What is the role of state-based action coalitions and how do they advance goals of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action?

 Roles of State-Based Coalitions
A mosaic of partners makes up State-based action coalitions. They bring different stakeholders together, including providers, consumers, businesses, and policymakers, being led mutually by nursing and non-nursing staff. These coalitions form strong networks that make and maintain health care advancements. The action units have leveraged local community power, enabling nursing to create healthier communities. The action coalitions develop strategic plans depending on the geographical and local needs to implement the IOM’s report recommendations and realize the campaign’s objectives. The coalitions have assisted in realizing the goals outlined in the IOM report identifying desirable changes to be achieved, coming up with the best practices, and sharing the laid down strategies. Additionally, they conduct research to identify effective models to deliver safe and quality health care services.

Initiatives in California
The California Action Coalition (CA AC) offers a unified statewide voice for nurses. It was launched in late 2011, following the release of the IOM report. CA AC has placed much focus on partnerships, with their relationship with HealthImpact increasing the potential to see citizens in California high-quality access care offered by nurses. The coalition also focuses on initiatives related to the report recommendations on practice, education, and leadership (California Action Coalition [CA AC], 2021). The California Action Coalition has made considerable progression in academic progression. This has developed nurse leaders to fill positions and solve problems now and in the future. Nurses can also fully practice to the extent of their training and education. As CA AC develops and implements new strategies to meet the report’s recommendations, they have continually improved the health of California’s residents.

Barriers to Advancement
Despite the crucial roles fulfilled by coalitions, their progress is hampered by several drawbacks. Inadequate finances are one of the greatest barriers to progress in my state. Coalitions require adequate finances to fully promote and advance their agenda and ensure continuous improvement of activities. Low funds can also lead to underpaying nurses, demotivating them and causing a high turnover rate, leading to a nursing shortage. This would lead to increased burnout and compromised quality and safety of services offered to the citizens. Nursing advocates reach out to more stakeholders to mobilize more funding to mitigate this challenge.

Conclusion
Nurses are committed to responding to the challenges experienced in health care, improving the safety and quality of health services. The IOM report is an essential rule which empowers nurses to deliver better and quality care that is sustainable and accessible. Other health professionals should collaborate with nurses in the pursuit to transform the health care system. The California state-based coalition supports the IOM report’s recommendations and places conscious efforts to overcome barriers that hinder advancement.

References
Altman, S. H., Butler, A. S., Shern, L., Committee for Assessing Progress on Implementing the Recommendations of the Institute of Medicine Report The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, Institute of Medicine, & National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). Introduction. Nih.gov; National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK350168/