The transformational role of nursing in health care reform

Successful health care reform will require more than insuring 32 million additional Americans. It will demand that our expensive, hospital and provider-driven model of care adopt a community-driven wellness model that emphasizes disease prevention. Nursing is perfectly situated to lead this transformation. By educating students in ways that build on nursing's legacy of health promotion and disease prevention, nurse educators can prepare nursing students to partner with underserved communities to offer low-cost, prevention-based services that meet local needs. This article uses preliminary data from the Jordan & Harris Community Health Center in Newark, New Jersey, to demonstrate how nurses can serve as role models in microsystem health care, while still following the Institute of Medicine's recommendations for health care reform.