Other Titles
Sigma Past President Leadership Presentation
Abstract
Nurses stand as the largest and most trusted healthcare workforce, yet their perspectives remain vastly underrepresented in global mass and social media. Despite accounting for fewer than 4% of quoted sources in health news, nurses have unparalleled insight into patient care, public health, and systemic challenges. By cultivating targeted knowledge, media engagement skills, and strategic media literacy, nurses can transform from behind-the-scenes providers into powerful public advocates. Equipping nurses to speak confidently and clearly with journalists, leverage digital storytelling platforms, and publish thought leadership pieces not only uplifts nursing as a profession, but also enhances health literacy, informs policy, and fosters trust in communities. Institutional investment through media training, protected engagement pathways, and recognition enables nurses to shape public narratives, influence healthcare policy, and amplify marginalized patient voices. This presentation explores the critical synergy between clinical expertise and media acumen, charting a roadmap for nurses to expand their impact beyond their practice settings and into the public square.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
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Sigma Membership
Phi Epsilon
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Expert Opinion (nationally/internationally recognized)
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Global Leadership, Policy and Advocacy, Academic-Clinical Partnership, Social Media, Leadership, Nursing Leadership, Transformational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Ricciardi, Richard, "Lead Together: Amplifying the Nursing Voice in Public Media and Discourse" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 187.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/187
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
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
2026-08-22
Lead Together: Amplifying the Nursing Voice in Public Media and Discourse
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Nurses stand as the largest and most trusted healthcare workforce, yet their perspectives remain vastly underrepresented in global mass and social media. Despite accounting for fewer than 4% of quoted sources in health news, nurses have unparalleled insight into patient care, public health, and systemic challenges. By cultivating targeted knowledge, media engagement skills, and strategic media literacy, nurses can transform from behind-the-scenes providers into powerful public advocates. Equipping nurses to speak confidently and clearly with journalists, leverage digital storytelling platforms, and publish thought leadership pieces not only uplifts nursing as a profession, but also enhances health literacy, informs policy, and fosters trust in communities. Institutional investment through media training, protected engagement pathways, and recognition enables nurses to shape public narratives, influence healthcare policy, and amplify marginalized patient voices. This presentation explores the critical synergy between clinical expertise and media acumen, charting a roadmap for nurses to expand their impact beyond their practice settings and into the public square.
Description
Nurses are the largest and most trusted healthcare workforce, yet their voices remain vastly underrepresented in media despite their deep insight into patient care, public health, and global system-wide challenges. This presentation explores the critical synergy between clinical expertise and media acumen, charting a roadmap for nurses to expand their impact beyond their practice settings and into the public square.