PLEASE RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING IN 50 WORDS OR MORE:

My thoughts and concepts of trends in nursing have changed in different areas of nursing. I have learned that organizations such as the ANA are active in making changes for nurses and that nurses can also advocate and join the ANA.  I have also learned about new trends in nursing such as the demand for nurses to get their DNP, and how the mental health of health care workers will be a priority. With the many issues we face in nursing, I have learned that we can also speak to local legislative offices by sending letters, face-to-face appointments, and phone calls. The safe-patient ratio is still an issue that nurses are facing but I have learned that there are ways to battle that such as speaking to team leaders and also learning about the rules and regulations about staffing.  I think a  nurse-driven staffing committee that develops staffing plans that take the needs of the patient population into account and complement the knowledge and expertise of the staff should be required in hospitals. The American Nurses Association is in favor of laws and regulations at the state and federal levels that permit flexible nurse staffing plans and provide nurses the authority to design staffing plans that are unique to each unit. Direct care nurses are well-suited to contribute to the creation of staffing plans since optimal staffing is much more than just a matter of numbers.