The Pan American Nursing Research Colloquium is held annually to disseminate knowledge for nursing research and advancement for projects, policies, and leadership led by nurses in the Americas. This year, I traveled to Chile to represent Sigma as a United Nations Youth Representative. The opening ceremony began with a warm welcome from the hosting university, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile-Santiago, and a beautiful cultural dance that showcased the history and diversity of the country. Throughout the programming, the Colloquium offered many opportunities to learn from keynote speakers and abstract presentations and to connect with nurses passionate about health, healthcare, and nursing. Here are some key takeaways from my experience:
- Embracing holistic approaches in nursing research and implementation
The keynote speakers and panel discussions spanning from Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, United States and Canada made one theme clear within innovative nursing research, interventions, and implementation: to design and consult with communities and clients at the center. I learned the phrase “nothing about us, without us,” which should act as a compass for researchers, implementers, and clinicians to truly understand complex problems that exist and persist for individuals, communities, and populations stemming from their insight and experiences. This reinforces how crucial it is to consider the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), which the US Department of Health and Human Services defines as “the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.”
SDOH allows a holistic perspective into what impacts patients and communities so that effective interventions can be targeted to address multifaceted problems. During my university studies, I learned about SDOH as a crucial concept. However, my nursing career solidified its importance as I worked with clients and communities dealing with challenges like living in rural areas far from medical care, experiencing food insecurity, or facing complex issues such as homelessness and substance abuse. It can be quite easy to focus on an ailment or illness and try to manage the symptoms or concentrate on the cure. However, without understanding the broader psychosocial factors of a client or community, we may not know if a client or community has adequate resources to access health services and receive care. Therefore, it is crucial to listen to our clients and communities so that we can plan holistic care, design interventions, and conduct research with them at the center.
- Advocating for policy changes to drive better healthcare outcomes
Nurses in the Americas are using their evidence-based knowledge and lived experiences to impact millions through policy. Health policy is defined as “the laws, regulations, actions, and decisions implemented within society to promote wellness and ensure that specific health goals are met.” Policy changes create some of the most wide-reaching and sustainable impacts on population health.
By applying evidence-based knowledge to affect change in a variety of settings, health policymakers shape the health and well-being of populations through health promotion, health protection, and health education. As nurses, we can make policy changes at the local and federal level, such as in a hospital/community setting because we witnessed the lived experiences of others. We can use our power to advocate for changes—from infection control on our unit to global health equity.
In the Americas, this looks like including messages on alcohol bottles to educate about the dangers of overconsumption. And these policies are working—especially related to tobacco use. Through these efforts, tobacco consumption decreased significantly over a 10-year period and continues to decline.
- Tackling the effects of nursing shortages in health systems
The International Council of Nurses identified the nursing shortage as a global health emergency and highlighted that the problem will continue to worsen. It especially persists in many countries in the Americas.
Dr. Oscar Ocho, a professor from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago, explored the causes and effects of nursing shortages. He shared research on why nurses often leave Caribbean countries—choosing instead to move to nations with greater economic opportunities. One solution proposed to recruit, maintain, and empower nurses is to provide incentives, like investing in education and professional development.
Addressing the systemic issues that nurses face is crucial when planning health systems and the health workforce. Countries in the Americas—and globally—must develop long-term health workforce plans and budgets that prioritize education, recruitment, and retention strategies. Key challenges such as working conditions, fair salaries, safe patient-nurse ratios, and protections against violence and burnout must be tackled to attract and retain nurses. Nurse shortages significantly impact patient care, underscoring the need for continued advocacy to build a sustainable health workforce that promotes healthier populations.
- Investing in advanced practice nurses (APNs)
Investing in advanced practice nurses (APNs) can be a way to combat constrained health systems. Dr. Denise Bryant-Lukosius from McMaster University in Canada has been developing the roles of APNs nationally and internationally. She discussed the benefits of using APNs to tackle health inequities in specialties, namely to use nurse practitioners (NPs) in cancer care. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has been working diligently to promote the role of APNs in the Americas because they have been proven to provide care that is safe, effective, patient-centered, efficient, equitable, and evidence-based. NPs have been widely utilized in primary and specialty healthcare settings across the Americas. However, there are some countries in the Americas without the APN role, and we hope the research showing the positive impacts promotes the expansion of this role in every country in the Americas.
I am deeply grateful to Sigma for my role as a United Nations Youth Representative, a transformative experience that is broadening my perspective. To address concerns from the health systems level to the community level, it is essential to understand the issues facing nurses globally and empower nurses to lead. Our unique skills enable us to make a significant impact on individuals and entire populations. Whether through research, policy, management, leadership, or education, the question remains: What steps will you take to drive the change you want to see.
Regina Yuen, MPH, RN, is a registered nurse from Canada, a Sigma United Nations Youth Representative, and a member of Sigma’s Tau Upsilon Chapter.
