Globalization: A future with promise

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We have all heard the phrase “think globally, act locally.” That sentiment drives a vision to promote progress in many areas that are the purview of nursing while expanding nursing's influence and involvement in global and local health care. As leaders in the health care industry and as a profession, it is incumbent on us to make a difference in the health of our society. Nursing leaders have to be concerned about and active in not only the care of their patients but also in our ability to make a difference in ensuring access to care for a disenfranchised population that is uninsured or underinsured. Affordable care within a reasonable geographic distance must be a strategic goal for nurse leaders, whether through their own organizations or involvement in community organizations that focus on this mission.

Sounds like a simple objective for a well developed nation like ours, yet it is far from being achieved in this country as well as others. It is a sad state of affairs when over 46.6 million Americans have no health care insurance.

No doubt our Western partner nations have concerns over the continuing increasing costs of health care and are seeking ways and means to address these issues. For example, in the United Kingdom, consolidating and organizing clinics and hospitals under similar leadership is an extraordinary task they are seeking to accomplish. Initiating a country-wide electronic medical system has become a strategic goal of their national health service that will allow them to achieve both management and patient care outcomes.

The state of affairs in third world countries is often deplorable. Some resources have been brought together to combat the AIDS epidemic with results that vary from country to country; certainly they have improved over what they were a decade ago. Similarly, the Rotary Club has an international mandate, made possible by local Rotarian support, to eradicate polio throughout the world and has pursued this objective successfully in the past although recently one country refused vaccinations for political issues.

Although I believe our mandate must start with becoming involved with our local community leaders to improve health access and quality, our efforts must extend to state and national levels as well. Working through the political process in collaboration with other interest groups should generate a nationwide health policy that addresses these issues.

At the same time, we must not forget about our colleagues in other nations who need our support and assistance. Verena Briley-Hudson, RN, one of the nurse leaders in our country, stated it very well in the Voice of Nursing Leadership (July 2006): “As we prepare others for the future, it is important that we experience and understand nursing leadership from a global perspective. Our thoughts of what nurse leaders around the world can share with us and what we can share with them in return stimulates our awareness of an alliance of common themes.” I would say it even stronger; we need to create alliances around the world as well as in our community, region, state, and nation to address the need for the delivery of health care to many who do not have appropriate access. I believe that this goal is both a mandate and a responsibility for nursing leadership in this country.

As we develop greater leadership skills for ourselves and our staff, better practice environments, and safer quality care, so, too, must we be futurists and look to make a difference for society. Again, start locally—each one of us can make a tremendous positive difference.