Aspects of nursing education: the types of skills and knowledge required to meet the changing needs of the labour force involved in nursing: literature review

The literature reveals that changes in health care services over the past five years are largely attributed to the concept of health care as a commodity. As a commodity, healthcare services are scarce, with demand exceeding supply. New and innovative ways of maximizing health care funding to provide health care services to an increasingly dependent aging population are essential. In order to best manage such valuable resources health care services are accordingly in a state of dynamic organisation and re-organisation.

A significant trend is the move away from institutionalised care and relocating care closer to the client in his/her home or local community. Emerging from the literature are new ways of delivering such care. These delivery modes include case management/managed care, patient focused care, community nurse-led care, integrated hospital and community care, family provided care and care delivered by unlicensed personnel. While these changes have affected all care modalities, the literature also reveals specific considerations in the areas of mental health, acute care and midwifery.