Introduction
The article by Nickitas, “Is 2020 the year for increased nurses’ visibility in the public sphere through print, television, radio, and social media?” (2020) highlights the issue of lack of nurses’ representation in health news stories and recognition they deserve. This paper will present the author’s view on the problem, summarize key takeaways from the article, and discuss the influence of the article’s information on future practice in the healthcare industry.
Assigned Article Summary
Nickitas (2020) states that there is a significant lack of nurses’ representation in the media sphere, even though nurses are a powerful force that can promote public health and transform the healthcare industry. Various sources mentioned in the article highlight that media and journalists often choose limited people for being credible medical experts and have biases towards nurses that contribute substantially to healthcare policymaking. It is stated that nurses have an “influence on improving healthcare quality and cost savings through evidence-based practice, education, research, and leadership/administration” (Nickitas, 2020, para. 15).
Therefore, nurses’ voices should be heard in the media, especially in 2020, when medical professionals are at the forefront of combating coronavirus and celebrating the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife (Nickitas, 2020). The Nursing Economic$ Editorial Board that puts efforts to send articles to media sources and journalists should collaborate to introduce diverse healthcare representatives, including nurses and not only doctors. Nickitas states that hospitals should “compile directories of media-savvy nurses prepared to speak with journalists, … to develop nursing media competency” (Nickitas, 2020, para. 17). These actions ensure that nurses will act as healthcare experts in the future and share valuable insights on media.
Impact of Assigned Article Content on Future Practice
The article emphasizes nurses’ necessity to promote their expertise and contributions to healthcare policymaking and research on media channels. Thus, I can expect that in my future practice, I should learn essential professional skills and soft skills that help to communicate with different stakeholders. I can notify journalists that I know in-depth clinical issues through my organization’s official online and offline media that can be used in editorial letters, opinion pieces, and articles.
It can be emphasized that nurses will have more opinion value as healthcare experts in the future. Therefore, I should also develop my own media competences in future practice to be media-savvy and influence public health promotion and implementation of various initiatives. It will help journalists notice the clinical and policy expertise I have and promote communication with nurses on different matters at healthcare organizations.
Conclusion
Nurses have crucial insights and information about clinical practice, research, and policymaking that journalists can share on media. The public also trusts nurses’ opinions that must be promoted further through all forms of print and digital media to influence healthcare services’ quality and evidence-based practice programs that directly impact people and their health condition. Thus, it is essential to establish trustful communication among nursing experts and media representatives to ensure that both parties benefit from the collaboration and promote public health awareness.
References
Nickitas, D. M. Is 2020 the year for increased nurses’ visibility in the public sphere through print, television, radio, and social media? Nursing Economics, 38(2), 57. Web.