The Affordable Care Act and its Impact on Nursing and Healthcare ✓ Solved

The passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) created health reforms in the United States and affected nursing practice in many ways. The ACA, also known as Obamacare, is a law that was approved in 2010 aimed to ensure that more people in the United States had health insurance coverage, improve the quality of health care, regulate health insurance, and diminish healthcare spending in the country. Nine years after the passing of the law, it remains at the forefront of healthcare issues. With more people having health insurance, this health reform created a significant impact on the nursing workforce.

Currently, the rate of uninsured in the country is steady at its historic low of 8.8 percent. The ACA placed a high demand for nurses and nurse practitioners with more people having the means to seek healthcare needs. The expansion of health insurance led to improved access to health care services reducing the need to use the emergency rooms as a primary source of health care, especially for patients that received public insurance programs.

In response to the ACA, healthcare organizations are adopting concepts of moving staff to ambulatory and home care settings, generating new jobs that involve care coordination, and developing new modes of healthcare delivery to address consumerism. Many organizations are making modifications in their healthcare system’s delivery of care to adapt to the increasing demand for healthcare services.

Baptist Health System, for example, created a nursing residency program to support the increasing demand for nurses. The residency program sponsors the training of new graduates in their choice of nursing specialty where they receive didactic and clinical training and are provided a basic salary during the program. This initiative encourages new nurses to work within the organization, allowing them to gain experience in specialty areas and promotes retention due to the three-year contract they must fulfill after graduating from the program.

Changes within the organization have also included the opening of urgent care facilities and primary care centers to cater to the growing number of patients needing healthcare services. Staff nurses were encouraged to transition to these new ambulatory settings, and new nursing positions for care coordinators were created to enhance the support structure for the new healthcare model.

Furthermore, organizations granted scholarships and tuition reimbursement programs for current employees interested in furthering their education. These initiatives assist in bolstering the nursing workforce while ensuring that graduates can work within the organization as nurse practitioners, reinforcing nurse retention.

The ACA has also resulted in challenges, particularly staffing shortages. One proposed solution to this issue involves utilizing a co-management care delivery approach where a physician and a nurse practitioner work collaboratively to manage patient care. This is particularly beneficial in meeting the increased demands for healthcare caused by expanded access under the ACA.

Furthermore, effective leadership and communication are vital during this period of transformation. Leadership plays a crucial role in helping staff navigate changes in healthcare delivery. Implementing leadership training and fostering a culture that embraces innovation can mitigate employee resistance to change and enhance overall staff engagement.

The ACA has had far-reaching implications for healthcare in many aspects. Patient access to healthcare services has dramatically improved, leading to a significant demand for healthcare professionals, particularly nurses. Healthcare organizations are continuously evolving to adapt to these changes, demonstrating a shift toward a more community-focused care model.

Conclusion

The Affordable Care Act has reshaped healthcare delivery and nursing practices significantly. As healthcare organizations adapt to these changes, leadership, and effective communication will play crucial roles in implementing the necessary adaptations to ensure sustained quality of care.

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