Tuesday, November 15, 2005: 8:15 AM-9:15 AM
Nurses: A Powerful Yet Untapped Force In Public Health
Learning Objective #1: Discuss three reasons why nurses are qualified to lead public health organizations, setting policies that improve public health
Learning Objective #2: Identify four actions educational institutions must take to prepare nurses to lead in national public health policy development
Traditionally, state and national public health organizations have been led by medical professionals who may or may not have the background and understanding of population-based health necessary to set beneficial public health policy. Nurses have remained the backbone of public health, managing clinics, visiting the frail elderly, providing health education to parents, families, and communities. Yet, nurses are not sought after as public health leaders, or as policy makers on important public health issues. The authors will assert that nurses have not achieved legitimacy as leaders in public health, despite having the knowledge and skills to develop and promote effective public health policy. The authors will demonstrate how nurses and nursing educational institutions can more effectively prepare nurses to attain policy-making leadership positions in state and national public health organizations, through the nursing process. The presentation will consider a logic model for change in nursing education developed by the authors, using metaphors from the popular movie and literary work, the Lord of the Rings. The presentation will detail the journey that nurses must make to become public health leaders – the rationale for traveling to this non-traditional role, the barriers and challenges that might be experienced, and the techniques for overcoming those barriers. The authors will discuss the benefits to the nation of having nurses in public health leadership positions, and the unique advantage provided by nursing education to understand the public’s health needs and to create policies to meet those needs. The authors are sisters and registered nurses, one with a Masters in Public Health and the other with a Masters in Public Health Nursing, with a combined 40 years of experience in public health leadership at the local, state, and national level.
Organizer:	Margaret O'Connor Casey, MPH, RN
Presenter:	Kathleen O'Connor Watson, MS, RN

Sigma Theta Tau International
38th Biennial Convention - Leadership Sessions
November 15, 2005
Indianapolis, IN