Introduction
The rapidly changing environment in healthcare services implies the necessity to analyze the future of nursing roles and management practices. A nurse practitioner (NP) is one of the crucial occupations in the industry that are responsible for communication with patients, diagnoses, development of care plans, and medication prescription. Ultimately, the current paper thoroughly investigates the future, change management, and leadership in regard to the nursing practice of NPs in healthcare.
Future Vision
NPs are essential stakeholders in providing healthcare services, and extensive academic research examines the future responsibilities of the role. For instance, McGilton et al. (2022) argue that a large range of NPs’ duties, such as diagnosis, prescription, and soft skills, enable unique opportunities for the role. Moreover, the authors note that the nursing position has been rapidly gaining popularity over the last fourteen years in healthcare facilities and the long-term care (LTC) sector (McGilton et al., 2022). As a result, NPs will be in demand in all areas of healthcare due to their flexible skillsets and extensive education.
According to the authors, the NP role will adhere to the needs of the future healthcare system. McGilton et al. (2022) particularly emphasize how NPs are more willing to adapt innovative technologies and healthcare models than other associated roles. It implies that nurse practitioners will be better suited for emerging healthcare models. For instance, NPs demonstrate significant results in the new frameworks in the LTC sector, including models that require full-time assistance and an overview of several nursing homes by “NP-Led Outreach Teams (NLOTs)” (McGilton et al., 2022, p. 197). Lastly, the authors state that NPs have fewer barriers to practice implementation, noting that many states offer an extensive degree of authority to nurse practitioners in their work (McGilton et al., 2022). Although they mention the fact that it might be beneficial for the industry to give NPs even more independence, NP is still one of the less restricted roles in healthcare. Ultimately, the future for NPs is promising due to their flexible skillsets, extensive education, and quick adaptation to healthcare trends.
Change Management
Change management is another crucial concept that determines how well the organization or the whole industry adopts new technologies and emerging models. In this sense, NPs will become the core nursing role that improves the quality of healthcare services due to the previously described advantages, such as flexibility and education. Most of the crucial change management strategies focus on organizational transformation and leadership. For instance, Igoe (2021) emphasizes cooperation, corporate vision, empowerment, open communication, cultural integration, and other indirect approaches to remove healthcare barriers and reduce resistance to change. Moreover, some of the prominent theories in change management include Kurt Lewin’s Theory of Change and the Three Dimensions of Success, which have recently received increased attention in the healthcare industry (Igoe, 2021). In summary, change management is crucial to improving the quality of the provided services.
As a nurse practitioner, I believe that I and my nursing advanced practice colleagues should clearly understand how prominent theories can help in reducing organizational resistance to change. Implementing the indirect approaches, such as a focus on cooperation and cultural integration, and popular models, such as the Three Dimensions of Success, can help the organization adopt innovative frameworks. Côté et al. (2019) further emphasize how effective change management is for understanding new roles in healthcare and services optimization. One of the findings includes that some nursing roles experience “role fragility,” implying that many professionals are uncertain about their future and whether their roles will be related to the emerging models (Côté et al., 2019). It is a relevant problem and one of the reasons why I and my nursing practice colleagues should clearly understand the change management frameworks and learn how to adapt to the rapidly evolving industry.
Leadership Qualities
Consequently, NPs should acquire an extensive number of soft skills and leadership qualities to remain relevant in healthcare. The study by Heinen et al. (2019) identifies thirty “leadership core competencies within four leadership domains” for experts in advanced nursing practice (p. 2385). Some of the essential qualities for NPs within this list are responsibility for professional development, critical thinking, participation in academic activities, cultural ethics, coaching of future leaders, and soft skills.
After reviewing the thirty competencies and reflecting on my own qualities, I believe that I currently possess skills related to professional development in nursing practice. In this context, it means that I acknowledge the importance of academic studies and I intend to continue my learning to grow as a person and a professional. On the contrary, I believe that I need to improve my soft skills, particularly communication competencies and collaboration with peers. The current analysis has shown that NPs will become the core element of future healthcare, implying that nurse practitioners will need to cooperate with each other even more. Hence, I must continue developing my soft skills to integrate into healthcare teams and become a better team member. Ultimately, 21st-century leadership implies collaboration rather than a vertical hierarchy, and I need to adjust my studies and practice accordingly.
Leadership Tools
Leadership tools generally refer to the instruments that NPs can use to make a positive change in the organization and facilitate their relationships with colleagues. Heinen et al. (2019) state that nurse practitioners must have knowledge of leadership theories and their practical application, legal regulations, management models, and the aptitude for interprofessional leadership. The leadership competencies mentioned in the previous chapter directly relate to these tools and should be improved to expand the leaders’ knowledge.
My plan to extend the leadership toolbox primarily includes observation, reflection, and application. The former refers to a thorough investigation of academic literature and real-life scenarios. Reflection is the consequent process of analysis, revealing how exactly I can use this knowledge to acquire new competencies. Lastly, application is the experimental process where I must leave my comfort zone and explore new opportunities. For instance, I can use this approach to improve my communication skills by observing the teamwork among professionals, reflecting on their actions, and applying these techniques in my own practice. Leadership is an empirical process, and I need to focus on collaboration to enhance my professional competencies. Ultimately, I intend to use this approach to develop my leadership skills for future needs and challenges.
Conclusion
NP is one of the most significant roles in the healthcare system, and, according to the analysis, it will become even more important in the future. From these considerations, aspiring NPs should have a clear understanding of the future vision in the industry, change management strategies, and required leadership competencies to succeed as a professional. Ultimately, healthcare is rapidly evolving, and it is crucial that NPs maintain a relevant skillset and can adapt to the emerging care models and innovative technologies.
References
Côté, N., Freeman, A., Jean, E., & Denis, J. L. (2019). New understanding of primary health care nurse practitioner role optimisation: The dynamic relationship between the context and work meaning.BMC Health Services Research, 19(1), 1-10. Web.
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. Web.
Igoe, K. J. (2021). Change management: Why it’s so important, and so challenging, in health care environments. Harvard T.H. Chan: School of Public Health. Web.
McGilton, K. S., Bowers, B. J., & Resnick, B. (2022). The future includes nurse practitioner models of care in the long-term care sector.Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 23(2), 197-200. Web.