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Health Disparities In Nursing Practice: A Case Study

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Reutter and Kushner (2010) draws our attention to health disparities as it is an emerging crisis worldwide. The theoretical article identifies three problems that are prevalent in tackling health inequities: (1) not knowing the difference between health disparities and health inequities; (2) insufficient knowledge regarding policy advocacy and (3) “societal barriers and constraints within the nursing profession” (Reutter & Kushner, 2010, p. 278). Primary Health Care (PHC) is a social justice model conceptualized by Alma- Ata Declaration with the intention of reducing health disparities (WHO, 1978). The purpose of PHC was to achieve “health for all the people … by the year 2000” (WHO, 1978, p. 5). Reutter and Kushner (2010) elucidate that it …show more content…
Reutter and Kushner (2010) explain that health disparities are “outcomes caused by inequities … that contribute to health” (p. 271). On the other hand, health inequities “is a normative concept” and “reflects a value orientation of social justice” (Reutter & Kushner, 2010, p. 271). As a result, they posited the use of health inequities over health disparities when expressing the root cause of inequalities (Reutter and Kushner, 2010). Reutter and Kushner (2010) articulate that “policy advocacy is key strategy to reduce inequities” and explore the need for nurses to develop political skills because treatment is moving to a new era of technology (p. 275). Limiting population to certain care is a reality due to lack of resources and high expenditure. An effective political strategy will require some nurses to participate in determining the allocation of resources, while others will politically analysis the decision and weight the negative consequences against benefits (Reutter & Kushner, …show more content…
Nurses have the power to take leadership when engaging political action because of potent credibility to public, remarkable understanding of current health issues and success in advocating for their patients in the past (Reutter & Kushner, 2010). Furthermore, it was noted that socioeconomic status, the greatest determinant of health disparity in Canada, greatly impact vulnerable population and nurses can challenge the status quo bias assertively by advocating for policies that will help people in poverty strive, such as higher wages, better housing, affordable education, better living environment, opportunity for employment, and accessible to health care, etc (Reutter & Kushner, 2010). Subsequently, increasing the possibility of consciousness raising and emancipatory knowledge in health care professions will enhance political commitment and engagement (Reutter & Kushner, 2010). If the public is to be served, Reutter and Kushner (2010) propose that future nursing curricula must involve the development and maintenance of policy

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