Physicians may not become obsolete, but their roles as direct providers may be greatly changed. Nursing research is making great strides in helping us to understand the role of social support, teaching, coping with illness, self care, prevention, health promotion and other health-related concepts in improving patient outcomes both in hospitals and the community. The results of such research will continue to inform and improve health care of patients, families and communities into the 21st century. Great strides in technology bring great ethical challenges as well. One challenge facing society is the use of genetic knowledge.
Controversy already exists about the appropriate use of genetic screening and testing.
Naomi E. Ervin is a veteran public health nursing educator and researcher. She was a former faculty member in the Department of Public Health, Mental Health and Administrative Nursing in the College of Nursing at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She also had a faculty appointment in the Department of Community Health Sciences of the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 1997, Ervin was named the first Decker Chair in Community Health Nursing in the Decker School of Nursing. She earned her bachelor's, master's and PhD at the University of Michigan and has written extensively on community health nursing.