Abstract
Background: As global citizens and informed healthcare leaders, nurses are key to addressing global health challenges and are uniquely positioned to advocate for vulnerable populations worldwide. This presentation shares a successful model for preparing nurses with advocacy skills to improve global health outcomes by fostering collaboration among healthcare stakeholders.
Methods: The six-week virtual academy, led by former Liaisons to the United Nations (UN), is designed to equip nurses with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to contribute to good health and well-being for all through global advocacy efforts. Participants gain insights into nursing organization consultative status with the UN, their own role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and how every nurse can contribute to global impact. Through interactive experiences, participants acquire practical knowledge applicable to healthcare and policy advocacy, both locally and globally.
Results: To date, 163 nurses have completed the academy. After completing the academy, the majority (97%) of those that completed the evaluation (n=94) agreed that they were well-informed about the SDGs and 96% planned to increase their participation in advancing them. Most (95%) felt they could identify strategies to become more engaged in addressing global health problems and (90%) reported they were better prepared to actively participate on the global stage. Several academy graduates have addressed key stakeholders in global health forums.
Conclusions: The Global Advocacy Academy is an effective model to prepare nurses as influential advocates in advancing global health. Nurse leaders can encourage participation in the academy and use this framework to replicate advocacy development strategies in their own organizations.
Notes
References:
Chiu, P., Hawkins, J., Eviza, K., & Gray, S. E. (2022). Nursing and the sustainable development goals: Scaling up and measuring our impact during the decade of action. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 54(6), 664–667. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12791
Hawkins, J., Itani Mousa, D., Eviza, K. (2022). Reducing costs and the carbon footprints of our healthcare organizations: A-Z. Nurse Leader. https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1fCNi5UVDeaee9
Hawkins, J., Shimek, A., Clary-Muronda, V., Sessler Branden, P., & Itani Mousa, D. (2022). The role of nurse leaders as global health advocates. Nursing Centered. https://bit.ly/3UcRbCH
Madigan, E. A., McWhirter, E., Westwood, G., Oshikanlu, R., Iregi, Z. M., Munashe Nyika, & Bayuo, J. (2023). Nurses finding a global voice by becoming influential leaders through advocacy. Clinics in Integrated Care, 20, 100165–100165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intcar.2023.100165
Sensor, C.S., Branden, P.S., Clary-Muronda, V., Hawkins, J.E., Fitzgerald, D., Shimek, A.M., Al-Itani, D., Madigan, E.A., Rosa, W.E. (2021). Nurses achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: The United Nations and Sigma. American Journal of Nursing, 121(4), 65-68. doi:10.1097/01.naj.0000742544.07615.db.
Shimek, A., Sessler Branden, P., Clary-Muronda., V., Hawkins, J. & Itani Mousa, D. (2022). Global health advocacy and the nurse leader: Building a foundation for transformative impact at the UN and beyond. American Journal of Nursing, 122(8), 47-51. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000854988.47387.d5
Sigma Membership
Phi Gamma (Virtual)
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Global Leadership, Policy and Advocacy, Sustainable Development Goals, Leadership, Interprofessional and Global Collaborations, United Nations, Leadership Development
Recommended Citation
Shimek, Aric Michael; Hawkins, Janice Evans; and Gray, Sarah E., "Global Advocacy Academy: Preparing Nurses for Engagement at the United Nations and Beyond" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 185.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/185
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-05
Global Advocacy Academy: Preparing Nurses for Engagement at the United Nations and Beyond
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Background: As global citizens and informed healthcare leaders, nurses are key to addressing global health challenges and are uniquely positioned to advocate for vulnerable populations worldwide. This presentation shares a successful model for preparing nurses with advocacy skills to improve global health outcomes by fostering collaboration among healthcare stakeholders.
Methods: The six-week virtual academy, led by former Liaisons to the United Nations (UN), is designed to equip nurses with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to contribute to good health and well-being for all through global advocacy efforts. Participants gain insights into nursing organization consultative status with the UN, their own role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and how every nurse can contribute to global impact. Through interactive experiences, participants acquire practical knowledge applicable to healthcare and policy advocacy, both locally and globally.
Results: To date, 163 nurses have completed the academy. After completing the academy, the majority (97%) of those that completed the evaluation (n=94) agreed that they were well-informed about the SDGs and 96% planned to increase their participation in advancing them. Most (95%) felt they could identify strategies to become more engaged in addressing global health problems and (90%) reported they were better prepared to actively participate on the global stage. Several academy graduates have addressed key stakeholders in global health forums.
Conclusions: The Global Advocacy Academy is an effective model to prepare nurses as influential advocates in advancing global health. Nurse leaders can encourage participation in the academy and use this framework to replicate advocacy development strategies in their own organizations.