What is the future of nursing? The field is always evolving, and factors including an aging population, the rise of new technologies, and trends toward increasing levels of education and certifications mean that the role of nurses will see large shifts in the upcoming decade.
Nursing, a cornerstone of the healthcare system, is poised for significant transformation. The rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, driven by demographic shifts, technological advancements, and changing patient needs, necessitates a forward-looking perspective on the future of nursing. Nursing’s current state is characterized by a highly skilled workforce dedicated to providing quality care. However, this workforce faces numerous challenges and opportunities that will shape its future.
Understanding these trends is crucial for stakeholders including nurses, policymakers, healthcare organizations, and educational institutions, to ensure that nursing continues to meet the demands of an ever-changing healthcare environment. The National Academy of Medicine’s report, The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity lays out some of the most prevalent trends impacting the industry today and charts how nurses can shape the industry.
As the nursing profession continues to evolve, the trends reflected in this document present both challenges and opportunities for the future. By understanding and addressing these factors, the nursing workforce can continue to provide high-quality care and adapt to the ever-changing healthcare landscape. Now, let’s explore how the nursing landscape is poised to change and share how Marquette University’s Second Degree Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing program can equip you for a future with an array of nursing career path options.
Patient & Nurse Demographics
The demographics of both nurses and patients are undergoing significant changes, profoundly impacting the future of nursing. Understanding these demographic shifts is essential for healthcare providers, policymakers, and educators to ensure that the nursing profession can meet the evolving needs of society.
Patient Demographic Trends
The demographic shift toward a more elderly population with the aging of the baby boomer generation will impact the field in a profound way. Older adults often have multiple health issues that require more coordinated and comprehensive care. The growing demand for healthcare services will require a larger nursing workforce, trained with a greater emphasis on managing chronic illnesses and providing long-term care.
Patient populations are also becoming increasingly diverse, with several key implications for nursing practice. The American Nurses Association’s Code of Ethics for Nurses is mindful of nursing leadership in this space, stating “Nurses educate the public; facilitate informed choice; identify conditions and circumstances that contribute to illness, injury, and disease; foster healthy lifestyles; and participate in institutional and legislative efforts to protect and promote health.”
As laid out in the National Academy of Medicine’s report on the industry’s future, effective care management and team-based care will increasingly involve screening patients for social needs and social risks. Patients may be hesitant to provide information about issues like housing or food insecurity, so nurses need to be able to foster trust, collect information and data, and make it available to everyone playing a part in forming that patient’s care plan. After identifying a potential need for additional social resources, nurses who connect patients with assistance can heighten the effectiveness of treatment plans for chronic conditions.
See the impact on patient care that patient advocacy in nursing can make.
Nurses also need to be proficient in communication skills to overcome language barriers and form rapport. In nursing education, an emphasis on culturally sensitive care to patients from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds is also vital. This requires an understanding of different cultural norms, beliefs, and practices that can impact health and healthcare. Marquette students work face-to-face with patients from all walks of life in clinical rotations at top regional healthcare facilities, and our education focuses on the value of holistic care which integrates every aspect of the patient into the care they receive.
Nursing Demographic Trends
The demographics of the nursing workforce are also changing, presenting both challenges and opportunities. A significant portion of the current nursing workforce is approaching retirement age. This trend could lead to a shortage of experienced nurses, exacerbating existing workforce challenges. As such, efforts to attract younger individuals to the nursing profession are critical. This includes promoting nursing as a rewarding and viable career option and providing as much support as possible to nursing students.
Increasing the diversity of the nursing workforce is also essential to better reflect the patient population. This involves recruiting individuals from various ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds and ensuring that nursing education programs stay accessible and inclusive. By understanding and responding to these demographic shifts, the nursing profession can continue to provide high-quality, patient-centered care in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.
Growth of the Nursing Role
The role of nursing is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by advancements in healthcare, technology, and changes in patient needs. The expansion of nursing roles not only enhances patient care but also empowers nurses to take on more significant responsibilities in the healthcare system.
Increasing Specialization
Registered nurses have long held one of the most prominent healthcare positions regarding face-to-face patient interaction, and they will continue to do so. At the same time though, physician shortages and changing care models mean that advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), including Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs), Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), and Nurse Midwives (CNMs), are playing increasingly vital roles in healthcare delivery.
Many states and healthcare systems are granting APRNs greater autonomy in efforts to address physician shortages and improve access to care. The professionals who hold these nursing roles are taking on aspects of care which had traditionally been held by physicians, particularly in primary and specialized care. This includes diagnosing and managing patient conditions, prescribing medications, and performing procedures.
More nurses are also pursuing advanced degrees to prepare for roles as hospital administrators, clinical directors, and health system executives. Their presence in these roles ensures that clinical perspectives are integrated into organizational decision-making.
In a shifting landscape where nurses are entering more roles in care delivery and administration, a master’s-level education can provide a better pathway to pursue post-degree certification in a wide variety of specialty areas. Marquette’s DE-MSN curriculum prepares students to launch a thriving career which they can build upon with certifications and specialization into new practice areas.
Integration of Technology
Using emerging technologies in policy and patient care has always been a mainstay of the nursing profession, and today is no different. Technology continues to evolve at an accelerating rate, revolutionizing nursing practice and enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and patient outcomes.
The use of telehealth has surged in recent years, with rapid acceleration since 2020 beginning in response to the pandemic. Telehealth allows nurses to provide remote consultations, monitor patients, and manage chronic conditions from a distance, increasing access to care and reducing hospital visits. It has also meant much greater geographic flexibility going forward for nurses pursuing new job opportunities.
Healthcare organizations are also increasingly using digital tools and mobile apps to track patient health metrics, educate patients, and streamline administrative tasks. These tools can facilitate real-time monitoring and personalized care plans, and all nurses going forward will need access to continuing education opportunities to properly utilize new tools as they emerge.
Learn more about the ways in which technology in nursing is transforming patient care.
Data-Driven Healthcare
Data-driven decision making is becoming a cornerstone of nursing practice, allowing for more precise and effective care. By analyzing patient data, nurses can identify trends, predict potential complications, and tailor interventions to individual needs. This proactive approach enhances patient outcomes and reduces the risk of adverse events. Nurses also rely on data to support and evolve patient care through evidence-based practice. By accessing and applying research findings and clinical data, nurses can implement the most effective care strategies, ensuring that patients receive the best possible treatments.
Another data-influenced trend influencing the future of nursing is the continuing dependence on Electronic Health Records (EHRs), which have transformed the way nurses document, access, and share patient information. EHRs provide a comprehensive and easily accessible record of a patient’s medical history, treatments, and outcomes. This facilitates better care coordination, reduces errors, and enhances communication among healthcare providers.
The American Nursing Informatics Association has defined the Six Domains of Burden regarding clinical documentation, which are the main areas presenting challenges to nurses and requiring solutions. These issues which still need to be solved going forward are:
- Reimbursement – Documentation, coding and other administrative data entry tasks required for payment
- Regulatory – Accreditation agency documentation requirements
- Quality – Documentation required to demonstrate that quality patient care has been provided. This includes documentation requirements by the healthcare organization itself, as well as by governmental and regulatory agencies
- Usability – Limited and insufficient use of human factors engineering and human/computer interface principles resulting in extra time spent entering data, scrolling, clicking and searching for pertinent information in the record
- Interoperability/Standards – Insufficient configuration standards resulting in duplication and re-entry of data even though it resides elsewhere, either internal to the organization or in an external system.
- Self-Imposed – (by the healthcare organization) aka - “We’ve Done it To Ourselves” - Organizational culture’s influence on what should be documented can exceed what is needed for patient care, including fear of litigation, “we’ve always done it this way”, inadequate education, and misinterpretation of regulatory standards
Despite the need to overcome these challenges, the future of nursing will see an emphasis on data-driven care that continues to grow. As new solutions emerge, the future of EHRs will continue to grow the nursing field and heighten the standard of patient care.
Ready to Pursue a Nursing Career Through Marquette?
With so many shifts impacting the field right now, “What is the future of nursing?” remains a pertinent question. As we’ve examined, shifting demographics, changes in the nursing role trending toward greater specialization, and a growing emphasis on data-driven care are pushing the nursing field forward. In a future where nurses take a more proactive role in managing and administering healthcare, more new professionals will be needed to ensure that patients can continue to access quality care.
If a role as a nursing leader in this shifting landscape sounds appealing, an MSN degree from Marquette University can be the perfect stepping stone to help you get there. To learn more about our full-time 5- or 8-semester direct entry MSN program offerings, contact an admissions adviser today. Our admissions team will be glad to chat about your options. Don’t wait, take the next step toward a rewarding and in-demand career today!