Healthcare and nursing are disciplines that are constantly changing and evolving, making their futures largely unpredictable. With the advancement in technology, government-mandated regulations, new nursing trends, and current world events, healthcare facilities and nursing staff need to constantly monitor these changes to provide better quality care.
It is difficult to keep up with them all and know how to prepare for them, especially post COVID-19 pandemic posed a challenge to the nursing industry and resulted in the departure of numerous healthcare professionals. Further, this has led to an increase in the shortage of nurses and healthcare staff.
In this article, we will discuss the 11 most recent ongoing trends in nursing in 2023 and the future trends to anticipate.
Patient-centred care is one of the future nursing trends that has already started reflecting in the healthcare industry around the world, especially in the UK. Nurses are increasingly placing the needs and preferences of patients at the forefront of their nursing practise. This involves everything from ensuring the patients have access to the information and resources they need to working with individuals and their families to develop a care plan to meet their specific needs.
Technology continues to play an important role in the nursing field, and in 2023 it is anticipated to witness even more advancements and innovations, such as the introduction of AI in the field of nursing. Moreover, the latest trends and the future of nursing also involve telemedicine tools, telehealth, wearable health devices, and electronic health records. Innovation and the latest trends in nursing are helping healthcare providers provide high-quality care to their patients.
One of the most negative trends currently seen in nursing is the shortage of healthcare staff. In the UK, the nursing shortage has spiked to another level when compared to last year and is expected to increase in the future. The nursing shortage is predicted to continue to rise throughout 2023 as many of the baby boomer generations near retirement age. Moreover, COVID-19 has stunted new potential nurses from gaining education, and as nurse burnout increases, pay rates decrease, and nurses feel undervalued, more nurses are leaving the healthcare field.
Throughout 2023 and in the future, nursing jobs are expected to increase in the UK and worldwide as many people are leaving the sector and others are retiring. A large number of new nursing jobs will soon open up in the UK. Additionally, as the healthcare sector expands to accommodate the growing population as well as the increasing ageing population in the UK, additional nursing job openings are expected in the future. Though the increase in the number of nurse jobs can be seen as a positive nursing trend, the lack of experienced nurses will negatively impact the quality of healthcare services.
Collaboration between healthcare and nursing professionals has become increasingly important in recent years, and this trend is expected to continue in 2023 and the future. Nurses are expected to work closely with other healthcare professionals such as doctors, pharmacists, and social workers to provide a comprehensive and high-quality care service.
Preventive care is becoming an increasingly important aspect of the nursing profession, and in 2023, this trend is predicted to gain more focus. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare sector in the UK is increasingly looking to help patients take steps to prevent illnesses and conditions rather than just treat them.
The demand for homecare services is predicted to rise due to the increasing ageing population of the UK, making it another important nursing trend. COVID-19 prompted an unexpected rise in the need for these services. People in the UK are now considering homecare services as an alternative to care homes, as the vulnerable are easily prone to medical complications such as COVID-19. As homecare expands and remains a trend, experts are calling for greater standardisation in the industry.
Mental health and well-being are becoming increasingly important issues in the nursing profession and are anticipated to continue in 2023 and into the foreseeable future. Thus, the trend towards focusing on the mental health and well-being of the nursing staff is expected to be prioritised in the future. Nurses and healthcare staff are responsible for providing quality care and patient safety, so maintaining the overall well-being of nursing professionals becomes vital.
The demand for travelling nurses has increased in recent years in the UK due to nursing staff shortages. Many nurses are lured into this path due to the higher compensation, coupled with travel opportunities and the chance to work in different environments. However, this has put the current healthcare system in the UK in financial jeopardy, as many nurses are leaving their full-time nursing jobs to work as travel nurses. This is putting patient lives at risk, which is leading to the further collapse of the healthcare system in the UK.
Though strategies have been put in place to increase the number of nurses in the UK, it will take several years to observe the results. Thus, the reliance on travel nurses will be a trend in nursing in the near future.
The holistic care approach is another nursing trend in the UK, where the patient is treated as a whole rather than just their disease. As patients have become more educated and well-aware, they have become in charge of their health and well-being. Thus, the need for a holistic patient care approach is high. For this reason, nurses must understand each patient's mental, emotional, and physical strengths and weaknesses and work to provide better care. In this approach, holistic nurses identify the root cause of the health issues and provide treatment.
Educated nurses trained in providing care and managing health procedures are ideal candidates for delivering holistic services to patients, which is an emerging trend in nursing now in 2023. This trend is expected to continue beyond 2023 and into the future.
Among the future trends in nursing education and training, nurses hold a prominent position. The growing demand for qualified care and the nurse shortage have all worked as catalysts for the increasing need for skilled nurses. Also, on the part of care facilities, it becomes important not to neglect the existing staff's training and education so that they can keep up with the latest nursing techniques.
The growth of online nursing programmes has made higher education and training more accessible for nurses. This trend in nursing is expected to continue in the future due to the increasing demand for quality care.
These are some nursing trends to anticipate in 2023 and the immediate future. When the demand for certified nurses increases, healthcare facilities will have to rely on temporary nurses, necessitating the need for nursing staffing agencies such as Nurses Group in the UK. With locations in Yeovil, Bournemouth, Salisbury, and Taunton, Nurses Group is the fastest-growing nursing staffing agency in the UK.
Nurses Group became the most trusted healthcare agency by following the simple formula, we treat our clients like family. We aim to provide a quality and reliable healthcare service through our team of committed and experienced nursing staff.
Nurses Group is a family-owned and operated Healthcare Company with years of experience in the UK healthcare industry. © Nurses Group, a division of JSS Healthcare Ltd. Registered in England & Wales. Reg No. 09846338
