¶ … Growth and Changes in Nursing
Now that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the law of the land, nurses can expect to have even more responsibility and even more opportunities to use their skills. This paper reviews how the restructuring of the U.S. healthcare system impacts the nursing field. And this paper reflects on how continuum of care, accountable care organizations, medical homes and nurse-managed health clinics will be affected by the ACA.
Nursing Shortages
There already are critical nursing shortages in the United States, which is the reason that foreign nurses have become "…an integral part of the U.S. healthcare system" (Arnold, 2013). In fact, according to Arnold, healthcare organizations have been bringing nurses from abroad into the U.S. For "…over fifty years in response to cyclical nursing shortages" (1382). Now, with the Affordable Care Act in place there is expected to be an increased demand for foreign nurses; indeed, there were 267 international nurse recruitment firms in the United States in 2007, and it is easy to imagine that number growing as the shortage of trained nurses continues. The advantage for hospitals -- besides being able to fill their vacancies -- is realized in cost savings, Arnold continues: hiring a foreign-trained nurse could save a hospital up to $50,000 in a two-year period (1383).
Continuum of Care
The Affordable Care Act seeks to provide "a better continuum of care," one that is "person-centered" and that offers control while enhancing "quality" (Shugarman, et al., 2011). The ACA also sets out to improve the continuum of care in four domains: a) long-term care insurance; b) home and community-based services (HCBS); c) care coordination; and d) workforce reinforcement (Shugarman, 11).
The CLASS provision in the ACA (Community Living Assistance Services and Supports) provides, for the first time, people in the middle class with an "affordable opportunity to plan for and access supportive services," Shugarman explains (12). In fact CASS actually reinvents how healthcare professions view long-term care; in the past long-term care was identified as helping those in poverty, those very sick and lonely, Shugarman continues. But with the Affordable Care Act long-term care the idea is to provide services for the "near-poor and the...
The Affordable Care Act means that health coverage will be required for almost every American and will be partially subsidized. However, it will not change the employer-centric, private-insurer-based system of financing and coverage. Demand for care will increase significantly and rapidly, but the underlying issues that created the need for a safety net in the first place will not be solved in the near future. Feldstein (2005) argues that if
Public Policy the Affordable Care Act The Patient, Protection and Affordable Care Act transformed the landscape of modern American healthcare. It is changing how people receive a variety of services ranging from primary care to specialized procedures. The current issues are showing a divide that exists between liberals and conservatives. At the heart of this approach, is the role of the federal government vs. The free market. This means that each
Policy, Politics and Global Health Trends The Affordable Care Act The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was recently signed into law in America. This public policy impacts all citizens of the U.S.A. And has been controversial from its inception, not only because many people, who were promised by the President that if they liked their plan they could keep it, ended up having to get a new plan at a higher rate, but
Issues Driving Change in Healthcare Healthcare is driven by policy changes like those embedded in the Affordable Care Act, by shifting social norms and attitudes towards healthcare, and by demographic changes such as the aging population. The Affordable Care Act was revolutionary in that it mandated universal coverage but still fell short of transforming the ethos of a market-driven healthcare system. As a result, the Affordable Care Act did not lead
Affordable Health Care Act Impact of the affordable health care act The affordable health care act, commonly referred to as Obamacare, brought a set of health care reforms aimed at making health consumers to be responsible for their health care. The act brought into law the patient's bill of rights, which gives Americans stability and flexibility in making informed health choices and decisions. Enacted by President Obama in 2010 as the Affordable
Job Opportunities for Health Care Managers in 2020 The health care industry is in the United States is on the poise of burgeoning more than it ever has before. There are several factors that directly contribute to this situation that span diverse areas of economics, demographics, technology and behavior and personal lifestyle choices. Virtually all of these facets of contemporary health care result in the fact that people are living longer
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now