Introduction
Nursing is a critical aspect of healthcare delivery as it ensures that health is promoted, diseases are prevented, and chronic diseases are managed. Nurses work in different environments where they play an essential role in ensuring the health of individuals in a community. To effectively offer the best services to their patients, I believe that as a nurse, I must show concern and advocate for the elimination of systemic social and health inequalities. In this reflection, I will explore the role of nursing in promoting nursing equity and addressing long-standing social and health inequalities. In particular, I will examine the challenges a nurse faces in their effort to ensure equity in the healthcare industry such as the lack of diversity in the nursing workforce, inadequate policy interventions and programs, and insufficient education and research funding. Thus, I will reflect on the role that a nurse must play to promote health equity and optimal health and well-being for all.
Discussion
As a nurse, it is my legal and moral duty to provide high-quality, compassionate, and equitable medical care to all people regardless of their social status or other factors. Consequently, a nurse must be prepared to address systemic social and health inequities in the healthcare industry. Health inequalities are unjust health outcomes that exist because of social, cultural, economic, and political disadvantages (Matthews et al., 2020). As a nurse, I understand that these disadvantages are deep-rooted and have effectively led to unequal distribution of resources, inadequate policies to address social determinants of health, and unequal access to healthcare. Some of the systemic social determinants of health include education, transportation, racism, and discrimination. These factors limit access to quality healthcare. As a nurse, I have a crucial role in addressing these disadvantages through practice, education, research, and advocacy.
One of the key areas that I am passionate about as a nurse is an advocacy to eliminate systemic social and health inequities. In particular, I will speak for patients’ rights and push for policies and programs that promote health equity and access to affordable healthcare, education, and employment. In addition, I will advocate for laws and policies to help the vulnerable from discrimination, exploitation, and violence. When looking to address health inequities, education is a key area that one should focus on (Matthews et al., 2020). Consequently, I will always educate myself, my patients, and the community at large on the social determinants of health and how they affect health outcomes. It is also essential to educate patients on their rights and how to access health services and resources. By educating patients, I will be able to empower them to take charge of their health and the health of people in their communities which will reduce health disparity and contribute to health equity.
Research is an important aspect of the nursing profession because it informs evidence-based nursing decision-making. In this context, research is essential for identifying the root cause of health inequities and proposing ways to reduce the gap (Redeker, 2021). In this regard, I plan to pursue research topics that focus on exploring the social determinants of health and their effects on health outcomes. In addition, other areas that research on this area will focus on is on improving access to healthcare access and resources to ensure entire vulnerable communities catch up with the rest of the country. One of the major areas where a nurse can have the greatest impact is when practicing. A nurse is expected to offer patients high-quality, compassionate, and equitable healthcare. In this regard, I will use my knowledge and skills to address the specific and unique needs and preferences of each patient.
COVID-19 demonstrated the critical role that nurses play in ensuring health equity. Specifically, the pandemic disproportionately affected some of the most vulnerable communities including people of color, the elderly, low-income individuals, and immigrants. These communities had the highest rates of infection, mortality, and infections. Nurses played a critical role in addressing these disparities by providing quality care to all affected by the pandemic without discrimination based on their color, social status, or any other attribute. In addition, some nurses advocated for policies to address the underlying social issues that prevented access to quality healthcare for people from these communities (Kalaitzidis & Jewell, 2020). Thus, to help eliminate social and health inequities, it would be helpful to focus the state and all healthcare professionals on solving historical injustices that underly unequal access to healthcare.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I consider nursing to be a crucial profession that is fundamental to the equitable delivery of healthcare. A nurse plays a central role in the promotion of health, management of chronic diseases, and prevention of illnesses. What is crucial to me is to be able to provide high-quality, compassionate, and equitable to my patients without regard for their social, political, cultural, or economic status. To achieve this goal, I will strive to remove systemic social and health inequities that have historically inhibited some communities from healthcare access. Specifically, I will use education, research, practice, and advocacy to ensure that the systemic and structural barriers to healthcare access are removed and that all patients have equal access to healthcare services.
References
Kalaitzidis, E., & Jewell, P. (2020). The concept of advocacy in nursing. The Health Care Manager, 39(2), 77–84. Web.
Matthews, J., Whitehead, P., Ward, C., Kyner, M., & Crowder, T. (2020). Florence Nightingale: Visionary for the role of Clinical Nurse Specialist. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 25(2). Web.
Redeker, N. S. (2021). Addressing health inequity through nursing science. Nursing Outlook, 69(3), 491–493. Web.