Introduction
Nursing, as a profession, has a longstanding and rich history that can substantially inform and shape the direction of its future. Nurses should familiarize themselves with the history of the profession in order to better understand its future direction. The following decades in the nursing profession are going to be defined by several aspects, including the widespread implementation of technology in healthcare in general and nursing in particular.
Lessons Learnt
One of the main lessons that can be learned from the history of the nursing profession is to embrace advancements made in the field of technology as well as continuous education. According to Judd (2013), the second half of the 20th century was characterized by advancements in technology and its integration into health care, with nurses being accountable for ensuring competency. Technology can help decrease the workload and allow nurses to structure their workday around their patients, dedicating more time to patient support and education. Booth et al. (2021) note that nurses should avoid denying the importance of technology in their practice, while educational facilities should invest in informatics education for future generations of nurses. Furthermore, nurses should become responsible for overseeing the introduction of technology in health care in order to ensure “the universal aspects of human care continuing under a novel system” (Pepito & Locsin, 2019, p. 106). Therefore, it is essential to acknowledge the prevalence of technology in modern healthcare and the leading role of nurses in its implementation and invest in nursing education.
Conclusion
In summary, the next century in the nursing profession will be characterized by the widespread use of technology, with the increased responsibility of nurses for introducing new technology into healthcare. It is crucial to finance appropriate technology-related education for the future generations of nurses and support them in their new roles. In addition, the dismissal of new technological advancements by nurses as well as the dismissal of the importance of nurses in the technology-dominated healthcare field should be avoided.
References
Booth, R. G., Strudwick, G., McBride, S., O’Connor, S., & Solano López, A. L. (2021). How the nursing profession should adapt for a digital future. BMJ, 373, 1–5.
Judd, D. (2013). A History of American Nursing (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Pepito, J. A., & Locsin, R. (2019). Can nurses remain relevant in a technologically advanced future?International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 6(1), 106–110.