It comes as no surprise that nursing is one of the most versatile and influential healthcare industry professions. It is a great career option for individuals who have good communication skills and want to impact people’s lives positively.
Undoubtedly, the everyday tasks of nurses are demanding, but it is worth the time and effort. Due to the increase in the aging population and medical diseases, nurses’ need in medical centers will never end.
The nursing industry is ever-evolving which implies that they must remain up-to-date with the latest trends to provide the best possible care and secure their jobs. Below are some of the top trends in the nursing profession:
1. More Nurses Will Opt for Specialization
Gone are the days when employers would hire nurses with primary care. Today, more and more nurses enroll in specialization programs to gain extensive knowledge and experience in a particular interest area.
Due to the vast field, there are plenty of options for nurses to choose a specialization that best suits their dreams and goals. Some nursing specialization fields include gerontology, psychiatry, family, critical care, and much more. There are also online courses you can take. For example, if you are a pediatric nurse you can get a PALS certificate online.
2. Increase in Salaries
It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted every industry globally, including the healthcare sector. However, medical institutions continue to give nurses increased salaries.
Many employers are valuing the nursing profession and are looking for ways to recruit and retain these professionals. Employers also provide nurses with benefits other than salary, such as traveling expenses, housing, tuition fees, etc.
3. Increase in Higher Education Online Programs
Several studies show that nurses with advanced education can earn lucrative jobs and provide better patient outcomes. However, many registered nurses wonder how to get a doctorate in nursing while practicing alongside.
The good news is many educational institutions offer online courses for nurses who wish to pursue higher education. These education programs are an excellent way for nurses who want to balance work-life, education, and family. Also, nurses can stay abreast of the latest trends and technologies by earning a higher education.
4. Growth of Telehealth and Chatbot
Previously, healthcare centers provided patient care through phones; however, the industry is changing its norms by bringing in telehealth facilities. The telehealth services include various multimedia channels, such as email, video, apps, etc.
Patients can now share their symptoms through an email with nurses. Consequently, nurses can provide them with a treatment plan based on the patient medical record. Telehealth facilities are an effective way to provide patient care without taking appointments in person. The increase in telehealth services is advantageous for patients of all age groups and genders, especially in the wake of the ongoing pandemic.
Similarly, chatbot services are the latest nursing profession trend, allowing them to provide optimum care online. Nurses can assess patient’s health, ask questions, schedule appointments, prescribe or remind certain medications.
5. Increase in Job Opportunities
It comes as no surprise that nurses’ demand would grow now more than ever with the ongoing pandemic. The entire healthcare industry has experienced a nurse shortage during COVID-19, which led to increased workload. It implies that there would be a significant increase in job opportunities for nurses worldwide. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nursing job outlook would grow by 7% from 2019 to 2029.
Not to mention, the nursing field is one of the most diversified career paths in the world. Regardless of the fact that you are a fresh graduate or an experienced nurse looking to further your skills in a new specialty, nursing employment opportunities and working conditions are constantly improving.
6. New Model of Care
Due to the internet and plenty of information available online, today, patients are well-aware of their health conditions. Healthcare facilities are thus taking into account patient experience and values to provide care.
For this reason, most nurses are now adopting a holistic approach to treating their patients. The holistic services include identifying physical, emotional, mental, and social issues and making decisions based on these factors. Patients who receive holistic care services have better outcomes than those with routine care.
7. Delay in Retirement
The norm of delaying retirement observed in the nursing industry over the past few years. Even if they retire from their jobs, senior nurses continue their private clinics or work as part-timers. These nurses tend to take care of their mental and physical health, thus can work effectively even after retirement age.
Moreover, due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many retired nurses have joined medical facilities to provide the best care to vulnerable patients.
8. More Advancement in Technologies
No wonder technology is everywhere, including the healthcare industry. Therefore, nurses must not ignore the technological advancements and keep themselves updated with the technology to provide quality care to patients. The advent of technology has improved the efficiency of healthcare administration and patient experience.
Nurses should know how to use technology to schedule appointments, obtain medical records, design treatment plans, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals. There are several kinds of technologies available for nurses to benefit from including, Electronic Health Records (EHR), Smart beds, Point-of-Care, etc. Learning these technologies can help them provide high-quality care to the patients.
9. Greater Proportion of Male Nurses
Formerly, the nursing profession has a predominantly female population. However, in the past few years, there has been a significant change in this trend. Today, more males are entering the nursing sector. Amid the ongoing shortage of nurses in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, employers are concentrating on providing equal opportunities for both males and female nurses.
10. More Educated Patients
In this technological era, it is not quite difficult for patients to learn about their health conditions. Today most patients like to research their symptoms online via plenty of healthcare blogs and websites.
As a result, nurses must be ready for patients with extensive medical knowledge. It is advisable to listen attentively to the patients’ viewpoints and let them know whether the information they absorbed is authentic or not. In this manner, nurses can build good relations with patients by integrating their expertise and education with patient’s information to devise a more proactive treatment plan.
Conclusion
Even though the nursing profession is gratifying and remunerative, nurses face numerous hardships every other day. These challenges take a toll on their health, and the job gets a bit overwhelming.
However, the changes and trends occurring in this field play a crucial role in enlightening these problems. Many measures are transpiring to shape the nursing profession better and change the healthcare sector’s overall landscape.
