Advocacy Issues in Nursing & Healthcare Leadership

NPs in states that offer the most practice autonomy will find the easiest path to opening their own practice. Whereas NPs working in states with restricted practice must find a supervising physician to collaborate with them.

For many NPs, advocacy concerns a particular issue close to their heart, one connected to underserved patients who deserve additional support. For Dr. Jessica Peck, the issue is the fight against human trafficking.

As part of progress towards a more inclusive and just society, it is essential to recognize and challenge the stereotypes within nursing. These misconceptions have led to a lack of diversity in the nursing workforce and have prevented individuals from pursuing or excelling in their nursing careers. Nurses and the broader healthcare community must prioritize confronting these stereotypes and dismantling them with education, advocacy, and visibility of the diverse and capable individuals in the nursing profession.

Recent survey results show that a quarter to half of nurses feel emotionally drained, used up, fatigued, and burned out several times a week, or even every day (NCSBN 2023). Nearly a fifth of the current nursing workforce has stated their intent to leave the profession by 2027, with a significant portion of those statements coming from nurses under 40. With an aging population and an ongoing need for healthcare services, America can’t afford to lose this much of its vital nursing workforce.

In the fast-paced world of healthcare, nurses often find themselves at the epicenter of relentless demands. Extended shifts, emotionally charged situations, and the ever-present call of duty can make achieving a nurse work-life balance seem elusive.

Advocacy is woven deeply into the nurse practitioner (NP) role. It’s a part of the job that’s never finished. Advocacy can occur at a micro level, by advocating one-on-one for a particular patient, or at the macro level, by lobbying for policy changes; it’s often a mix of the two. For many NPs, advocacy concerns a particular issue close to their heart, one connected to underserved patients who deserve additional support. For Dr. Felesia Brown, the issue is health equity.

Healthcare involves many more people than the physician and the patient. The modern healthcare team is a broadly interprofessional one, including nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, physical therapists, nutritionists, counselors, and social workers, just to name a few.

The numerous nursing strikes in 2022 and 2023 symbolize the collective voice of nurses advocating for better pay, improved working conditions, more time off, and enhanced mental health support. Despite these challenges, nursing can be a rewarding career choice for those committed to patient care. Here are some insights on how to navigate this journey effectively.

The nurse practitioner role was first established in 1965 in Colorado to address the shortage of primary care providers. Since then, this advanced nursing role has expanded nationwide, encompassing not just primary care but specializations such as midwifery and anesthesia. As the scope and number of nurse practitioners have grown, so has the public’s awareness of these skilled healthcare providers.

Due to the aging Baby Boomer population, the need for LPNs is greater today than ever. LPNs are more affordable for medical facilities and are an important aspect of the interdisciplinary team.