Chapter 9 : Contemporary issues and trends in nursing

The purpose of this chapter is to increase your awareness of what contemporary issues are and your roles and responsibilities in responding to these contemporary issues as they arise. This will include issues that cause discomfort or make you think differently of the role of the nurse in other care settings and across integrated teams. This chapter will introduce what is meant by a contemporary issue and how these issues arise within socipolitcal contexts, providing some examples of current contemporary issues facing nursing today. It then moves on to recognising what digital literacy skills nurses of the twenty-first century must possess in order to navigate the needs of the people and services with whom and in which you will work and collaborate. You will have an opportunity to assess your current digital skills and develop a goal of what others you need to develop as a newly registered nurse. The topic after that is the exploration of the value of peer facilitation for advancing your own knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The chapter then progresses on to explore the important role nursing has to play in social care and the integrated team. Finally, the chapter will focus on your duty to escalate concerns. This chapter starts with a scenario to help demonstrate that you have a responsibility to be aware of contemporary issues in clinical practice as they happen on a day to day and week to week basis.