Many issues are facing our country right now and nurses will play a key role in helping communities move forward. As the most trusted profession, nursing should embrace that position and that’s what many leaders are trying to do. ANA President Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN, joins us on this episode to share his view on what he feels are priorities right now, how nurses can impact the future, and why representation is still crucial for the profession.
Click the timestamps below to help you navigate through the many topics we discussed.
On This Episode:
During a crazy and uncertain past 18 months, nurses have proven to be undervalued, and that’s a fact that’s proven through the amount of trust that the profession has established within communities they operate in.
Nurses are in a perfect position to have an impact well beyond health and we wanted to explore that in much more depth. That’s why we’re excited to speak with Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN, the 36th president of the American Nurses Association. He made history by becoming the first man to hold that position in the organization’s 125 years. With more than 30 years of nursing experience, Grant’s perspective on the profession and its future is one we really value.
There’s a lot we want to cover with him on the show and hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.
As you get started on the episode, keep an ear out for these topics:
- Why Grant decided to give nurse anesthesia a try.
- His experience working in the Burn Center in Chapel Hill, NC
- Why he feels that having representation is crucial for the nursing profession.
- Without nurses, there is no health. So we have to advocate for it everywhere.
- Trust in the nursing profession.
- How can more nurses be encouraged to get vaccinated for COVID?
- Details on the newsletter that the AANA creates and delivers.
- Social determinants of health and role nurses play in community.
- The future of nursing report.
- Discretionary income can be a challenge for nurses trying to campaign.
Check it out the interview at the top of the page and use the timestamps to help you navigate through the many topics we discussed.
3:03 – Excited to talk with Dr. Ernest Grant
3:54 – Bringing more sectors of nursing together
5:45 – Background on our guest
8:25 – How Sharon and Ernest met
11:45 – Why is this so important right now?
17:01 – Nursing is the most trusted profession
21:43 – Vaccinations
28:52 – AANA Newsletter
30:48 – Health and policy
40:22 – Financial situation for nurses
47:38 – Future of nursing report
54:31 – Bringing more people into the profession
1:03:33 – Lightning round
It is very important, vitally important, that nurses not only advocate in their workplace setting, but also advocate for their right to have full practice authority, and also from the perspective of being a member of the community.
-Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN
