Uncovering the latest nursing & healthcare trends to look out for
With an aging society and continuous research and advancements in the healthcare field, nurses must stay on top of trends and updates. By staying in the loop, nurses can equip themselves with the skills and tools to adjust to the growing demands in the industry. In this article, we will be uncovering the latest nursing and healthcare trends to look out for in 2023.
Why should nurses stay updated on nursing and healthcare trends?
Society continues to evolve through the years. In fact, even in just a year, many changes are bound to happen — more so in the healthcare industry. As a nurse, you must be aware of ongoing nursing and healthcare trends. Keeping yourself updated will help you prepare for what’s to come in the long run.
For nursing leaders and those who are at the management level, awareness of these trends helps them create better policies. With this knowledge, they will be able to anticipate future crises and situations which may occur.
More nursing jobs will open
Forecasts say that in the next months and even in the coming years, there will be a continued rise in nursing job growth. This means more positions for nursing jobs will open.
Many factors contribute to this trend. First, with the onset of the pandemic, there is an increase in the demand for patient care. With many health issues, we need more nurses to take care of the rising number of patients. Second, the general population is aging which calls for more care for geriatric patients and those with comorbidities.
Third, many nurses are already hitting their retirement age. This calls for a younger batch of nurses who will enter the field and populate the industry. Fourth, the great resignation in healthcare has begun. With a high turnover rate among nurses, more and more nursing positions are available and open.
Home and virtual healthcare will continue
The pandemic has significantly affected the healthcare industry, including how people are seeking consultation and treatment. Amidst lockdown restrictions, many doctors and medical facilities turned to home and virtual healthcare.
With virtual healthcare, patients consult their doctors and nurses monitor patients virtually either through audio or video calls. Tools and mobile applications help in maintaining constant and consistent consultation and monitoring.
Aside from that, there is also the popularity of home healthcare. Instead of getting treatments in hospitals, some patients would rather do it at home when given the go signal from their physicians. This is to avoid immunocompromised patients from getting infectious diseases such as COVID-19 or prevent further medical complications.
In the coming years, more patients are seeing the advantages of home and virtual healthcare. That being said, there may be an increase in the demand for nurses who can provide this type of outside-of-the-hospital care.
Band aid solutions to the nursing shortage will have adverse effects
The healthcare industry is experiencing a shortage of nurses in various medical facilities across the country. Institutions are implementing different strategies to address this nurse shortage problem.
However, bandaid solutions such as increased workload for existing nurses, travel nursing, and per diem nursing won’t solve the problem in the long run.
As a matter of fact, dangers come with these short-term solutions. For one, travel nurses are in demand more than ever which has affected salary ranges. While this is good for nurses who explore this kind of nursing, medical institutions might not be able to sustain this practice financially.
Additionally, there is also the risk of inconsistent patient care. Because nurses are not officially affiliated with the institution, the level of care and service may not be the same. Some skills also need to be developed which might not happen if nurses are only working for a short period in that facility.
Mental health among nurses will get attention
Overwhelming workload, stress, fatigue, and lack of work-life balance all have taken a toll on nurses, leading to high nurse turnover. Due to the staff shortage, healthcare leaders are giving more attention to the mental well-being of nurses.
This gives hope that the management of medical facilities will implement measures and policies in line with the mental health of nurses. Initiatives can include more paid days off, better nurse-to-patient ratio, flexible shift scheduling, and social activities and incentives.
Fostering a healthy work environment is crucial for improved nurse retention and job satisfaction. Remember that if your nurses are happy, they will less likely leave their job.
Nursing schools will be more aggressive
Because the industry needs more nurses, nursing schools have to work double time in making sure that there will be more future nurse practitioners.
This means encouraging the younger generation to apply for nursing school. It also entails extending their nursing program to be more inclusive and accessible.
Aside from that, some nursing schools are also investing in virtual simulations and technologies. These will equip their students with the clinical skills needed for actual nursing practice.
Understanding nursing and healthcare trends
Uncovering the latest nursing and healthcare trends to look out for is one way of looking ahead. Nurses and industry leaders must be aware of these forecasts to understand what lies ahead. This helps them in coming up with policies and measures for better patient care and job satisfaction in the nursing field.