Wolters Kluwer takes candid look at the changing nursing profession through the lens of practicing nurses

As the delivery of healthcare transforms from disease-based episodic care to patient and population health-centric models of wellness care, nurses are facing new pressures and priorities to deliver high quality, safer and more consistent care both at bedside and in the community. That’s based on a recent survey by Wolters Kluwer, Health in which nearly all nurse respondents indicated that more access to information that drives evidence-based decisions at the point of care would result in a significant improvement in patient outcomes.

“Nurses play a pivotal role in our healthcare system as the professionals who face decisive moments on the front lines of care, impacting the lives of millions of people every day,” said Diana Nole, CEO, Wolters Kluwer, Health. “The nursing profession is changing and the role of nurses on integrated care teams is shifting, creating demand for new skill sets and reshaping their views on training and continuous, lifelong learning.”

Practice readiness in this dynamic climate is increasingly viewed as a factor in care variability. According to more than 2,000 U.S. nurses, physicians, hospital leaders and consumers surveyed, more consistency in training and education is needed for new practitioners.

“Within a rapidly changing healthcare paradigm, it’s critical that nurses entering the workforce have the clinical, emotional, and mental skills to solve complex problems with confidence, and that those skills are reinforced throughout their careers.” said Anne Dabrow Woods, Chief Nurse of the Health Learning, Research and Practice business at Wolters Kluwer.

“Unfortunately, many onboarding and continuing education strategies in today’s healthcare organizations fall short on effectiveness—a challenge that 93% of experienced nurses [1] say could be overcome if care teams all turned to the same evidence-based content,” added Dabrow Woods, DNP, RN, CRNP, ANP-BC, AGACNP-BC, FAAN.

To take a closer look at these new realities in the nursing profession, Wolters Kluwer released a video series, “Care without Judgement,” that explores how three practicing nurses at various stages of their careers are navigating these challenges while balancing their calling as a nurse. The series highlights recent trends and attitudes among nurses impacting the profession today and in the future as nurses work to keep pace with a changing healthcare system, evolving roles and care complexities.

“The personal stories of these three nurses underscores the critical role of lifelong learning in helping both experienced and new nurses keep pace with industry changes, and it highlights the elevated role nurses continue to play as the ambassadors of care who ensure patients are at the center of healthcare,” added Dabrow Woods, who is also an active advance practice nurse and nurse educator.

The first of three Facebook Live events from the video series will cover social determinants of health. It will be held on October 22, 2019 and will feature Dabrow Woods and Stuart Fisk, CRNP, Director, Center for Inclusion Health at Allegheny Health Network, who is also featured in the video. Follow us on Facebook @NursingCenter to learn more about the event.

The 2019 Wolters Kluwer, Health survey included feedback from nearly 2,000 nurses, physicians, hospital leaders and consumers in the US. Included were more than 350 nurses, nurse practitioners, CNOs and nursing directors.

[1] “Experienced nurses” are those who have been practicing for 10 or more years.