How nurses promote health and wellbeing

Nurses are well-placed to educate patients and communities on healthy living. Health promotion is the process of empowering patients to have control over, and improve, their health. Alongside their roles of providing medical treatment and preventing ill health, nurses can also promote healthy lifestyles, advocate for patients, work to reduce health inequities, and address poor health literacy. 

Nurses often work in hospitals, but they also operate in other settings. Some work as home care nurses, providing healthcare services to patients in their homes, while others work in schools looking after the health of children. Businesses sometimes employ nurses to provide healthcare to employees and to deliver care to residents in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. Women receive care from nurse-midwives during pregnancy and childbirth, while nurse anesthetists work in operating rooms providing safe anesthesia care.  As we can see, there are many different occupations, specialisms, and working environments available to nurses, but whatever their role, promoting health and well-being will always be paramount. 

For those who are interested in becoming a nurse, Rockhurst University offers numerous online nursing programs. But why become a nurse? There are many reasons for choosing this career, including job stability, created by the demand for nursing professionals, variety and opportunity for specialism, and personal and professional satisfaction, to name a few. A degree from a reputable institution such as Rockhurst University provides you with all the tools you need for a successful career in the nursing field.

Promoting health

Registered nurses are critical in maintaining and improving the health of individuals, families, and communities. They are active in the prevention of ill health and disease. They support people at all stages of life to make informed choices about their health. Nurses find opportunities to boost health awareness, including discussing the effects of smoking, sexual behaviors, alcohol and substance use, and the benefits of a healthy diet and exercise. They will adapt their approach depending on each person’s circumstance. 

Nurses also explain the reasons for health screening programs and the advantages of participation. They provide balanced, accurate information so the person can make an informed decision about whether to have the screening. Screenings can identify potential future health risks, allowing for early intervention and better outcomes. Examples of health screenings are mammograms and checks for blood pressure, diabetes, and colon cancer. 

Nurses can also promote health by making every patient interaction an educational intervention. For example, when putting on a new dressing for a diabetic foot ulcer, the nurse can talk about diabetic control and blood sugar testing with the patient. If a patient attends a clinic or doctor’s office, there is the opportunity to check records for the most recent tetanus injection. When carrying out a home visit for a newborn baby, the nurse can discuss the children’s vaccines or the health of a sibling. With these approaches, nurses can promote health continually while carrying out their nursing duties. They act as role models and provide the understanding, information, and useful tools for people to make informed lifestyle decisions. 

Strategies and actions

Health promotion can have a lasting, positive impact on people’s health. Nurses educate patients on achieving wellness through simple actions they can introduce to their daily lives. There are basic strategies that nurses can use to promote health; these are communication, education, policy, systems, and environmental change. 

Communication can help people understand their health needs and be empowered to make positive health decisions. Nurses must adapt communication according to the patient’s health literacy, age, and culture. They should use complete, clear sentences, and consider their tone of voice. They should communicate with patients at a suitable time to aid concentration. Nurses can also use verbal skills to give information to patients, families, and colleagues. Using open questions can help the patient speak more freely. Different approaches are used depending on the patient. For example, a trauma patient’s treatment will be discussed in a different way than one for a pediatric patient.

Nurses educate their patients about various health conditions to encourage early treatment or prevention. Education means that patients are more likely to engage in interventions and this can increase the likelihood of positive outcomes. Education can target certain populations, such as working in poorer areas with lessons on physical activity and nutrition to prevent or tackle type 2 diabetes. Nurses can work with patients on self-care by, for example, teaching them to change a colostomy pouching system or inject insulin. Education from nurses can reduce the chances of a relapse and readmission to hospital. 

Health promotion strategies include policy, systemic, and environmental change. An example of policy change could be new safety regulations in the workplace. Systemic change consists of using certifications, technologies, or innovations to have new ways to solve health problems. Environmental change could involve healthy food availability and the need for more green spaces. Studies have shown that living with readily available green space is good for health and can help in recovering from illness. Nurses can utilize these strategies to promote health in their communities. 

Nurses can address key action areas for health promotion. They can work to improve the entire population’s health and ensure everyone has access to healthcare. They can also develop supportive environments where people feel able to come and get health advice. Nurses can educate their patients, so they understand their health and take action to make improvements. A patient knowing about their condition means they are more likely to monitor their health. Nurses can encourage community action and advocate for policy changes and new programs. They can be involved in developing public health policy and government activities to increase awareness and provide resources and education so that people have more control over their health. 

Nurse advocacy

An advocate is someone who speaks for or defends someone. There is a tradition of advocacy in nursing, with nurses representing patients to defend their rights and ensure quality care. Nurses will intervene when there are concerns and follow the correct procedure to find a resolution. Nurses advocate for patients as part of health promotion. Advocacy in nursing preserves human dignity, provides freedom from suffering, and promotes patient equality. It also gives patients the right to make their own health decisions. The Code of Ethics states that nurses must fight against health inequality and safeguard people’s rights. Nurses advocate for all populations against barriers to accessing healthcare and comply with ethical standards in cases when patients cannot afford care, or it is apparent that they are victims of abuse, or trafficking. Nurses have a duty of care to be without bias or prejudice when working with patients and are in a position to defend quality care, create innovative interventions, and recognize vulnerability. They can mentor, help, and educate those experiencing inequitable healthcare. 

A key role of a nurse is to support patients when they are receiving healthcare. Nurses collaborate with patients, doctors, and their healthcare organization when advocating for patients. This could involve looking at a treatment plan with a patient if the doctor has prescribed a new medication or made a diagnosis. They also play a key role in answering any questions a patient or their family might have about treatment options; if patients do not understand medical terminology, the nurse can explain its meaning. Nurses can tell doctors if a patient disagrees with their treatment plan, and ensure patients make decisions that are affordable and good for their health. 

Almost everything nurses do relates to patient advocacy, and nurses need to know how nursing duties relate to advocacy. Nurses can represent patients and ensure their points of view and concerns are heard. They ensure new staff understands the patient’s care and are a great support to patients when they are dealing with the healthcare system. They can also support them when they are making decisions about finances and health, while allowing patients their right to make their own healthcare decisions. 

Nurses improve public knowledge about health and empower people to make positive choices for themselves, playing a key role in transforming communities. They can be involved with nursing organizations and have a voice in local and national discussions on healthcare’s future, in turn contributing to high standards of healthcare and more patient-centered regulations and policies. 

Underserved populations

Underserved populations are those that have limited or non-existent access to healthcare or have other vulnerabilities. This can include the socioeconomically disadvantaged, ethnic minorities who do not speak English, refugees, prisoners, seniors, the educationally disenfranchised, and individuals with disabilities. There are often significant barriers stopping underserved populations from getting health coverage and getting healthcare. Nurses can build relationships with people without easy access to healthcare and provide treatment and advice and use their knowledge and training in preventative care and treatments to educate people in communities. Nurses influence public health awareness, encourage change, and protect the health of underserved populations, and can be vital in spreading health information through social media and support organizations. 

One reason for the lack of access to healthcare is poverty, much of which is found in rural areas. Many urban and rural communities do not have enough healthcare professionals to meet the population’s needs. Nurses may have patients who live in run-down areas with high crime rates, low literacy, and poverty. Nurses accept their patients with an open mind and build relationships so that patients take clinical advice and adapt their behavior to improve their health. Nurses can inspire change, raise awareness, and protect the health of underserved populations. They are knowledgeable about treatment and preventative care and can educate their patients. Nurses can join advocacy committees in communities, hospitals, and schools for underserved populations. 

Underserved populations experience high infant mortality rates, heart disease, death, and diabetes diagnoses. Nurses work with people from diverse cultures and need cultural awareness to give an effective and equitable service. This can mean overcoming barriers, improving relationships, and providing quality care. The right interventions can address poor health, disadvantages, and untimely death and disease, while the right policies can mean better access to healthcare. 

Health literacy

Nurses must be aware of health literacy problems when working with patients to promote health. Low health literacy can hinder a patient’s understanding of health information and their ability to make informed decisions. Reasons for lack of understanding could be undiagnosed cognitive impairment, vision or hearing issues, language barriers, cultural differences, and the reading level of written information being too high. Groups at high risk for low health literacy are immigrants, refugees, older people, those living in poverty, and ethnic minorities. Nurses are well-positioned to provide education and convey medical information in a clear and straightforward way. 

Patients with low health literacy might not understand their diagnosis or treatment plan, making it more difficult to make decisions. Patient outcomes can be affected, and patient readmission is more likely. Nurses can make a difference in this situation by identifying low health literacy and working to overcome communication barriers. Nurses can complete health literacy assessments and attach these to the patient’s records, which will help other healthcare staff to adapt their service to the patient’s needs. Nurses typically spend the most time with patients, so are well-placed to address health literacy.  

School nurse

School nurses play an important role in promoting children’s health, setting them up to make good choices and have healthy lifestyles. School nurses aim to reduce inequalities, improve health and well-being, and ensure every child has the best start in life. They can use their clinical knowledge to identify health needs early, identify risks and establish ways to protect children. School nurses promote health in partnership with health visitors, voluntary services, allied health professionals, social care professionals, and general practitioners. 

School nurses assess children’s physical and mental health and promote health with approaches for early intervention and prevention. They support children and their families in dealing with lifestyle concerns, such as weight and keeping fit. They also educate children on self-care and how to access health services. School nurses have multiple responsibilities, including chronic disease management, preparation for emergency care, surveillance, behavioral health assessment, health education, and more. 

School nurses can partner with public health agencies and medical homes to increase vaccine access and improve vaccine uptake by providing information to children and their families. They can remind children and staff about vaccination schedules and keep up-to-date immunization records for state reporting requirements. The presence of a school nurse has been correlated with fewer immunization exemptions. 

School nurses are positioned to promote health and identify the health needs of children. By collaborating with other health professionals, they combine the needs for children to have good health and a strong education. 

Health policy

In their daily work, nurses experience the influence of policy and how it affects patient care. They are in a unique position to see how policy impacts patients and communities. Nurses can advocate for change within the workplace, government agencies, nursing organizations, or directly with elected representatives or policymakers. 

Health policy is the decisions, actions, and plans that influence healthcare outcomes in society. It includes any research, regulations, or laws impacting on care providers or patient health. By having an involvement in health policy, nurses can influence current and future healthcare outcomes. For example, nurses can advocate for health information to be written at the right level for most people to read using literacy guidelines. They can also join nursing organizations to add their voices to the collective. An example is the Oncology Nursing Society which highlights cancer policy priorities. Members often testify before Congress, the National Institute of Health, and the US Food and Drug Administration on healthcare issues affecting cancer patients and oncology nurses. The ONS empowers nurses to bring about change in their communities. 

Nurses can explore the health policies that interest them most. They can find out who is responsible for making policy at their workplace and in their community and discover the legislators that support policies that interest them and write to them about issues affecting patient care. They can also talk to colleagues about ways to influence policy change and join organizations that campaign for nurses or patients. 

Working on the frontline means that nurses can relay information about the impact of health policy on patient care. They can be aware of the policy development issues that affect patient care and their practice. Nurse leaders can influence policy at their workplace and encourage nurses to be involved in health policy. 

Conclusion

A career in nursing is one of dedication and compassion. By being trained in high-quality institutions, students can become the great nurses that bring excellent care and advocacy for the system of healthcare. 

Nurses promote health and well-being for their patients and communities as part of their role. They build positive relationships with their patients and, through education, empower them to make well-informed decisions about their health. Nurses advocate for their patients, representing them in the healthcare system and participating in healthcare policy, and are essential in promoting health to underserved populations with low health literacy and ensuring they have access to quality medical care.