“…Nurses are natural leaders in this due to “our holistic perspective on health…[and] our intimate experiences with individuals and communities that provide a unique view of the outcome of social forces such as poverty and failed policies” (Bekemeier, , p. 51). This level of research can be understood through Fawcett and Ellenbecker’s () “Conceptual Model of Nursing and Population Health,” the main focus of which is to attain the “highest possible quality of life for aggregates of people” (p. 290) through nursing actions aimed at health promotion and disease prevention.…”
“…Furthermore, to be successful, this research requires multidisciplinary teams to fully examine the many factors affecting breastfeeding outcomes (Fawcett & Ellenbecker, ). Nurses are well‐poised to lead interdisciplinary teams, as research has shown an improvement in health status and equity when nurses turn their attention to social determinants (Bekemeier, ; Smith, ).…”
“…Nurses are natural leaders in this due to "our holistic perspective on health… [and] our intimate experiences with individuals and communities that provide a unique view of the outcome of social forces such as poverty and failed policies" (Bekemeier, 2008, p. 51). This level of research can be understood through Fawcett and Ellenbecker's (2015) (Keitt, Reis-Reilly, Fuller-Sankofa, & Carr, 2018) or of supportive employer policies (Abdulwadud & Snow, 2012). Each of these can be used to provide evidence for public policy change.…”
Section: Moving Forward: Sugg E S Ted a Pproache Smentioning
In this paper, I argue for the need to shift the focus of nursing research regarding breastfeeding from that of individual responsibility to include a more system‐focused, population health approach. In the 2011, “Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding,” the U.S. Surgeon General called attention to the pervasive disparities in breastfeeding outcomes in the United States. A plethora of nursing research exists aimed at addressing these disparities; however, this research leans toward a neoliberal perspective, mainly focusing on individual factors and failing to address the systemic inequities contributing to these disparities. A shift in nursing science that focuses research at a population level would more effectively support addressing disparities in breastfeeding outcomes and embrace a commitment to social justice. In focusing at a population level, specific inequities that must be addressed include the negative history of breastfeeding in the Black population, systemic racism, and gender inequality. Critical research methodologies are proposed as useful approaches to address these inequities. By engaging in this level of research and using a critical lens, nurse scientists broaden their scope of care to include the entire population, motivate needed social and policy change, facilitate the choice to breastfeed, and ultimately eliminate breastfeeding disparities.
“…Nurses are natural leaders in this due to “our holistic perspective on health…[and] our intimate experiences with individuals and communities that provide a unique view of the outcome of social forces such as poverty and failed policies” (Bekemeier, , p. 51). This level of research can be understood through Fawcett and Ellenbecker’s () “Conceptual Model of Nursing and Population Health,” the main focus of which is to attain the “highest possible quality of life for aggregates of people” (p. 290) through nursing actions aimed at health promotion and disease prevention.…”
“…Furthermore, to be successful, this research requires multidisciplinary teams to fully examine the many factors affecting breastfeeding outcomes (Fawcett & Ellenbecker, ). Nurses are well‐poised to lead interdisciplinary teams, as research has shown an improvement in health status and equity when nurses turn their attention to social determinants (Bekemeier, ; Smith, ).…”
“…Nurses are natural leaders in this due to "our holistic perspective on health… [and] our intimate experiences with individuals and communities that provide a unique view of the outcome of social forces such as poverty and failed policies" (Bekemeier, 2008, p. 51). This level of research can be understood through Fawcett and Ellenbecker's (2015) (Keitt, Reis-Reilly, Fuller-Sankofa, & Carr, 2018) or of supportive employer policies (Abdulwadud & Snow, 2012). Each of these can be used to provide evidence for public policy change.…”
Section: Moving Forward: Sugg E S Ted a Pproache Smentioning
In this paper, I argue for the need to shift the focus of nursing research regarding breastfeeding from that of individual responsibility to include a more system‐focused, population health approach. In the 2011, “Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding,” the U.S. Surgeon General called attention to the pervasive disparities in breastfeeding outcomes in the United States. A plethora of nursing research exists aimed at addressing these disparities; however, this research leans toward a neoliberal perspective, mainly focusing on individual factors and failing to address the systemic inequities contributing to these disparities. A shift in nursing science that focuses research at a population level would more effectively support addressing disparities in breastfeeding outcomes and embrace a commitment to social justice. In focusing at a population level, specific inequities that must be addressed include the negative history of breastfeeding in the Black population, systemic racism, and gender inequality. Critical research methodologies are proposed as useful approaches to address these inequities. By engaging in this level of research and using a critical lens, nurse scientists broaden their scope of care to include the entire population, motivate needed social and policy change, facilitate the choice to breastfeed, and ultimately eliminate breastfeeding disparities.
“…Population health includes aspects of public health, health care delivery systems, and determinants of wellness and illness, emphasizing promotion, restoration, and maintenance of wellness and prevention of disease. (Fawcett & Ellenbecker, , p. 290)…”
Federal mandates for community health needs assessments provide opportunities to advance leadership roles for nursing graduates throughout the health care system, and for confirming the importance of community assessment as an essential nursing competency.
“…The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the resultant expansion of insurance coverage to the adult Medicaid population with chronic disease (Kenney et al, ; Sommers, Kenney, & Epstein, ), demand a population‐based approach to studying post‐discharge utilization across the healthcare system (Jencks & Brock, ; Jencks, ). A population‐based approach to managing care transitions takes into consideration the unique ways that poverty, disease complexity, health system organization, and nursing activities affect an individual's recovery after hospitalization (Fawcett & Ellenbecker, ).…”
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