Nurses are perfectly positioned to impact change in a meaningful way to those who need it most. Healthcare is at the intersection of health equity and social justice, and we must act accordingly.
Last time we spoke with Nicole Vance and Ashley Wood from the Capitol City Black Nurses Association, we discussed allyship in nursing. This time, we joined them for an open discussion on activism and advocacy in nursing. The goal of the conversation was to leave it empowered to begin or continue our own journeys of activism and advocacy.
“The profession of nursing, collectively through its professional organization, must articulate nursing values, maintain the integrity of the profession, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy.” - ANA Code of Ethics, Provision 9 (2015)
In other words… “all policy is health policy.”
Lavinia Dock (1858-1956) was a nurse advocate to the nth degree; she protested in front of the White House for the right to vote, and was later jailed for attempting to vote following her protests. She believed that nurses are a “class of citizens” most apt to advocate for others.
She certainly serves as a role model for nurse advocacy, and despite her efforts, the need for advocacy continues.
Disparities, or “preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury or opportunity to reach your best health, experienced by socially disadvantaged populations,” are rampant today, even in modern society.
In fact, maternal health disparities affecting African American women have only increased since 2007, and differences in pain management according to race (even in pediatrics) continue to persist.
If you’re not sure where to look to find the resources to get started, or continue, advocating for your community, here are some thinking (and action) points:
Who’s already doing the work you’re passionate about?
What kind of help are they asking for?
Nursing organizations:
Who are YOUR elected officials?
Journal and reflect.
Share within your network.
Building trust in a new community or organization takes time and effort. In order to show that you’re invested, you must:
“Service is the rent we pay for living. It is the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time.” - Marian Wright Edelman (founder, Children’s Defense Fund)
Join us and connect with your fellow nurses! When you join the Trusted Health Community on Bevy, you'll be updated about new Trusted events and will receive Trusted Health company emails. We're here to connect, inspire, and make sure you're a nurse in the know. You can unsubscribe at any time, and we can still be friends.
%20Medium.avif)
