title: The evolving nature of perinatal nursing.
abstract: Current and future health-care trends create many challenges for perinatal nurses. A new mind set is required for the profession not only to accommodate the paradigm shift but provide leadership in designing a new future for health care. Interestingly, it has been predicted that the movement toward achieving healthier communities will result in a decentralized, community-based, nonhierarchical system that will not be male dominated. Nurses will be called on to participate in the development and implementation of health-care programs rather than assume a passive, recipient role. On the brink of the 21st century, nursing is in a position to emerge as a leader in providing cost-effective, needs-based, health-care services aimed at improving the health status of a community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrical and Neonatal Nursing, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kirby
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D008329:Managed Care Programs; D008389:Marketing of Health Services; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States