Global Health Paper

GLOBAL HEALTH 1
Global Health
Shawnee Payne
Utah Tech University
Community/Global Health Nursing
Allie Barnes
September 26, 2023

GLOBAL HEALTH 2
Global Health
To understand why global health is so important in today's world, especially to nurses, it
is first important to understand the difference between global health and international health and
how it affects individuals, as well as how it affects the globe. International health is an outdated
term that was more focused toward policy and funding outside of the US, for low income and
developing countries. It is not very inclusive towards the population as a whole. Global health is
aimed towards being more inclusive of the population as a whole and takes into consideration
things like values, circumstances, and diversity. It is aimed more towards remedying problems
rather than the locations of these problems. (Muecke, 2011, pp. 2-3)
Global Health: Why It Matters
In the year 2019 a massive global health issue surfaced, one that many across the globe
have been affected by, are very familiar with, and may have experienced. This pandemic is
known as COVID-19. The spread of infectious disease is just one example of global health from
many. Others include climate change, smoking cessation, maternal health, education, poverty
and hunger, as well as many more.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a great example to use because it is very widely known. One
of the biggest goals for covid was to prevent and slow the spread of the disease. Many countries
shut down borders, enforced mask mandates, limited social gatherings, implemented regulations
such as social distancing, hand sanitizer stations, provision of masks and other PPE supplies.
This pandemic affected the entire nation, if not directly, indirectly. In healthcare settings,
personal protective equipment such as masks, gowns, and gloves were in scarce supply. Many
became ill and some suffered from lingering effects. Unfortunately, many lost their lives and
their loved ones due to COVID-19, this was a major issue for global health. But there was also a
GLOBAL HEALTH 3
lot of good that came from it. It showed how we as people, nations, nurses, etc. can tackle larger
issues together to find effective and efficient solutions and how every person plays a part.
Vaccines became available, studies and knowledge of the disease started becoming more well
known, telemedicine visits became popular, and various other positive rippling effects occurred.
Covid showed how every individual has a responsibility, and is at risk of, global health
issues. It is especially important to nurses since they are the ones on the front lines, dealing with
the consequences. Nurses are the ones that resolve these issues, provide care, treatments and
information to patients, and provoke change. Premji & Hatfield’s (2016) article states:
One World, One Health is a relatively new frame of reference in nursing, despite nurses’
unique position to address disparities in healthcare to attain health for all people around
the world. There are 13 million nurses worldwide who are front-line healthcare providers
and, by virtue of their roles and responsibilities, have prolonged encounters with patients
and their families. Nurse clinicians require an inquiry approach situated within a cultural-
competency framework that promotes behaviors, attitudes, and practices to come together
in interpersonal and interprofessional relationships that (a) acknowledge and view
cultural differences as strength, (b) promote self-reflection to develop an understanding
of their own culture, attitudes, and prejudices, (c) avoid assumptions and stereotypes, and
(d) facilitate empathy, despite language or communication barriers. Moreover,
knowledge, skills, attitudes, and core values of nurses are fluid—borderless. (p.2)
Nurses alone are big contributors to promoting global health, disseminating information,
and caring for patients while remaining “borderless” and advocating for change. The definition
of global health has become more comprehensive and inclusive of all and is no longer only
GLOBAL HEALTH 4
location based. Covid is a great example of this because it shows how influential and major
global health is, in the good ways and the bad.

GLOBAL HEALTH 5
References
Muecke, M. (2011). Global health: Why it matters. Advance Newsmagazines.
Premji, S. S., & Hatfield, J. (2016). Call to Action for Nurses/Nursing. BioMed Research
International, 2016, 3127543. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/3127543

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GLOBAL HEALTH 1

Utah Tech University

Community/Global Health Nursing

September 26, 2023

To understand why global health is so important in today's world, especially to nurses, it

Global Health: Why It Matters

and hunger, as well as many more.

in interpersonal and interprofessional relationships that (a) acknowledge and view

cultural differences as strength, (b) promote self-reflection to develop an understanding

(d) facilitate empathy, despite language or communication barriers. Moreover,

global health is, in the good ways and the bad.

Muecke, M. (2011). Global health: Why it matters. Advance Newsmagazines.

International, 2016, 3127543. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/3127543

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