As an advanced registered nurse, I understand the importance of equitable population health services and policies that promote equitable healthcare across race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. My future role will involve working with healthcare facilities and different social groups to identify health disparities and advocate for policy change that will create more accessible healthcare for all. My ultimate goal is to inform and educate other nurses, policymakers, and the public in order to encourage support for such changes. With my knowledge of healthcare systems, I am confident that I can be an effective leader in advocating for measures to ensure equitable access to healthcare for everyone.
One of the greatest challenges of population advocacy is educating policymakers and gaining the understanding required to recognize the significant effect health disparities have on the population (Bekemeier et al., 2021). These disparities can often garner resistance from individuals or groups who are apprehensive about changes or do not recognize the need for them, making it even more difficult to develop a roadmap of tangible solutions that address these inequalities. Additionally, due to limited resources, it can be tricky to approach this challenge with a distinct action plan that encompasses all necessary variables (Kim et al., 2021). Finding ways to demonstrate how major health disparities affect large portion of the population and knowing how best to utilize available resources represents a formidable hurdle for any population advocate.
To address these challenges, I would seek to establish connections with decision-makers and other stakeholders in the healthcare system. Furthermore, I may attempt to educate them about the significance of tackling health inequalities and the effects it may have on population health by building relationships. Along with advocating for legislation that address health inequities, I would also try to include the broader public in advocacy initiatives. Additionally, to overcome the challenge or shortage of resources, I would promote the distribution of greater financing to programs that address health inequities (David et al., 2020). Finally, I would collaborate with the different healthcare professionals and local leaders to identify areas of need and create creative solutions that make the most of current resources.
As an advanced registered nurse, I believe passionately in advocating for equitable population health services and policies to ensure everyone has access to the care they need. This is especially important given the health disparities many people, particularly those from historically marginalized communities, face today (Hubbert et al., 2020). My professional commitment to this work will involve monitoring health agents, working on policy initiatives with government officials and healthcare professionals, engaging with local organizations and community members, as well as serving on committees and task forces devoted to making better healthcare available to all.
References
Bekemeier, B., Kuehnert, P., Zahner, S. J., Johnson, K. H., Kaneshiro, J., & Swider, S. M. (2021). A critical gap: advanced practice nurses focused on the public’s health. Nursing Outlook, 69(5), 865-874. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002965542100097X
David, J. L., Thomas, S. L., Randle, M., & Daube, M. (2020). A public health advocacy approach for preventing and reducing gambling related harm. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44(1), 14-19. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1753-6405.12949
Hubbert, B., Ahmed, M., Kotcher, J., Maibach, E., & Sarfaty, M. (2020). Recruiting health professionals as sustainability advocates. The Lancet Planetary Health, 4(10), e445-e446. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(20)30225-4/fulltext
Kim, S., Lee, T. W., Kim, G. S., Cho, E., Jang, Y., Choi, M., … & Hazarika, I. (2021). Nurses in advanced roles as a strategy for equitable access to healthcare in the WHO Western Pacific region: a mixed methods study. Human Resources for Health, 19(1), 1-9. https://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12960-021-00555-6
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