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In This Chapter
Unmute Us: The Power of Diverse Voices in Nursing and Leadership
Finding Our Voice of Advocacy
Voice of Nursing From the Front Lines
Pandemic School Nursing—Another Front Line
Nurses You Should Know: Inclusive Storytelling Designed to Expand the Nursing Narrative
The Voice of Advocacy: If Not You, Then Who?
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Since the inception of the profession, nurses have been an ever-present force in healthcare and the community. Our presence has expanded to occupy spaces that our nursing predecessors may have never imagined, and thus, our voices have grown louder and stronger. The nurse’s voice can be heard in Congress leading policy change, on farms cultivating nutritious crops for the community, in government intelligence agencies on top secret missions, in C-suites making executive-level decisions, and at protests marching for social justice. The nurse’s voice is everywhere! The nurse’s voice is awe-inspiring in its ability to motivate change, and we cannot afford to lower our voices one single decibel. The right to quality, consistent healthcare is at stake, especially for people of color and those who live in poverty, and the voice of nursing is poised to lead change. We must come together collectively to unite with a zealous voice to advocate for change—to demand health equity!
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Consider the following questions as you read the essays about how the nurse’s voice can lead to change in health equity:
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In what ways can nurses go beyond patient and client care to encourage health equity?
List unique spaces or occupations in which you have seen nurses lead.
What are examples of how nurses in your community fight for health equity?
In what ways are nurses equipped to lead the change for health equity?
How can you use your voice to lead the change for health equity?
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UNMUTE US: THE POWER OF DIVERSE VOICES IN NURSING AND LEADERSHIP
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Paule Valery Joseph, PhD, MS, FNP-BC, CRNP, FAAN
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Lasker Clinical Research Scholar
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National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
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National Institutes of Health
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Imagine a world in healthcare where the voices of nurses from diverse backgrounds, from the bedside to the boardroom, are heard when promoting change, diversity, and health equity. Despite significant advances in science and public health during the past few decades, healthcare disparities exist throughout the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the deep inequalities in the US health system. Communities of color are more likely than whites to experience pervasive disparities that worsen health outcomes. Nurses are uniquely positioned to see how social injustice destroys patients’ and communities’ health and welfare and to act towards achieving health equity. Nursing is the nation’s largest healthcare profession, often ranked the most trusted profession, with over 4 million registered nurses nationwide and the primary providers of hospital patient care (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, ...