The Evolution and Future of Nursing Education- A Historical Perspective and Emerging Trends

The Evolution and Future of Nursing Education- A Historical Perspective and Emerging Trends

Nursing education has drastically, over time, had to respond to the transformative nature of the nursing profession. The field has changed since the early 1800s from an extension of the caretaking role to a critical profession in clinical practice. Modern-day nursing requires nurses to have formal education and certification.

Historical Events

Formal nursing education began in the late 1800s when events such as the Industrial Revolution and the Civil War emphasized the importance of formally trained nurses caring for patients. In the Civil War, roughly 2000 untrained females cared for wounded soldiers (Keating, 2017). Due to their lack of training and poor hygiene during the wars, many soldiers died. This revealed the need for formal nursing training. Florence Nightingale is the mother of modern nursing practice. Accordingly, she developed a nursing education model which has existed for many years. This model highlighted the need for nursing schools to remain independent without the supervision of affiliated practice hospitals (Keating, 2017). The focus should be on education and not service to the hospital. This model was used to open several nursing hospitals, such as Bellevue Training School.

World war I and II highlighted the need for formal nursing education. The entry of the US into the first world war increased the admission into nursing schools by 25% (Keating, 2017). The establishment of the Army School of Nursing and the Vassar Training Camp impacted nursing education during the first world war. Subsequently, during the second world war, many nurses were needed in the military. In 1943, the United States Congress legislated the Bolton Act that formed the Cadet Nurse Corps. This was to avoid the collapse of civilian hospitals, offer nursing education in the military, and ensure the necessary nursing education for cadet students (Keating, 2017).

In the 1950s, associate degree programs were developed because of community colleges’ interest in nursing education. However, the nursing education situation in community colleges and the American Nurses Association (ANA) proposal that nursing should be taught in universities resulted in a turbulent time in nursing education (Keating, 2017). In the late 20^th century, graduate nursing education was established, and many nurses enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs.

Trends that will Impact Nursing and Nursing Education

The first trend is online nursing training. The Covid-19 pandemic showed the importance of online training in nursing (Dewart et al., 2020). Online education has motivated more nurses to pursue higher education. Through online education, nurses can obtain a higher degree while working full-time. Nurses can now further their education without sacrificing family obligations or work-related duties. The shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs) will create a greater demand for family nurse practitioners (FNPs). Accordingly, recent research has revealed that by 2032, the US will face a primary care physician shortage due to an aging population (Zhang et al., 2020). This will increase the demand for FNPs in states with full practice authority for FNPs. Training of more FNPs will thus be necessary. A third trend is that many states will grant advanced practice nurse practitioners full practice authority (APRNs). Due to the forecasted PCP shortage in the next decade, many states will have to grant full practice authority to APRNs. Only 27 states in the United States have full practice authority for APRNs (Brom et al., 2018).

 Conclusion

Nursing education has evolved over the years. The key events that led to the evolution include the Civil War, Industrial Revolution, Crimean War, World War I, and II. Nurses are now important clinical team players who significantly impact patient care.

References

Brom, H. M., Salsberry, P. J., & Graham, M. C. (2018). Leveraging health care reform to accelerate nurse practitioner full practice authority. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(3), 120-130. https://doi.org/10.1097/jxx.0000000000000023

Dewart, G., Corcoran, L., Thirsk, L., & Petrovic, K. (2020). Nursing education in a pandemic: Academic challenges in response to COVID-19. Nurse Education Today, 92, 104471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104471

Keating, S. B. (2017). Curriculum development and evaluation in nursing (4th ed.). Springer Publishing Company.

Zhang, X., Lin, D., Pforsich, H., & Lin, V. W. (2020). Physician workforce in the United States of America: Forecasting nationwide shortages. Human Resources for Health, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-020-0448-3

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Assessment 1 Instructions: The History of Nursing Education
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Write a two-page article about the history and trends in nursing and nursing education.

Introduction
In this assessment, you reflect on the history of nursing and nursing education and will consider the trends likely to impact the profession in the future.

The Evolution and Future of Nursing Education- A Historical Perspective and Emerging Trends

As you start this course, it seems very appropriate to consider where we have been as a profession, both in nursing and nursing education, and where you have been and are going as a professional.

Instructions
Write a short article about the history and future trends of the nurse educator role. The article should be approximately two pages long and run in a newsletter for nurses and nurse educators.

In your article, be sure to do the following:

Explain five key historical influences on nursing and nursing education today. Be sure to address why these influences are important and how they have had an impact.
Analyze three trends that you believe will impact nursing and nursing education in the future. Explain how those trends relate to what you understand about nursing history.
Support your assertions with credible sources. You can use the resources in this assessment and conduct additional research at the Capella University Library.
Additional Requirements
Format: 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font, double-spaced in Microsoft Word.
Length: Approximately two pages plus a title page and a references page.
Use the correct APA format for all citations and references (if used).
Writing should be free of grammar and spelling errors that distract from content.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:

Competency 1: Analyze the historical evolution of nursing education.
Explain historical influences on nursing and nursing education.
Analyze trends that may impact the future of nursing and nursing education.
Competency 8: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with the expectations of a nursing education professional.
Write clearly and logically, with correct use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and mechanics, and correctly format citations using APA format.