Position Statements: International Health

In order to be successful as a profession, it is important for nurses to work with a set of standards. Organizations such as Sigma Theta Tau, the Transcultural Nursing Society, and the International Council of Nurses exist in order to establish and enforce these global standards. Each of these prestigious organizations has a similar vision in that they advance health and provide concept for appropriate health for all. The organizations are advocates for patients and work to enforce the responsibility for competent care. However, they have different position statements on international care.
The Sigma Theta Tau (STT) works to "advanced health of the world's people" by way of research and education (Sigma Theta Tau, 2013). The Transcultural Nursing Society (TCN) just as the name implies, works to provide culturally appropriate care and advocate for social change with regards to different cultures with a focus on collaboration (Transcultural Nursing Society, 2013). The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a global institution advancing nursing care and sets standards for the nursing profession with strong focus on nursing leader ship and quality (International Council of Nurses, 2013).
Nursing Role in International Health
The nursing role in international health as indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO) is that nurses are fundamental to healthcare, and are the largest workforce within healthcare providers worldwide (Huntington et al., 2009). This writer has chosen Australia the as a country of focus in global health nursing. It was reported by Huntington et al (2009) that 43% of all healthcare providers in Australia are nurses. The authors go on to note that nurses in this 2009 study stated that in examination of the quality of nursing care, there was a theory-practice gap. Nurses felt that the climate in which they worked was sometimes hostile with a high turnover rate, leading to decrease quality of work satisfaction. The international Council of nurses reflects that potential for negative outcomes to patients could be associated to a shortage of nurses that is currently taking place in Australia, and that the working environment plays a role in this satisfaction (Huntington et al., 2009).
Health Worker Diaries
The health worker diary entry by the pharmacist in Singapore who works at the drug and poison information center struck a chord with this nurse. In telephone triage, callers frequently will ask questions related to their child's welfare with regard to something they may have ingested or come into contact with.