How will the Air Force Medical/Nursing Field be in 20 years?

midinphx, BSN · Oct 23, 2012

Medicine in general has made such huge leaps in the last 20 years that I can't imagine the possibility of changes that are to come. ACLS guidelines change every year as new information proves methods more or less effective. So where will nursing be? I think a better question may be how can we, as nurses, impact the direction of our profession to create the best healthcare environment we can. We need to band together and support/empower each other in all areas. The healthcare economy changes have a major effect on what nursing can do as well.

Add the military aspects and world events to the complicated future of nursing question and my ability to see where we will be is completely fuzzy. What war or humanitarian issue will be our main drive then?

I think that the things we have learned and accomplished with our military in the Middle East has changed how we deal with trauma and then recovery. New areas for nurses are being implemented. And the military is so pro-education and continued learning and growth, that military nurses are able to be very well educated. I see more CRNA's in the military than I saw in civilian world (though I can't give any stats or facts to back that observation). Military nurses will probably continue to advance the nursing profession as a whole with our drive for excellence. The numbers of higher degree nurses up through doctoral candidates will continue to grow.

Please understand this is just my little opinion. I'm just amazed and proud to see what all branches of military nurses are doing!