NSG 508 Week 6 Advocacy Plan Paper

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University of Phoenix

NSG/508 Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice

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Date

Advocacy Plan to Advance Nursing’s Role in Health Equity

Nurses play a critical role in advancing health equity by identifying and addressing the social determinants of health (SDOH) that influence patient outcomes. Expanding nursing authority, modernizing healthcare policies, and improving reimbursement for preventive and community-based services enable nurses to reduce health disparities, improve population health, and lower healthcare costs. Policy reforms that support nurse-led care coordination, SDOH screening, and cross-sector collaboration are essential for building a more equitable healthcare system.

Why Nurses Are Essential to Advancing Health Equity

Health is shaped by more than medical treatment. Factors such as housing, education, employment, food security, transportation, income, and access to healthcare significantly influence an individual’s health and quality of life. These non-medical factors are known as social determinants of health (SDOH) and are among the strongest predictors of long-term health outcomes.

Research suggests that SDOH may account for as much as 80% of health outcomes, highlighting the importance of addressing social and economic conditions alongside clinical care (Greer et al., 2023).

Because nurses work across hospitals, primary care clinics, schools, long-term care facilities, public health agencies, and community settings, they are often the first healthcare professionals to identify barriers that prevent patients from achieving optimal health. Their continuous patient interactions place them in a unique position to assess risks early, provide education, coordinate services, and connect individuals with community resources.

Despite this critical role, many nurses face barriers such as restrictive regulations, fragmented care systems, and reimbursement models that prioritize treatment over prevention.

The Need for Policy and Regulatory Reform

Advancing nursing’s role in health equity requires healthcare policies that recognize preventive care and social care as essential components of quality healthcare.

Key policy priorities include:

• Reimbursing nurses for SDOH screening and assessment.

• Expanding funding for nurse-led care coordination programs.

• Supporting partnerships between healthcare organizations and community agencies.

• Granting nurses greater authority to coordinate referrals and social interventions.

• Increasing investment in nursing education focused on population health and health equity.

• Strengthening collaboration across healthcare, public health, and social service sectors.

These policy reforms would allow nurses to address the root causes of poor health rather than focusing solely on treating illness after it develops.

Integrating Social Determinants of Health into Nursing Practice

The Future of Nursing 2020–2030 report emphasizes that achieving health equity requires changes in nursing education, healthcare delivery, leadership, and public policy (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2021).

Routine SDOH Assessment Improves Patient Outcomes

Integrating SDOH screening into everyday nursing practice enables healthcare professionals to identify social risks earlier and intervene before they lead to worsening health conditions. Early assessment allows nurses to connect patients with housing assistance, food programs, transportation services, behavioral health support, and other community resources that improve overall well-being.

This proactive approach helps reduce preventable hospitalizations, improves chronic disease management, and increases access to preventive care.

Nursing Education Must Support Health Equity

Preparing nurses to address health equity requires education that extends beyond traditional clinical skills. Nursing curricula should include:

• Population health

• Health policy

• Cultural competence

• Community health

• Care coordination

• Social determinants of health

Equipping nurses with these competencies strengthens their ability to deliver patient-centered, equitable care across diverse populations.

The Importance of Stakeholder Collaboration

Health equity cannot be achieved by healthcare providers alone. Sustainable improvements require coordinated efforts across multiple sectors that influence health.

Key stakeholders include:

• Nurses and other healthcare professionals

• Healthcare organizations and administrators

• Policymakers and legislators

• Insurance providers and healthcare payers

• Public health agencies

• Community organizations

• Educational institutions

Collaboration among these groups improves communication, resource sharing, and coordinated care while increasing community trust and participation. Research also shows that stakeholder engagement contributes to more effective and sustainable healthcare initiatives (Pellegrini & Lovati, 2025).

Because nurses maintain strong relationships with patients and families, they often serve as trusted advocates who connect healthcare systems with community-based services.

Benefits of Empowering Nurses to Address Social Determinants of Health

Strengthening nursing practice through policy reform benefits patients, healthcare organizations, and communities.

Potential outcomes include:

• Improved patient health outcomes

• Earlier identification of social risk factors

• Reduced health disparities

• Better chronic disease management

• Increased access to preventive healthcare

• Lower emergency department utilization

• Reduced healthcare spending

• Stronger community partnerships

• Improved population health

These improvements support a healthcare system that emphasizes prevention, early intervention, and long-term wellness rather than reactive treatment.

The Future of Nursing in Advancing Health Equity

Healthcare organizations increasingly recognize that improving health outcomes requires addressing both medical and social needs. Nurses possess the clinical expertise, community presence, and patient trust necessary to lead these efforts.

However, outdated reimbursement models and regulatory restrictions continue to limit the full scope of nursing practice. Modernizing healthcare policies, expanding nurse-led care programs, strengthening nursing education, and supporting interdisciplinary collaboration will enable nurses to play a larger role in reducing health disparities.

Investing in nursing leadership is more than a workforce initiative—it is a long-term public health strategy that promotes equitable access to care, improves patient outcomes, and reduces preventable healthcare costs.

Key Evidence Supporting Nursing Advocacy

• Social determinants of health may account for up to 80% of overall health outcomes, making them a major driver of population health (Greer et al., 2023).

• Nurses are uniquely positioned to identify social needs because they provide care across hospitals, clinics, schools, homes, and community settings.

• Expanding reimbursement for SDOH screening and nurse-led care coordination improves preventive care while reducing avoidable healthcare utilization.

• The Future of Nursing 2020–2030 report identifies nurses as essential leaders in advancing health equity through education, policy reform, and interprofessional collaboration.

• Cross-sector collaboration among healthcare providers, policymakers, insurers, and community organizations strengthens long-term health equity initiatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are social determinants of health (SDOH)?

Social determinants of health are the environmental, social, and economic conditions that influence a person’s health. They include housing, education, employment, transportation, food security, income, neighborhood conditions, and access to healthcare services.

Why are nurses important in addressing social determinants of health?

Nurses frequently interact with patients across the healthcare continuum, allowing them to identify social barriers early. They assess patient needs, coordinate care, provide education, and connect individuals with community resources that support better health outcomes.

How can healthcare policy strengthen nursing practice?

Healthcare policies can strengthen nursing practice by expanding reimbursement for preventive services, supporting nurse-led care coordination, investing in health equity education, funding community health initiatives, and removing unnecessary regulatory barriers that limit nursing practice.

How does addressing social determinants improve health equity?

Addressing social determinants helps reduce health disparities by improving access to essential resources such as healthcare, education, housing, transportation, and nutrition. This preventive approach leads to healthier populations, fewer chronic diseases, and lower long-term healthcare costs.

Why is stakeholder collaboration essential for health equity?

Health equity depends on coordinated efforts among healthcare providers, policymakers, insurers, public health agencies, educators, and community organizations. Collaboration improves care coordination, resource allocation, patient engagement, and the long-term success of public health initiatives.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, January 17). Social determinants of health (SDOH). https://www.cdc.gov/about/priorities/why-is-addressing-sdoh-important.html

Greer, M. L., Garza, M. Y., Sample, S., & Bhattacharyya, S. (2023). Social determinants of health data quality at different levels of geographic detail. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 302, 217–221. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI230106

NSG 508 Week 6 Advocacy Plan Paper

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2021). The Future of Nursing 2020–2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25982

Pellegrini, G., & Lovati, C. (2025). Stakeholders’ engagement for improved health outcomes: A research brief to design a tool for better communication and participation. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, Article 1536753. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1536753