Advocacy Issues in Nursing & Healthcare Leadership
The nursing profession is constantly evolving, and nurses themselves are often at the epicenter of that change. Today’s nurse practitioners (NPs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and other nurses are working together to advocate for progressive policies, negotiate changes to existing regulations, and advance the nursing profession as a whole.
From the fight for full practice authority, to the establishment of nurse-to-patient ratios, to addressing the social determinants of health, these collective efforts help create a safer, more effective, and more inclusive healthcare system. In our advocacy section, we interview nursing leaders about the issues that matter most, and explain how you can get involved as a new, aspiring, or veteran nurse, too.
April 19, 2023
Professional Advocacy
Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) – What Nurses Should Know
More than 30 percent of adults and 12 percent of children use alternative or complementary treatments. Such treatments generally fall into three categories: nutritional, psychological, or physical interventions.
March 28, 2023
Patient Advocacy
Are Medication Shortages Widespread? How Nurses Handle This Issue
A medication shortage is when the projected demand for a certain drug exceeds its supply. Local shortages are common, taking place at a single pharmacy or hospital, and can be resolved relatively easily. National shortages are comparatively rarer, but they do exist, and they can take much longer to resolve.
February 16, 2023
Policy Advocacy
Reproductive Rights and Women’s Health – What Nurses Should Know
In June 2022, the US Supreme Court issued a ruling that shook the nation and took away women’s right to privacy in reproductive decisions. The Dobs v. Jackson verdict overturned the long-standing Roe v Wade decision that granted this autonomy to women across the country.
February 13, 2023
Professional Advocacy
Patient Abuse of Nurses & APRNs
Abuse of nurses and ARPNs is a real, relevant, and widespread problem. The abuse can range from acts of minor bullying and incivility all the way to assault and physical violence.
February 6, 2023
Professional Advocacy
Wage Discrepancies Between Staff Nurses & Travel Nurses
The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted several problems in how health systems staff their facilities, with one of the starkest consequences being the wage discrepancy between core nursing staff and travel nurses.
December 30, 2022
Policy Advocacy
Nurse-to-Patient Ratios – What to Know From the Experts
Today’s nurse staffing levels are being stretched by an aging Baby Boomer generation, an increase in average patient complexity, and a retiring segment of the nursing workforce. To make matters worse, many healthcare facilities are tempted to cut costs by keeping their nursing staff lean.
October 31, 2022
Professional Advocacy
National Nurse Practitioner Week 2022: Interview & Advocacy Guide
The nurse practitioner (NP) role has grown significantly since the first NP program debuted in 1965. From humble beginnings, the profession has come to include more than 355,000 licensed NPs, to whom Americans make over a billion visits every year. Today’s NPs are more educated, capable, and organized than ever, and they’ve become a crucial component of the American healthcare system.