Blog 3:Wild Card Module 5

For this blog I went to Kaiser Health New in order to review what is currently happening in health care news. This weeks readings included a discussion on job design. An article I found related to that subject is about nurses pushing for expanded roles. The article talks about nurses with advanced degrees receiving more authority. A study from the institute of medicine reported that nurses should take on a large and more independent role in providing health care in America. Specify to remove state and federal restrictions on what advanced practice nurse, with maters degrees, can do. In support of this movement, the new federal health care law will provide more funding for nurse education . Those in support of this issue say that it is the only way to increase the quality of care currently being provided. Opposed say that the advanced degrees do not include the same training and education as physicians which could put patients safety at risk. The report is asking for nurses to be paid the same wages if they are doing the same jobs as the physicians, as well as allowing them to admit patients to the hospital or a hospice(Villegas, 2010).

In this article nurses with advanced degrees are fighting to change their job design. to broaden their scope of responsibilities and authority. This article is a perfect example of how the changing environment is calling for a job analysis. Shortages in health care professionals now and in the future are the basis for this change. These nurses are asking for job enrichment in the form of vertical expansion of duties. They want to add autonomy and responsibility to the scope of their duties (Fottler, 2008 p.179).

The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice are set to review this issue and examine the existing scope of the practice provisions to decide whether the changes should be made. If the decision poses no threat to patients safety and the quality of care then these changes could enhance productivity, job satisfaction, and patient satisfaction (Fottler, 2008 p.179).

Fottler, Myron D. Friend, Bruce J. (2008). Human Resources In Healthcare:Managing For Success. Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.

Villegas A. & Carey M. (2010). Nurses Push for Bigger Roles Get Powerful Ally. Retrieved October 25, 2010, from Kaiser Health News Website www.Kaiserhealthnews.org/stories/2010/october/05/iom-report-on-nurses.aspx