Past Present and Future Trends of Master’s Education in Nursing – Article Critique

Gerard, S. O., Kazer, M. W., Babington, L., & Quell, T. T. (2014). Past, present, and future trends of master’s education in nursing. Journal of Professional Nursing30(4), 326-332

The main focus of the article is that there was need to revise master’s education in nursing in order to give the students the needed expertise in the changing healthcare environment. The main argument in the article is that, Masters Programs have become questionable in equipping the students pursuing advanced nursing practice in the context of evaluating past, present and the future trends of health care (Gerard et al, 2014). The author asserts that, due to the tenuous position of Master’s program nurses who will be pursuing careers in advanced practice will do so in doctorial levels or the so-called new model in Master’s nursing education(Gerard et al, 2014).With the detailed arguments provided by the article it is easy to validate and agree with the authors’ arguments.

            The authors have highlighted various drivers of healthcare, for instance, technology to explain why Master’s nursing programs lacks the ability to connect the past, present and the future of advance nursing practice. However, the research may be subject to bias as it is based only on private universities while we have advanced nursing education offered in public universities. The best part in the article is that, it evaluates the history of the Master’s programs in Nursing, the past and current demands in health care and other important aspects like technology, accountability, team approach and the future of Master’s nursing program (Gerard et al, 2014).With all these aspects the author explains why Master’s education is questionable in meeting the needs of health care institutions, consumers and even students. The past, present and the future trends are well connected making it easy to know why Master’s program does not have the ability the link up the past, current and the future of advanced nurse practice. The authors’ message has a huge application to the real world as health care programs are issues which not only impact the students but the whole world.  The historical part of Master’s in nursing serves a huge purpose of connecting the evolution of technology and new knowledge in improving patient care.

            Gerard et al (2014) chose an interesting topic and everything they depict have been thoroughly discussed and connected. Since the topic of the article touches on the aspects of past, present and the future of Master’s nursing program, the authors denotes that to build the present and have a prospect of the future it is good to look at the past so as to build a model which gives master’s nursing education hope in offering advanced nursing practice. However, there appears to be a disconnect particularly given the fact that majority of the focus of the current Masters programs have been viewed as aligned more to education that developing advanced practice nurses who are able to lead, manage and implement important systems in the changing healthcare system.            

The other important aspect that has been discussed and which I agree with the authors is the aspect of the need to develop interprofessional education in the Masters nursing programs.  Teamwork is a critical component in any healthcare facility and this has been emphasized even in undergraduate nursing programs. As professionals who will be in charge of teams and leading change, implementation of technology and nursing care programs, advanced nursing practice nurse must show high level of interprofessional competence. However, the authors seem to rule out the fact that even a registered nurse must possess the necessary skills and competencies of interprofessional education. Though the article addresses real issues facing the private nursing institutions, no information has been provides for the pubic educational institutions, which is its major weakness.

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