Preparing Nurses to Promote Health-Enhancing Public Policies

Abstract

Nursing leadership in policy development continues to be acknowledged as an important aspect of professional practice. The past decade of health services restructuring has led to a renewed emphasis on nursing’s role in health care policy; however, there is also a need to focus more broadly on policies outside the health care sector that influence health. A critical question is how to prepare nurses to influence the development of “healthy public policy.” This article describes shifts in thinking about policy in health and what this portends for nursing education. The authors argue that comprehensive preparation in public policy for nurses is an essential element of graduate education. The article describes faculty and student perspectives and experiences in the first offerings of the nursing graduate course, Promoting Health-Enhancing Public Policy. The article concludes with recommendations that may assist students to acquire knowledge regarding the policy process and approaches to policy advocacy.

The Role of Public Health Agencies in Addressing Child and Family Poverty: Public Health Nurses’ Perspectives

“…Regarding PHNs’ role in bringing about social change, there is strong theoretical support for such a role in the literature, especially as it relates to advocacy for improving the lives of vulnerable, marginalised, and socially excluded populations [13, 15, 17, 18, 43-50]. Ideally, nurses’ advocacy efforts involve collaboration or partnerships with community members, community organisation, and/or other sectors, and nurses are encouraged to support the efforts of individuals, families, and communities to advocate for themselves (“advocacy with” as opposed to “advocacy for”) [51].…”

Changes in Political Astuteness After a Health Systems and Policy Course

“…4,6,15,24,26,29 A key course assignment provided students with the opportunity to examine the policy process in depth and was consistent with guidelines for policy analysis in the literature. Other authors have described similar learning strategies designed to integrate political involvement in nursing education.…”

Have We Underestimated the Effects of Sodium Excess on the Health of the Public?

“…The discipline of nursing has identified the importance of policy advocacy as a strategy to enhance population health as well as to play a pivotal role in influencing health policy and awareness (Reutter & Duncan, 2002), because nurses have long held an important role in health promotion. Because more than 90% of sodium intake comes from dietary intake (Pomeranz et al, 2000), options to reduce dietary intake should be aimed at altering the preparation of the food supply, modifying commercial food interests, and providing educational programs to the public aimed at better food preparation techniques and choices and alternatives that include lower sodium options.…”