Student perspectives on

Our answer is ‘‘Yes, Nursing does have a future’’ . . . if our society perceives its usefulness, it will ask for its professional services, and if nurses will know how to value their own competences so that they may respond effectively to the new and changing needs of the population. The population’s future healthcare demand is increasing due to emerging global phenomena such as aging and chronic illnesses, causing serious issues of financial sustainability in many countries. In the future, along with the hospital services, there will be the need to have a well-structured network of community services to ensure healthcare continuum to all. In addition, there could be a change in the composition of the different professional profiles within the health workforce, with less physicians and the need to rethink the roles and the scopes of practice of other health professionals. Many studies have highlighted the important role nurses play, especially highly educated nurses, in improving patient outcomes. More nurse practitioners will have to provide besides care, taking directly care of patients (or better persons) and their informal carers/caregivers. There will be no future for nursing if its deep relationship is lost with the sick person (the ‘‘infirm,’’ which is the root of the Italian word for nurse ‘‘infermiere’’) and does not rediscover the great value of caring for the human body, according to the concept of ‘‘embodiment.’’ Nursing actions must continue to bear a high ethical value paying attention to the dignity and autonomy of the person, to the vision of the human being seen both individually and globally, and to the defense of human life in any circumstance and condition. Higher education needs to be reinforced, especially in the clinical field, so that it may stimulate innovation and research, as well as prepare professionals capable of providing high-quality care. It must be able to prove what is the added value and the real advantages of a nurse’s independent professional practice within the framework of healthcare systems that are radically changing. This scenario also offers new opportunities for the development of nursing, which would, however, need to be supported by its leadership to generate and value new competences. The latter would need to be addressed in order to respond effectively to the new and changing healthcare needs of the population and at the same time be pragmatic and flexible enough to adapt to new contexts and situations. The ethical conduct expected from nurses redeems them from the old role of mere executors of prescriptions made by others and encourages nurses to develop and assert their dignity as professionals, equipped with their own relational, educational, and technical competences.