The presentation is free and open to the public. As the national nursing shortage continues to deepen, nurses are taking on a new realm of patient care and accountability. The shift, according to Curran, is not news to nurses, but may be news to other health care professionals. Which means nurses in the coming decades have the opportunity to practice, lead and define their role differently than ever before. As the nation s largest health care profession, nurses are essential to quality medical and health care delivery.
Nurses also deliver the majority of long-term patient care.
Roles range from direct patient care and case management to establishing nursing practice standards, developing quality assurance procedures and directing complex nursing care systems. Nursing professionals, faculty and students know that anticipating and educating for health care trends 10 years from now is critical. The aging population, managed care, hospital acuity and a baby boom bubble effect will create an even greater demand for experienced nurses in specialized areas. Curran is founder, CEO and president of CurranCare, a national health care management services organization. The firm manages hospital-based home care agencies in 23 states, the development of disease management programs and a number of strategies to help health care systems respond to ongoing regulatory and fiscal challenges.