing workforce” (The Campaign for Action, n. d., para. 1). It implies encouraging continuous learning for healthcare providers. In addition, it includes supplying opportunities for further development and receiving higher qualifications seamlessly (The Campaign for Action, n. d.). In order to realize these intentions, Pennsylvania Action Coalition adheres to BSN-prepare workforce expansion. Another measure involves increasing the number of doctorally prepared professionals (The Campaign for Action, n. d.). These actions are considered to make a significant change in the medical settings of Pennsylvania.
Furthermore, the activity of the Pennsylvania Action Coalition addresses the problem of leadership skills and ambitions among nurses. It attempts to encourage leaders via providing networking and educational opportunities for healthcare providers. For instance, as it is mentioned in The Campaign for Action (n. d.), the organization increases “participation in PA-AC Councils to foster collaboration and increase leadership capacity” (para. 5). In addition, the coalition regularly sends nurses for additional training and seminars.
Barriers to Advancement
However, Pennsylvania Action Coalition occasionally encounters some barriers, which prevent it from successful advancement. For instance, the existing policies may appear to be obsolete and present an obstacle for realizing the IOM report recommendations. For this reason, the organization attempts to alter the current legislation in case it prevents the healthcare system from improving. They apply for the government in order to modernize the laws and implement more appropriate and beneficial measures.
References
Institute of Medicine. (2011). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. The National Academies Press.
Pennsylvania Action Coalitions. (n. d.). Campaign for Action.
State Action Coalitions. (n. d.). Campaign for Action.
Sullivan, T. (2018). Institute of Medicine report – The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Policy & Medicine.
The Campaign for Action. (n. d.). Pennsylvania Action Coalition.