Health Care Workers' Suggestions for Improving HIV-Related Maternal Care in South Africa: "Listen to Us"

Jordanian Nurses' involvement in health policy: perceived benefits and barriers

AIM

To examine (1) the level of involvement of Jordanian nurses in health policy development and (2) perceived benefits, barriers and impacts on health outcomes of involvement in health policy process.

BACKGROUND

Lack of nurses' political involvement may result in self-serving policies by policymakers who are in power and passing policies that are less than optimum.

METHOD

A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted in this study. A convenience sample of 231 nurses was recruited with a response rate of 77%. The instrument of Registered Nurses' Involvement in Health Policies was used in this study.

RESULTS

The results revealed that participants were most frequently involved in the health policy activity 'voting for a candidate or a health policy proposal'. The mean scores for involvement of participants as nurses and as citizens were low. The most perceived frequent barrier to involvement in health policy was lack of time.

DISCUSSION

The low rate of Jordanian nurses' involvement in health policy could be explained by the fact that most participants had family roles in addition to work roles, which might leave little time for health policy activities. Lack of mentoring for nurses by nursing leaders could also negatively affect their involvement in health policy development.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH POLICY

Results of this study could be baseline information for Jordanian nurse leaders to enhance the level of nurses' involvement in health policy development. Such findings could also add knowledge to the existing literature about nurses' involvement in health policy.

Factors that act as facilitators and barriers to nurse leaders' participation in health policy development

BACKGROUND

Health policies impact on nursing profession and health care. Nurses' involvement in health policy development ensures that health care is safe, of a high quality, accessible and affordable. Numerous factors influence nurse leaders' ability to be politically active in influencing health policy development. These factors can be facilitators or barriers to their participation. There is scant research evidence from Eastern African region that draws attention to this topic. This paper reports part of the larger study. The objectives reported in this paper were those aimed to: build consensus on factors that act as facilitators and barriers to nurse leaders' participation in health policy development in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

METHODS

A DELPHI SURVEY WAS APPLIED WHICH INCLUDED: expert panelists, iterative rounds, statistical analysis, and consensus building. The expert panelists were purposively selected and included national nurse leaders in leadership positions in East Africa. Data collection was done, in three iterative rounds, and utilized a questionnaire with open and closed ended questions. 78 expert panelists were invited to participate in the study; the response rate was 47% of these 64.8% participated in the second round and of those 100% participated in the third round. Data analysis was done by examining the data for the most commonly occurring categories for the open ended questions and descriptive statistics for structured questions.

RESULTS

The findings of the study indicate that both facilitators and barriers exist. The former include: being involved in health policy development, having knowledge and skills, enhancing the image of nursing and enabling structures and processes. The latter include: lack of involvement, negative image of nursing and structures and processes which exclude them.

CONCLUSION

There is a window of opportunity to enhance national nurse leaders' participation in health policy development. Nurse leaders have a key role in mentoring, supporting and developing future nurse policy makers.