There are too many people without access to basic health care services because they have no insurance and cannot afford to pay for care. The problems of poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, and violence toward women and children are escalating. And yet, our technologically sophisticated system of medical care is not addressing these needs. At Syracuse, we believe the missing pieces in the puzzle must come from nursing, whose roots lie in the care that nurses have provided in our society. But today, more is needed.
Nursing has the power to transform our health care system.
We must assist people in learning to take responsibility for their own health and to make decisions about lifestyle choices even through the end of life where some of our most challenging ethical dilemmas are occurring. To provide such care, nurses must be empowered professionals with expert clinical and managerial skills. Their practice must be supported by sophisticated research and managerial technology. They must be prepared to become leaders in designing new systems of care, creating the infrastructure to support managed care, and influencing public policy. They must become leaders in their communities on health care issues and solutions with particular commitment to the most economically vulnerable members.