World Health Organization and global health policy

[Nursing process: what does it mean to nurses from Santa Cruz (Bolivia)?]

Bolivian nurses have not yet incorporated the scientific method and taxonomies into nursing care. This qualitative study aims at understanding the meaning that faculty and nursing professionals from the Department of Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia) attribute to the nursing process. Data collection was performed through interviews and participant observation. The analysis was performed using the theoretical and methodological framework of Symbolic Interactionism and Grounded Theory, utilizing ATLAS.ti.6.0. The following topics emerged from the data: difficulties in implementing the nursing process due to a lack of preparation and training in leadership, dominance by physicians, lack of records, and poor support from the institution. Advantages were that it combines criteria and language and facilitates the autonomous role of nursing. In conclusion, nurses should establish their professional expectations regarding the implementation of the nursing process and care plans, which is a cultural change that involves faculty, management and clinical nurses.

The health-promoting nurse as a health policy career expert and entrepreneur

A plethora of literature suggests that many nurses struggle in their attempts to develop a political role that allows them to directly influence and implement health policy activity. Nursing curricula are an integral part of ensuring that nurses are capable of taking on a more active role in initiating and developing health policy processes, through a broadening of the health promotion curriculum that focuses on socio-political approaches to health care provision. Despite this, the available literature suggests that the majority of nursing curricula are yet to fulfil this role. Such a role could be supported by attempts to define and promote a specific career route that develops nurses as health policy experts and entrepreneurs early on in their careers. This article aims to put forward a rationale for developing such a position in nursing education.