Nurses’ policy infl uence: A concept analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Background: Nurses’ infl uence on health policy protects the quality of care by access to required recourses and opportunities.This is a new and important concept for nursing; however, research studies on policy infl uence of nurses in health care sector are lacking a basic conceptual understanding of what this concept represents. The aim of this paper is to clarify the concept of nurses’ policy infl uence and to propose the defi nition of this concept, considering the context of Iran.

Materials and Methods: The eight stages of Walker and Avant approach was used to guide this concept analysis. Various databases and internet engines were searched to fi nd all related information about the concept. Textbooks were also searched manually. English language literature reports published between 1990 and 2012 were reviewed.

Results: Based on the analysis undertaken, nurses’ policy infl uence is nurses’ ability in infl uencing decisions and affairs related to health through political knowledge, effective communication, and collaboration with other members of the health team, which results in the improvement of nurses’ job environment and increases patient outcomes. This is a dynamic process situated on a spectrum and is accompanied with nurses’ knowledge, competency, power, and advocacy, and also their ability to change.

Conclusions: Nurses have individual views on health care issues and infl uence health care policies in different ways. With a common understanding of nurses’ policy infl uence as a concept, nurses will recognize the importance of policy making in the health sector and their infl uence on this process and also on patients’ outcomes.

Key words: Advocacy, concept analysis, health policy, infl uence, Iran, politics, power