Emily McWhirter

Strengthening advocacy and policy influence

A core mission of the ICN is to advocate for the global nursing profession.

However, maintaining a consistent and influential presence in international health policy forums remains challenging. Priorities for the next Board could include:

- A plan to strengthen its advocacy capabilities by building stronger relationships with global health organizations who can stand shoulder to shoulder with ICN, supporting the nursing agenda at the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN).

- Ensuring that nursing perspectives are integrated into global health policies through advocating for government delegations to UN Meetings (inc WHO) to include nurses.

- Influencing governments to engage with National Nursing Associations and leaders, building capacity in national senior nursing leadership, ensuring that nurses are adequately represented in decision-making processes.

- Developing further targeted advocacy campaigns that address evolving global health issues, such as the nursing workforce shortage, nurse migration, workforce shortages and working conditions.

The ICN should continue to scale up its advocacy for better working conditions, competitive salaries, and opportunities for professional development. Furthermore, the ICN should support research and data collection to provide evidence-based recommendations for addressing workforce shortages and improving working conditions for nurses.

Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Nursing

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda must ensure that all nurses are treated fairly and have equal opportunities for advancement. The next ICN Board should focus on promoting EDI across the entire nursing community. This could involve developing policies and initiatives that address disparities in the profession and promote an inclusive work environment. ICN should prioritize work to ensure that nurses from diverse backgrounds are represented in leadership positions within global health forums.

Enhancing Collaboration and Partnerships

The ICN's effectiveness in advocacy can be enhanced through collaboration and partnerships. The Board should focus on strengthening existing partnerships and building new ones with organizations that share common goals. These partnerships provide opportunities for joint advocacy efforts, shared resources, and development of innovative solutions to global health challenges. Additionally, ICN should work to enhance collaboration among member associations, fostering unity and shared purpose within its global community.

Embracing Technological Advancements and Innovation

Rapid advancement in healthcare technology presents both challenges and opportunities for the profession. The ICN Board should embrace technological advancements, including AI. They could advocate for the integration of digital health tools into nursing practice, supporting the development of tele-health services, and promote use of data analytics to improve patient care. ICN should work to ensure that nurses are adequately trained in the use of new technologies and that they have access to the resources needed to adapt to the changing healthcare landscape.

As the ICN moves forward it must remain relevant and impactful through its ability to respond at speed to the changing health needs of the global population. It must proactively work with partners to build global collaborations that support and strengthen nurses working in challenging environment and with limited resources, raising the global voice of nurses and ensuring that it is heard.