TheCriticalRoleNursesPlayinShapingtheFutureofHealthcare

At Elsevier Health, we are passionate about both recognizing and supporting the significant contributions of nurses worldwide.  

This supplement highlights the changing landscape of nursing, celebrates the contributions of nurses and considers how the healthcare sector can best respond to the following areas of focus: Self-Care, Recognition, Professional Development, and Community Engagement. 

With all health sector stakeholders working together, we can better understand and recognize the importance of nurses in shaping the future of healthcare. 

"Nurses play an indispensable role in shaping the future of healthcare. Their expertise and dedication are crucial to delivering high-quality patient care and driving innovation in healthcare delivery. At Elsevier Health, we recognize the importance of nurses and are committed to supporting their contributions worldwide. By working collaboratively, we can better understand and recognize the impact of nurses on healthcare delivery and ensure that they are supported and empowered to meet the challenges of today's healthcare landscape." Tim Morris, Vice President, Go-to-Market, EMEALAAP 

Cultivating and Maintaining Optimal Mental Health and Well-being 

Self-care and well-being are critical for nurses to remain resilient in a high-stress and demanding work environment. Nurses themselves have expressed feeling hypocritical about promoting health and wellness to patients while struggling to prioritise their own physical and mental well-being.  

The impact of burnout on the nursing profession globally is significant. The mental stress and pressure placed on nurses is impacting the ongoing retention of the nursing workforce, as evidenced by the Clinician of the Future report. Of the nurses surveyed 78% expect a shortage of nurses in ten years and 31% are considering leaving their current roles within the next 2-3 years.   

Barriers such as a lack of time and resources make it difficult for the nursing workforce to prioritize personal health. As a result, proactive interventions that empower nurses to manage their health and well-being must be implemented. This can be achieved through the integration of well-being initiatives and toolkits into nursing education. Valuable resources include:      

• The Raising Concerns toolkit published by the Royal College of Nursing  

• The American Nurses Association’s Well-being Initiative 

• NHS England’s Mental Health Nurses Handbook   

Meaningfully recognizing the impact of nursing excellence can additionally benefit job satisfaction, workforce retention, and the overall quality of nursing care. Some key strategies associated with meaningful recognition include:  

• Publicly acknowledging and celebrating nursing contributions to healthcare. 

• Providing opportunities for professional development and career advancement. 

• Creating a supportive work environment that values nursing expertise and input through Nursing Recognition Programs and Initiatives.  

• Empowering nurses to be a part of the shared decision-making process. 

Recognizing the value of nurses and prioritizing their well-being can positively influence nursing practice and patient outcomes and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient healthcare system.

"We are witnessing a positive shift in how people talk about their well-being. It's inspiring to hear individuals openly discussing their concerns and actively seeking help. It's a sign of growth and progress within our profession, and it's heartening to see us supporting each other better. As we navigate the challenges of balancing work and life, self-care becomes paramount, and it's reassuring to know that there are now more resources available to support nurses in prioritizing their well-being. By taking care of ourselves, we can show up as our best selves at work and in the care we provide for others."  Helen Balsdon, Deputy Chief Nursing Information Officer, NHS England

Nurses play a critical role in healthcare delivery and patient care. Their role as healthcare providers who have regular interactions with patients, makes them well-positioned to identify health risks, support diagnosis, and track progress whilst building empathy and trust. They also promote preventative measures and play a crucial role in advocating for patients to be engaged in their health. 

According to the Clinician of the Future data points, there is a growing role for nurses in public health and preventative care. The report highlights that 77% of nurses believe not enough is being done to drive forward the proactive healthcare approach. Furthermore, a shift towards preventative medicine through the use of electronic medical records (EMR) and big data is expected by 79% of nurses.  

Digital solutions can act as a golden thread, releasing valuable time to give the right care to the right person at the right time. As we look ahead, a clear focus needs to be placed on the use of data to centralize and upscale the nursing workforce. An inclusive, data-driven environment is key to improving efficiencies and benefitting patient outcomes, but nurses need to be provided with the supporting skills to gain the best outcomes. 

“Health systems, and the products and services they rely on, need to become genuinely inclusive and we recognize that achieving progress in diversity and inclusion is an ongoing journey, not a destination. Starting with the way the content and digital solutions are designed and refined, ensuring representation from, and considerations for, all ethnicities, genders, religions, sexual orientations, and social statuses to support the best quality of care for every patient.” Kevonne Holloway, Managing Director for Elsevier's Global Content Partners. 

Advancing the Nursing Profession and Fostering the Next Generation of Nurse Leaders 

The rapidly evolving healthcare landscape and advances in technology and treatment have increased the need for nurses to remain current with the latest best practices and evidence-based care. The Clinician of the Future report reinforces how nurses perceive their skillset will have to change over the next 10 years and beyond. With 76% of global nurses agreeing that big data will be integral to managing population health and 77% agreeing that real-time patient analytics will be critical to personalized care.  

However, this potential for data and analytics to improve patient outcomes will be an added burden if nurses are not adequately trained to utilize them effectively. Nursing education must adapt to keep pace with the evolving healthcare landscape. To achieve this, it is crucial to create educational solutions that incorporate the latest advances in technology but also reinforce the need for diversity across every aspect of care delivery. For instance, offering education solutions such as virtual patient simulations, that showcase a range of backgrounds and cultures can help students cultivate communication skills and empathy for patients through therapeutic conversations. 

Additionally, nurses must be provided with career advancement and growth opportunities, such as pursuing advanced degrees or certifications, participating in online learning courses and webinars, and seeking mentorship and guidance from nursing leaders and peers. An example includes the National Institute for Health and Care Research Senior Research Leader (SRL) – Nursing and Midwifery Programme that aims to empower SRLs to further increase research capacity and capability at a local, regional and national level and to support their development as future research leaders. 

Nursing leadership also plays a crucial role in supporting professional development, and a culture of learning and growth should be prioritized within healthcare organizations.  

By prioritizing professional development and supporting the changing skillset of nurses, we can help to ensure that they are well-equipped to meet the challenges of the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape and provide high-quality, evidence-based care. 

As Nurses are often responsible for managing resources and making clinical decisions that impact the cost of care, acknowledging their role in decision making will ensure operational and cost efficiencies, which benefit health systems and ultimately impact patient centered care. 

“I believe it's time to shift our focus in nursing education beyond just the tasks involved in nursing work. As a nurse, you are a vital part of the healthcare business, and everything you do has an impact on the financial health of your hospital. The new standards for Nursing Education recognize this with their emphasis on systems-based thinking and informatics as part of patient-centred care. These skills are essential for ensuring that the healthcare system can function effectively. Therefore, nursing education must pivot and approach the training of nurses with this in mind to prepare them for the future.” Gerry Altmiller, Professor of Nursing, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Consultant for Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

“Empowering nurses to become leaders in their field through lifelong learning is key to advancing the nursing profession and improving patient safety. By prioritizing leadership development and focusing on essential skills such as resilience, self-care, and wellbeing, we can cultivate a workforce that is equipped to overcome challenges and drive meaningful change in healthcare delivery." Robert Nieves, VP of Health Informatics for Clinical Solutions 

Nurses play a vital role as advocates for patient health and safety and in community health education. However, being a health leader in the community can present challenges due to limitations on time and resources.  

Nursing leadership plays a critical role in identifying and implementing effective strategies for community engagement, which may include targeted outreach, education campaigns, and partnerships with other healthcare providers and community organizations. By leveraging these opportunities and adopting effective strategies, nurses can continue to advance health outcomes and be a force for good in their communities. 

“Nurses are the fundamental foundation of the healthcare infrastructure because we have a job that includes not only our research and knowledge of a patient and their family and the community but really a foundational understanding of the impact that healthcare makes in the community at large and generations to come.  

“Every interaction we have with a patient, with a family is an interaction in the community as well as a generation of people that will be impacted forever. Their understanding of health equity, their understanding of health and well-being, their understanding of themselves and the decisions that they make and their family.”  Janelle Sokolowich, Academic Vice President, Dean of the College of Health Professions, Western Governors University  

Nurses will always play a critical role in shaping the future of health and social care due to their unique position within healthcare teams, their proximity to the bedside, and their understanding of patient care both within hospitals and communities.  

As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, organizations and healthcare providers need to support nurses in adapting to new ways of working. This includes prioritizing the advancement of digital competencies and providing opportunities for ongoing professional development.  

Elsevier Health recognizes the challenges facing nurses and is committed to providing resources that support their well-being, professional development, and the amplification of evidence-based practice. By supporting and empowering nurses, we can help to ensure that they continue to make valuable contributions to the health and social care industry, ultimately improving patient outcomes and enhancing the overall quality of care.