So in that sense, the white coat and nursing uniform and trappings of the profession become less important, and the ability of the professional to relate to the patient in a way that meets their needs more important. Also, in terms of ergonomics, much like the tools we use, the nature of the uniform and comfort are going to become more important in terms of the quality of the work environment. We see an expansion of the definition of health care beyond disease management into the entire person. Also, there is a need to be able to talk to people about their lives and to spend more time with them. In general, nurses have greater skill at that than physicians.
Nurses are much better at customer service, and that is vital to their success in the future.
There will be some monitoring that nurses have provided over time that will be augmented with technology, with an increasing use of sensors. Nurses will be in more of an oversight position, managing that technology. They ll have an entirely new set of technical skills related to that technology. Certainly the shift in setting that I ve mentioned, and the shift in technology, which will enhance that move. I think the role of patient education in nursing is a big one.