May is National Nurses Month—a time to honor the vital role nurses play in advancing health and wellness. This week, we are celebrating community engagement and the HIMSS members who are building connections, breaking barriers, and leading change within their organizations and communities. Their work inspires collaboration and drives meaningful progress in healthcare.

Can you share a story about a time you made a difference in your community as a nurse?

Making an impact as a nurse in the community can come in several forms, both directly and indirectly. In 2020, due to COVID, we were faced with the challenge of providing health service access to people at home, both direct medical services and care management nursing and behavioral health services. While telehealth providers emerged to meet some of the needs, there were gaps for people with care management and social needs as well as those with disabilities needing additional support that they typically received by face-to-face home visits or services that were paused for an extended time by care providers or agencies. As a nurse, I understand that health and well-being are multifaceted and include human interaction and the opportunity for technology to support as a proxy for onsite access to direct care. To solve this issue, I led a team that developed a secure virtual communication mode to connect our care managers to their patients, allowing continued personal interaction, addressing both care needs and the social needs of those who may not have had outside interactions otherwise.

How can nurses work together to create healthier communities?

Nurses are trained and found in our communities providing social services, as educators, direct care providers, and healthcare system navigators and change makers. I believe it takes all those responsibilities to truly impact health outcomes for our communities. I have seen focus groups with nursing leadership and participation from all types of nursing practice to have a great impact on assessment and delivery of community services and overall population health. Nurses engaging in community, state, and national workgroups giving their insight and skill is invaluable to our other healthcare delivery partners to improve the health of people.

What advice would you give to nurses looking to get more involved in their communities?

The advice I would give a nurse looking to get more involved in their communities is to assess areas that they are passionate about or have an interest in learning more. Search existing resources in the community to become involved or identify gaps and speak with local healthcare or community leaders about the opportunity to fill those gaps, either with an expansion of existing related programs or new projects. I would also encourage them to think about how they can make a difference on their own, for example, getting involved in advocacy, educating their friends, neighbors, workplace, or parish members, writing a blog, participating in a local focus group, or volunteering in their community.

If you could implement one community health initiative, what would it be and why?

The dynamic of healthcare is ever changing and increasing in complexity. As a nurse, it's important as a starting point that people have the information they need to understand, make informed decisions, and navigate their options for accessing care and its delivery. If I were to implement only one community health initiative, I would start with health literacy courses for all ages to help prepare all individuals to be an active partner in managing their health for their lifetime.

How has engaging with your community shaped you as a nurse?

Engaging with my community as a nurse has changed how I view my community, its health, how I manage my health, and my own personal practice as a nurse. Insights gained by the interactions with community members and their health concerns, the support structures that are in place or lacking, and the community impact of poor community health and the intertwined social issues gives me a more holistic view and approach to my practice. As a result, I am a better listener, a stronger advocate, a more diligent educator, and a stronger nurse leader.