Health Care Reform: Impact on the Nursing profession

By: Meagan Farley | WSLS 10
Published: May 26, 2010

RADFORD - Some big changes are in store for the nursing profession.

"For the first time in my career we are going to see an emphasis on people staying well and people taking care of themselves," says Kimberly Carter, Director of the Radford nursing program.

She says in her years of nursing, the first things cut by the Government are health behavior and health promotion programs. "I think all of those wellness focused programs are going to grow in the next few years as a result of health reform."

The legislation provides more opportunities for nurses by increasing loan amounts for undergraduates and it offers scholarships and fellowships for students and faculty, allowing nurses to expand their scope of practice.

"The jobs are going to be there and they might not be what we've traditionally seen nurses do but we will see new models for practice," says Carter, who also predicts there will be a heavy focus on community based nursing.

"I think we will see a rise in school nurses, school health clinics and nurse managed clinics in communities."

With 30 million more patients coming into the health care system, Carter says there will be a desperate need for nurses in hospital practice as well, but hopes the wellness focused health care reform.. will reduce the amount of people that ever get to the point of needing such serious hospital care.