Florence Nightingale never could have predicted the current, complex landscape of the nursing profession when she built its foundations more than a century ago. But her vision is still alive, as evidenced in recommendations from the 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) Future of Nursing report and its 2015 follow-up assessment.

Health care reform will be a constant over the next few years, and nurses must be at the table for decision-making - nationally, regionally, and locally. Drawing on feedback about the IOM’s vision of nursing from a representative sample of nurses, as well as their thoughts on both sets of recommendations, Nightingale’s Vision brings into focus the status of each recommendation, and the ways in which Florence Nightingale’s vision aligns with them.

The IOM recommendations are a blueprint, but all nurses must understand them and be involved in their success. Applicable to any practicing nurse in any role or setting, Nightingale’s Vision is an essential reference to guide nurses in the advancement of their profession in the next decade and beyond.

Florence Nightingale would approve!