Nursing 108

N108: Transition to the Registered Professional Nurse Role Study Guide of 172 2.9 Socioeconomic Factors and Demographic and Cultural Trends in Healthcare The Impact of Women’s Issues Ninety percent of nurses are women, which means that economic issues affecting women tend to impact nursing more strongly than other occupations. Issues such as pay equity and working during motherhood affect the field of nursing directly. Nurses feel the impact of these issues as women first and as nurses second. As more women take jobs outside the home, those women have a greater need for service for their family. Women are more likely to be responsible for the majority of childcare or for the care of aging parents. Issues such as contraception, abortion, feminism, and the role of women in society affect the role of nurses. Over the past decades, the percentage of working women and working mothers has increased. As standards of living have increased, the number of families in which both parents work has increased. The so-called “baby boomers” (those born during the population increase that came after WWII) are reaching retirement age. The fact that life expectancies have increased means that the boomers may have to care for themselves, children, and aging parents at the same time. Younger generations are inheriting these same problems. Nurses are feeling the impact of these issues in their own lives and in the workplace. Changing Demographics Population shifts in the United States have affected health care priorities, as well as the practice of nursing. Due to advances in public health and clinical care, the average life span is increasing rapidly. By 2020, more than 20 percent of the population will be 65 and older, with those over 85 constituting the fastest growing age group. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that the population of those 85 and older will double to approximately 7 million by 2020 and again to 14 million by 2040. Older people typically have chronic conditions requiring increased treatment and care leading to the use of more health care resources. Nurses should look for ways they can promote healthy aging through health promotion and disease prevention services. Greater life expectancy of individuals with chronic and acute conditions will challenge the health care system's ability to provide efficient and effective continuing care. Significant increases in the diversity of the population affect the nature and the prevalence of illness and disease, requiring changes in practice that reflect and respect diverse values and beliefs. Student demographics are also changing. Ethnic and racial diversity of nursing schools has increased dramatically, creating a rich cultural environment for learning. Students are entering schools of nursing at an older age and are bringing varying college and work experiences, as well as more sophisticated expectations for their education. They are typically employed in full-time careers, and many are raising families, which places constraints on their educational experiences and necessitates. ©2018 Achieve Page 90

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