For too long, nurses have been the unsung heroes of healthcare, working tirelessly at the bedside, but often remaining silent in the broader political arena. However, as we face unprecedented challenges in healthcare, climate change, and social equity, it’s time for nurses to transition from silence to voice and embrace their political power to drive meaningful change. That is where Bernice Buresh and Suzanne Gordon’s book ‘From Silence to Voice: What Nurses Know and Must Communicate to the Public’ comes to the forefront. I recommend that every nurse reads this impactful book.

Nurses comprise close to 60% of the healthcare workforce and have a unique perspective that spans the entire healthcare system. They witness firsthand the impacts of policy decisions on patient care, community health, and healthcare delivery. This frontline experience provides nurses with invaluable insights that can and should inform policy-making at all levels. This includes finding our voices outside of our workplaces and engaging directly with governments, champions of industry and politicians. Doctors have been doing this for years. Now it is time for nurses to move from silence to voice.

So why should nurses get political? First and foremost, political engagement is a natural extension of nursing advocacy. Nurses advocate for their patients daily, ensuring they receive the best possible care. By engaging in politics, nurses can extend this advocacy to a broader scale, fighting for policies nthat improve public and planetary health and healthcare access. Yet, we often stay quiet because of our deep humility and imposter syndrome. We constantly tell ourselves “What could I possibly say that matters?”. Hot tip! There are lots of people saying lots of things that don’t matter – yet they are heard. One of the greatest political satires of all time, The Wizard of Oz, clearly demonstrates this:

Dorothy to the Scarecrow: “How can you talk if you haven’t got a brain?
Scarecrow to Dorothy: I don’t know, but some people without brains do an awful lot of
talking.” ~ L Frank Baum, The Wizard of OZ, 1900

Moreover, nurses’ expertise is sorely needed in political discourse. In an era of misinformation and polarised debates about healthcare, climate change, and social issues, nurses can bring evidence-based, compassionate perspectives to the table. Their holistic understanding of health – encompassing physical, mental, and social well-being – is crucial in shaping comprehensive policies that address the root causes of health disparities and environmental challenges. Nurses are beacons of hope and truth in post truth politics.

Political engagement also empowers nurses to shape their profession’s future. By having a voice in policy and government decisions, nurses can influence everything from nursing education and scope of practice to workplace safety and staffing ratios. This not only benefits nurses but also enhances patient care and overall health outcomes.

Furthermore, nurses’ involvement in politics can help bridge the gap between healthcare realities and policy implementation. Too often, policies are crafted without adequate input from those on the frontlines. Nurses can provide the practical insights needed to create effective, implementable policies that truly serve patients and communities. Nursing have been implementing translational outcomes – without knowing it! – since the beginning of the profession.

However, transitioning from silence to voice requires overcoming several barriers. Many nurses feel unprepared for political engagement or fear professional repercussions. Others struggle to find the time amidst demanding work schedules. Addressing these challenges requires a shift in nursing education to include political advocacy skills, supportive professional environments that encourage political participation, and recognition of political engagement as a professional responsibility. It also requires us to find our courage, as Social Scientist, Brene Brown beautifully summarises here:

“If you are not in the arena getting your ass kicked on occasion,
I am not interested in or open to your feedback. There are a million
cheap seats in the world today filled with people who will never be brave
with their own lives, but will spend every ounce of energy they have
hurling advice and judgement at those of us trying to dare greatly.
Their only contributions are criticism, cynicism, and fear-mongering.
If you’re criticizing from a place where you’re not also putting yourself
on the line, I’m not interested in your feedback.”

Nurses must also recognise that their ethical obligation to promote health extends beyond individual patient care to addressing the systemic issues that impact population health. This ‘systems thinking’ includes engaging with policies related to social determinants of health, environmental protection, and healthcare reform. As we face complex global challenges, the world needs nurses’ voices more than ever. From local community boards to national legislatures, nurses have the potential to bring compassion, practical wisdom, and a holistic health perspective to political discourse. Go and meet your local member now! They represent you so engage with them. Hot tip – that’s what they are paid for and why the community voted for them.

It’s time for nurses to step out of the shadows and into the political spotlight. By embracing their political power, nurses can amplify their impact, shaping a healthier, more equitable future for all. The journey from silence to voice may be challenging, but it’s a necessary evolution for the nursing profession and for the health of our communities and planet. I close with another quote from The Wizard of OZ:

“You’ve always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself.”

About the author: Mark Holmes is self-described ‘systems thinker’, nurse and midwife who accidentally fell into climate change activism. He is a powerful believer in foregrounding the inherent skills and wisdom nurses have. Mark has an interest in nursing and midwifery policy and politics and understands how powerful nurses are. He is constantly inspired by his colleague’s passion and dedication to making the world a better place. All opinions are his own and this blog post was developed with the assistance of Claude Ai (why not leverage technology?) but the author reviewed and edited the content and takes full responsibility for the subject matter of the publication. (As if Ai could link nursing, The Wizard of Oz and Brene Brown – only a human could do that!)