The Role of Nurses in Shaping Health Policy, Advocating for Community Needs, and Influencing Legislation

Nursing has a long history of advocacy aimed at improving patient care, enhancing healthcare systems, and influencing public policy. While substantial evidence exists on the role of nurses in advocating for individual patients, there is limited research on policy-level advocacy by nursing organizations. Existing literature often focuses on the role of advocacy groups in shaping policy but rarely explores the unique contributions of nursing organizations, particularly in areas such as biochemical considerations in health policy. Prior reviews have examined various aspects of policy advocacy, but a comprehensive evaluation of current research is needed to identify gaps and guide future studies. A scoping review was conducted to map existing literature on policy advocacy by nursing organizations. Searches across six databases identified both research studies and non-research articles. The review revealed a limited but expanding body of empirical research on policy advocacy by nursing organizations, which is primarily focused on national-level activities. Regional or state-level policy advocacy was largely overlooked. Many studies used historical, qualitative, or retrospective designs, which limits understanding of the long-term impacts of nursing advocacy on policy. Key barriers to nurses' engagement in policy-making included insufficient mentorship, inadequate training, time limitations, and low motivation. Overall, nurse participation in policy-making was reported as low to moderate. This review highlights the need for more rigorous empirical research on nursing organizations’ policy advocacy. Further studies should focus on the impact of nurse-led policy advocacy at the regional level and explore the integration of nursing perspectives in shaping policies. In addition, future research could examine organizational decision-making processes, the influence of institutional culture, and the role of policymakers and stakeholders. By addressing these areas, nursing organizations can strengthen their role in shaping health policy and ensure that both community and scientific insights are integrated into healthcare systems.

کلیدواژه ها:

health policy ، nursing advocacy ، Biochemical factors ، nursing organizations ، Policy advocacy ، political influence