Electronic Health Reporter

Nursing is a profession dedicated to caring for people to restore their health and improve their quality of life. The world realized the need for nursing as a profession during times of wars, sickness and famine. Due to numerous injuries and diseases, more attention was needed to nursing the afflicted.

Nursing grew rapidly in 20^th and the 21^st centuries. The causes were the two world wars, greater appreciation of nursing globally, and the pandemics: Spanish influenza and currently ongoing covid-19 pandemic.

The following are likely to be the trends in nursing in 2022.

1.    Greater demand for nurses

There might be greater demand for nurses in 2022 because of many factors. These include:

• COVID-19

This pandemic has resulted in an overflooding of hospitals and other medical facilities in the worst affected areas. Many patients were rushed to hospitals or had to self-isolate in their homes. Nurses cared for them in hospital wards and performed PCR tests at homes. Additionally, some nurses quit during these stressful times because of burnout. Hence, the demand for nurses has increased substantially.

• Ageing Population

The population of developed countries is aging because the old, on average, live longer due to more and more healthcare facilities. This phenomenon causes the nursing demand to grow annually. More nurses are needed to attend to the elderly in hospitals and old homes.

• Retiring Nurses

Many nurses will also retire, propelling demand even further, causing a shortage of nurses. Nurses have been leaving hospital jobs for outpatient clinics and employment in the insurance sector.

These trends show that nursing will be in high demand throughout 2022 and the subsequent years. If you are looking for a career in specialized nursing, check programs such as an AGACNP master’s degree.

2.    Higher pay

The shortage and demand for highly skilled nurses is increasing simultaneously. Thus, it is highly likely that nurses will earn more. The annual wages in this profession have grown every year since 2020, and this trend is likely to intensify.

Not much long-ago nursing was perceived as an auxiliary profession. As its importance continues to increase, so will the benefits associated with nursing.

3.    Online nursing programs will increase in popularity

Online courses for all professions and skills surged in popularity because of lockdowns to stop the propagation of the pandemic. This trend, however, is going to continue even in the absence of the coronavirus.

The ease of access can explain part of this popularity. Online learning makes distances irrelevant. It allows attendees more time for part-time jobs or domestic chores. Universities and colleges also need to spend less on online courses, making them cheaper.

There has been some consternation over whether online courses are similarly efficient at transferring skills as on-campus courses. To alleviate this, tutors and experts have joined together to increase the efficacy of online programs to mirror those of on-campus ones. Some experts think that with time online courses will deliver better learning outcomes.

4.    Behavioral health

Behavioral and mental illness or disorders have not been accorded the same attention as physical health problems. This is because they are not obvious to the observer. Patients often reject help because of social stigma and other issues.

The coronavirus pandemic has also made this problem worse. As more and more people remain secluded because of lockdowns, disorders such as anxiety and depression have grown among people.

Moreover, due to increased focus on the dangers of mental illness, there is a greater demand for medical professionals to be trained to help patients with these problems. This trend is likely to continue beyond 2022.

5.    Higher education to be more prevalent

More and more nurses are expected to have bachelor’s and master’s degrees with every passing year. Organizations and hospitals are more likely to demand at least a bachelor’s degree as a qualification.  Also, nurses with higher degrees earn better than nurses with diplomas and associate degrees. However, you can easily enroll in an RN to MSN program to increase your education, as well as your income.

Nurses will need the proper training that will enable them to use the newest diagnostic tools, virtual technology, and distant monitoring. Hospitals will require them to complete standardized courses.

6.    Higher specialisation

As higher education becomes more prevalent, nurses will pursue more specialized courses. Nursing is a very broad field, and specialization can help nurses build their careers towards a specific aspect.

They can assist doctors, care for the elderly, or become educators in the nursing field, among many other options.

There are also many care-delivery models, and newer ones will likely emerge with time. Nurses will have to specialize according to them.

7.    Home health

Similar to our reliance on telecommunication for learning, distant health monitoring will also be more prevalent. Patients who are not critical might be able to stay home and avail nursing services through remote means.

This practice is still in its infancy and needs much work to be standardized before being available widely. Still, many experts consider this the future of healthcare and nursing.

8.    Travelling nurses

Nurses can travel to where the demand is highest. Countries like the Philippines are well known for their nurses found in many countries, especially the United States of America.

As globalization continues, the world moves towards greater connectivity. Also, the greater diversity in developed countries of ethnic minorities creates a demand for nurses who can speak languages pertaining to that group. It allows them to better communicate with and help the elderly from these ethnicities.

9.    Nurse entrepreneurship

Nurse entrepreneurs can provide solutions to many existing issues in the healthcare business. Often healthcare models are complicated, and patient advocates help by offering services to patients.

Entrepreneurs can expand on emerging technologies and provide a better architecture for nursing altogether. With the use of artificial intelligence in simulation environments, better training can be delivered to nursing candidates.

Globally, the focus on entrepreneurship has only seen growth. This trend is likely to be reflected in the nursing sector. Due to the pandemic, many investors are convinced that this sector is widely profitable and convincing pitches by entrepreneurs are likely to attract investment.

We see that all factors point to a growth in the demand for nurses. Nursing will expand quickly. With newer and innovative technologies, nurses can provide better healthcare to all, especially the elderly, growing in numbers each year. Nurses’ demands and salaries are very likely to increase. All in all, it is a good time to choose nursing as a career option.