Nursing Role in Global Health

Introduction

Globalization refers to increased connectedness and interdependence of humans and health disparities such as high mortality rate, life expectancy, nutritional status, burden of diseases among others. Global health issues relate to international human and environmental health. Nursing practice has a role in addressing and improving global issues through provision of service to the global community. There are changing needs that have emerged as a result of globalization such as increased longevity, increased obesity, heart diseases and other health treads (Halfdan, 2004). Hence nurses have to direct their attention to these needs mostly among the marginalized and less fortunate communities, through development of health promotion action to respond to negative health trends (Labonte, & Spiegel, 2003). Global health concepts may further be integrated in the nursing curriculum. Improving global issues which involve serving vulnerable and under-served populations may require nurses to find a match for their clinical skills, having time commitment academic credentials and their personal and family limitations (Drain, Huffman, Pirtle, & Chan, 2009). Nurses in their nursing practice may address global issues by providing refugee relief by working as an international refugee worker, and providing clinical mentorship globally.

Nurses through their nursing education may address and improve global issues through provision of cultural experiences globally, by incorporating international nursing programs in the school of nursing program, and sharing their expertise in policy and program consultation through various organizations such as USAID (Lynn, 2009). Nurses’ researchers and nursing research may seek to provide ways of impacting disease prevention and management by utilizing the shrinking boarders that makes it possible to move around the world within few hours. They may also work towards overarching goals of nursing research to identify global healthcare priorities, quantifiable goals and providing benchmarks (Agnes Koon-Chui Law, Fish, Moxley, & Washington, 2009). Nurse researchers may advancing global health should address inherent tensions between regional and global priorities such as giving priority to goals promoting gender equality. Nurses may improve health global issues through nursing informatics by addressing social considerations and improving access to health services and facilities by applying technology to knowledge. It involves use of electronic documentation and identifying changes in patients’ status quickly.

Skills Needed For Effective Advocacy and Policy Development

Nurses’ have a role of influencing health policy in order to protect the quality of care by access to required recourses and opportunities. They need to adapt skills on decisional involvement, policy making skills and political influence skills aimed at improving access to health care and eliminating disparities (Parker, Lumbreras, & Hernandez-Aguado, 2010). Policy making skills will influence policy influence and will help in addressing professional challenges relating to nurses’ presence and role. Effective advocacy calls for policy competence, and organizing and program development skills. Nurses must adapt leadership skills for effective health leadership and policy making and can develop the leadership skills organically (Hearne, 2008). This will increase the role of senior nurses in advocating for the profession on issues that support health.

What Has Been Learnt and its Impact on Nursing Profession

I have learnt that, nurses must recognize their role towards responding to health global issues by undertaking research on global health needs such as increased mortality rate and providing solution to address the issue. Nurses need to change their nursing education to incorporate focus on global health issues such as incorporating international program in the school curriculum that will best educate nurses for global health care. The nursing practice need to change in order to manage global issues through provision of services to marginalized and vulnerable communities and provision of disaster relief services through relevant agencies. The right skills need to be acquired in order to enhance nursing advocacy and policy making. This may impact health practice by increasing nursing experience and diversity, improving collaboration and cooperation between nurses and other professionals and agencies, and improved focus on global health goals.