Concept analysis of nursing activism

Abstract

Nursing history is firmly rooted in social and political activism; however, both the word activism and its defined actions have been minimized in modern nursing practice. This paper seeks to define activism, its uses, and importance to the nursing discipline. A concept analysis using the Walker and Avant (2019) method was conducted. Literature sources were identified through a search of PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO along with hand searches of reference lists. Nursing activism is a concept that extends from within the discipline's ethical responsibilities and social contract with humanity. Activism differs from advocacy or engagement as it requires the expenditure of energy including personal, social, and/or political capital. Nursing activism is a necessary response to health inequities, social accountability, and advancement of the nursing profession.

Addressing Health Inequity Through Nursing Science

“…While this focus is compelling and consistent with the emphasis on "omic" approaches in precision medicine, social, behavioral, and environmental determinants of health are also critical elements of precision health that may signal health risk and serve as modifiable targets for multi-level intervention (Corwin, Redeker, Richmond, Docherty, & Pickler, 2019;Hekler, Tiro, Hunter, & Nebeker, 2020). A focus on these phenomena, in addition to biology, is consistent with the discipline's longstanding emphases reflected in our meta-paradigm that links humans, health, nursing, and the environment (Fawcett, 1984), our focus on social justice, health equity, (Dumitrascu, David, Dumitrascu, & Rogozea, 2020), and activism (Florell, 2021;Weitzel et al, 2020), and the contributions of environmental factors to health as emphasized by Florence Nightingale (Nightingale, 1860).…”

Advocating for Nursing and for Health

“…In recent years, there has been an ever-increasing mandate for the profession's further evolution to encompass a broader social justice advocacy model while retaining individual commitment to patient-nurse advocacy. This has been a challenging transition that continues to evolve today (Florell, 2020;Paquin, 2011). As U.S. healthcare moves to a more socially just system, it is important that nurses leverage their sizable political clout to help drive this change.…”

“…Early nursing leaders were strong advocates for the healthcare needs of the vulnerable and disadvantaged. In recent years, the profession has been called on to reinvigorate its commitment to social justice advocacy and to build on nursing's distinguished history of leadership on social issues (Florell, 2020;Matwick & Woodgate, 2016;Valderama-Wallace, 2017).…”

“…Nurses advocate to support patient autonomy and rights; however, they are less effective when challenging problems such as inadequate staffing or patient access to care unless they collectively respond to such systemic issues. Within direct-care clinical situations, individual nurses are staunch patient advocates, yet this focus of patient advocacy overlooks systemic problems that can cause harm to all patients (Florell, 2020). Although patient advocacy is most often framed in terms of an obligation to individual patients, it must include social and political advocacy and activism to address the full spectrum of patient care issues.…”

Hearing Our Voices: A Descriptive Process of Using Film for Anti-racist Action in Nursing

“…It is important to note that the history of nursing is rooted in social and political activism. Distinctions must be made from activism as an action in contrast to awareness, engagement, or advocacy (Florell, 2021). Activism is rooted in values-based actions to solve social and political issues (Florell, 2021).…”