10 Ways Nurse Leaders Can Advance Social Justice in Nursing
Written By:
Darby Faubion
Darby Faubion RN, BSN, MBA
Darby Faubion is a nurse and allied health instructor with over 20 years of clinical experience. Darby lives in Louisiana and loves exploring the state’s rich culture and history. Darby has a passion for caring for veterans and a special interest in those affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. In her quest to make a difference for veterans, she founded a non-profit called “Operation Battle Buddy.” Read Full Bio »» RN, BSN, MBA
In the world of healthcare, nurse leaders are uniquely positioned to identify and address issues that impact patients and populations. As providers on the frontline of patient care, nurse leaders can be instrumental in promoting social justice. Perhaps you desire to address inequalities and help reduce disparities in healthcare, but you wonder, “Can someone tell me how can nurse leaders advance social justice in nursing?”
I understand the feeling of wanting to improve healthcare and promote equal access to care. In this article, I will share 10 ways nurse leaders can advance social justice in nursing and tell you how these strategies can make a difference. From community engagement and policy advocacy to education and mentorship, you can have a profound impact on creating a more equitable healthcare environment by advancing social justice!
How Can Nurse Leaders Advance Social Justice In Nursing?
(The following are the 10 ways nurse leaders can advance social justice in nursing.)
WAY #1: Join Professional Nursing Organizations
I believe one of the best ways to advance social justice in nursing is to get involved with professional nursing organizations. As a nursing and allied health educator, I have always encouraged students and fellow nurses to join at least one nursing organization. You can use your membership in professional organizations to advocate for policies relevant to social determinants of health.
Professional nursing organizations, like the
American Academy of Nursing and the
American Nurses Association, offer training programs and educational resources to help nurses understand issues of social injustice and find ways to address them. These organizations
actively advocate for social justice efforts aimed at addressing issues of health disparity and racism in communities of color.
WAY #2: Stay Informed About Current Social Justice Issues
No matter where you come from or the type of experiences you have, knowledge is powerful! By taking the initiative to stay informed about social justice issues, you can better understand factors that contribute to health disparities and challenges diverse populations face. When you are informed and knowledgeable about social justice issues, you can support evidence-based initiatives and advocate more effectively for practices and policies that promote social justice.
WAY #3: Mentor the Next Generation of Nurse Leaders
Another way to advance social justice in nursing is to mentor other nurses. Nurse leaders who mentor other nurses have a powerful impact on social justice issues. By passing on your knowledge about social justice issues, you empower the next generation of nurse leaders. Performing your job in ways that
promote social justice sets a model for future nurse leaders to follow. Additionally, mentoring allows you to guide and support nurses, helping them gain the confidence they need to advocate for patients by promoting social justice themselves.
WAY #4: Promote Inclusive Practices
As a nurse leader, you are uniquely positioned to positively impact patients and staff, and you can do that by promoting inclusive practices. One of the most effective ways to promote inclusivity is to demonstrate cultural competence. By understanding and respecting the diverse backgrounds of your patients, you can encourage culturally appropriate care that ensures patients feel understood and respected. Promoting inclusive practices also helps to eliminate biases, which promotes fair treatment of patients and staff, regardless of factors such as gender, race, religion, or socioeconomic status. Another benefit of promoting inclusive practices is that it encourages consideration of a broad range of experiences and perspectives, which can enhance patient care and improve patient and organizational outcomes.
WAY #5: Get Involved in Events that Bring Attention to Important Issues
One of the most effective ways nurse leaders can advance social justice in nursing is to get involved with public events. Depending on how much you want to be in the public eye, you can consider organizing or joining rallies to raise awareness and help advocate for policies that impact social justice. Health fairs and educational workshops are other excellent options for getting involved with the public and working to advance social justice.
I was once asked to be part of a panel of nursing professionals who met with community leaders to discuss ways to address social justice topics and issues in our community. Panel discussions can be a powerful tool for nurse leaders to advance social justice because they foster opportunities to create dialogue, glean knowledge from others, and inspire action. Something I love about panel discussions is that you can use them as a platform to promote collaboration, not only between healthcare professionals but among community leaders, organizations, and policymakers.
WAY #6: Use Social Media to Advocate for Social Justice and Reform
I don’t know of many people who do not use at least a few social media platforms, whether for personal or business purposes. In our technology-filled world, it is easier now than ever to reach people with just a few clicks on a keyboard. Nurse leaders can advocate to promote social justice in nursing by leveraging social media platforms to engage and educate the public, network with peers, and promote events focused on addressing and eliminating health disparities.
My friend, Tim, is a family nurse practitioner who is involved with issues related to public health in his community. I asked him if there was any advice he could give to nurse leaders who want to advance social justice in nursing, and Tim told me that social media is a tool everyone can use. One of the ways Tim and his team use social media is to host weekly Facebook live question and answer sessions. One topic they addressed in these sessions was ways nurses can help people with addiction disorders find free or low-cost rehabilitation services.
WAY #7: Encourage Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Interdisciplinary collaboration is quite an effective way for nurse leaders to advance social justice. By encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, you create a healthcare environment that embraces a holistic approach to patient care. Holistic care is essential because it helps address all aspects of your patients. Interdisciplinary collaboration encourages comprehensive care by bringing together unique perspectives and experiences, making it easier to understand your patient’s circumstances and needs. Another benefit of interdisciplinary collaboration is that it encourages efficient use of resources, as nurses and other healthcare professionals work together to ensure patients receive appropriate and necessary care without duplicating or misusing services and resources.
WAY #8: Uphold Ethical Principles
Upholding
ethical principles in nursing is crucial if nurse leaders hope to advance social justice. Ethical principles and standards guide the decisions and actions that promote equity, respect, and fairness for our patients and our team members. You can uphold ethical principles and advance social justice in nursing by respecting your patient’s right to autonomy and protecting patient privacy and confidentiality. Other ethical principles that help promote social justice include beneficence, fidelity, veracity, and nonmaleficence.
My friend, Robin, worked at a public health clinic for many years. One day, she mentioned to me that, until she began working at the clinic, she did not realize how many people in the community dealt with barriers to accessing healthcare. Some of the issues patients faced were lack of insurance and transportation to appointments and language barriers. Robin worked closely with clinic administrators and community leaders to promote a language access program to address language barriers. She and her team also worked with local organizations to implement a program that offered transportation vouchers to patients with no way to make it to appointments. Taking steps like this is just one example of how nurse leaders can work to advance social justice in nursing.
WAY #9: Get Involved with Policymaking
As a nurse leader, one effective way you can advance social justice in nursing is by getting
involved in policymaking. By becoming involved in policymaking, you can influence how resources are distributed and ensure that support reaches patient populations with the greatest needs. Participating in legislative processes allows you to advocate for policies that promote equitable healthcare access and address health disparities for diverse populations.
WAY #10: Promote Opportunities for Health Education
Another way to promote social justice in nursing is by creating opportunities to educate patients and their caregivers. Health education promotes social justice by empowering individual patients, groups, and communities with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their health. Health education is a tool that, when used effectively, benefits everyone.
Another of my friends has been instrumental in helping promote health education in her community. She works with community leaders to organize and implement programs that address challenges and needs of diverse groups. For example, one of her most recent projects involved designing and implementing education programs designed to help reduce the stigma related to substance abuse disorders, which is on the rise.
My Final Thoughts
Nurses play a crucial role in advancing social justice within the healthcare system, and efforts to make that happen begin with nursing leadership. If you are a nurse leader, it is normal to wonder, “How can nurse leaders advance social justice in nursing?”
In this article, I shared 10 ways nurse leaders can advance social justice in nursing to give you an idea of ways you can impact your patients and teams. By implementing interdisciplinary collaboration,
upholding ethical principles, educating yourself and others, and creating an inclusive care and work environment, you can make great strides in advancing social justice in nursing. As a nurse leader, when you work to promote social justice, you will help improve patient, organizational, and professional outcomes on every level!
List Of Sources Used For This Article
1.
"How to Develop and Maintain Social Justice in Nursing” (
Regis College)
2.
“7 Main Ethical Principles in Nursing + Why They’re Important” (
nursingprocess.org)
3.
“11 Most Common Ways Nurses Can Get Involved in Policymaking” (
nursingprocess.org)
4.
“Social Justice, Ethics, and the Nursing Profession” (
Wolters/Kluwer)
Darby Faubion, RN, BSN, MBA
Darby Faubion is a nurse and allied health instructor with over 20 years of clinical experience. Her work history includes clinical experience in pediatrics, mental health, addiction and behavioral disorders, geriatrics, wound management, and communicable disease. Darby has worked in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home health and hospice agencies. Darby also has experience as a nursing and allied health educator at both community college and university levels. Her love for nursing and nursing education led to her becoming a test-taking strategist and NCLEX prep coach.