The addition of the National Institute of Nursing Research at the National Institutes of Health in 1986 underscored that metamorphosis. 2000 and beyond Over the last century, nurses have evolved considerably. They've transformed their role to deal with the shift from infectious to chronic diseases, Buhler-Wilkerson said. They've elevated their status to that of colleagues or partners with physicians rather than handmaidens, said Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN, president of the American Nurses Association. Yet despite the professional and educational advances, nurses have stayed focused on their patients, Mayer said.
Nursing is really the same.
But the tools are different, and we have more tools than we've ever had before. Challenges include dealing with staffing levels, continued competency, patient advocacy and safety, workplace safety, and workplace rights, she said.