Lessons from professional nursing associations' policy advocacy responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic: An interpretive description

Abstract

Background Professional nursing associations across jurisdictions engaged in significant policy advocacy during the COVID‐19 pandemic to support nurses, the public and health systems. While professional nursing associations have a long history of engaging in policy advocacy, scholars have rarely critically examined this important function. Purpose The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to examine how professional nursing associations engage in the process of policy advocacy and (b) to develop knowledge specific to policy advocacy in the context of a global pandemic. Methods This study was conducted using interpretive description. A total of eight individuals from four professional nursing associations (two local, one national and one international) participated. Data sources included semi‐structured interviews conducted between October 2021 and December 2021 and internal and external documents produced by organizations. Data collection and analysis occurred concurrently. Within‐case analysis was conducted prior to cross‐case comparisons. Findings Six key themes were developed to illustrate the lessons learned from these organizations including their organization's role in supporting a wide audience (professional nursing associations as a compass); the scope of their policy priorities (bridging the gaps between issues and solutions), the breadth of their advocacy strategies (top down, bottom up and everything in between), the factors influencing their decision‐making (looking in and looking out), their evaluation practices (focus on contribution, not attribution) and the importance of capitalizing on windows of opportunity. Conclusions This study provides insight into the nature of policy advocacy carried out by professional nursing associations. Impact The findings suggest the need for those leading this important function to think critically about their role in supporting a wide range of audiences, the breadth and depth of their policy priorities and advocacy strategies, the factors that influence their decision‐making, and the ways in which their policy advocacy work can be evaluated to move towards greater influence and impact.

Nurses’ Personality Traits and Perceived Work Environments During Public Health Emergencies: Implications for Nursing Workforce Planning

“…An intriguing discovery was that nurses perceived the nursing work environment more positively during emergency situations than in standard hospital settings, a trend consistent with the findings of Cheng et al 32 This change in perspective could partly be linked to the increased attention towards nursing teams by global healthcare systems post the Covid-19 outbreak. [33][34][35] These efforts were aimed at bolstering logistical support and enhancing frontline work conditions, resulting in improved efficiency during emergency responses. 36 Additionally, there was a significant emphasis on the critical role of disaster preparedness education, covering indispensable knowledge and skills essential for effective emergency responses.…”

Measuring the Nursing Work Environment during Public Health Emergencies: Scale Adaptation and Validation

“…It underscores the importance of coordinating service delivery, cultivating sustainable health workforces that leverage a diverse range of skills, establishing training pipelines, and implementing efective operating procedures at the organizational, regional, and national strategy levels [16,18,54]. Amid varied conditions encountered during the PHEs, witnessed across diferent countries, the utilization of nursing staf becomes crucial for coping with nursing shortages [6,29,37,55]. Tis necessitates proactive measures and preparedness eforts, such as educationally prepared and deployment mechanisms, to address challenges that may arise due to administrative processes and the need for clear job descriptions and maintaining work-life balance [30,56,57].…”

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