Making space and taking space: Promoting inclusion and belonging, a crucial imperative for nurse practitioner organizations

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the ever-evolving landscape of health care, professional nursing organizations (PNOs) play a vital role in establishing a supportive and inclusive environment for nurses to thrive. These organizations are built on creating a community based on shared mission, vision, and goals. Professional nursing organizations are critical for fostering innovation, advancement of the ethics and values of the profession that advocates for the needs of nurses, social justice, and the trust of society. However, historically and present day, PNOs still have an underrepresentation of communities that have been historically racialized and marginalized, largely because PNOs reflect the landscape of nursing being a predominately White female profession. Because of this fact, it is a crucial imperative for PNOs to be deliberate and intentional in creating structural changes that establish a culture and commitment to inclusion and belonging. In doing so, this makes space for the nurses who represent historically racialized and marginalized communities in order for them to take up their space in these professional arenas. The significance of inclusion and belonging in PNOs can enhance member experience for everyone and can improve overall organizational success, which will ultimately affect nursing practice. Advanced practice nursing uniquely positions nurse practitioners to be the catalyst that sparks progressive and transformative changes toward advancing inclusion and belonging.