There isn't just one reason that I suggested to the NAQ Editorial Board that we have an issue on global nursing. Today, our world becomes increasingly smaller with each technological advancement, and we understand that globalization is an unstoppable force that impacts nearly all workforce sectors in all regions of the world. This is true from education to practice and all aspects in between.
Certainly, for international agencies such as the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization, and the International Organization for Migration, maintaining a global outlook is essential for solving the world's leading issues. In 2015, The UN Sustainable Development Goals were launched, demonstrating the international community's commitment to improving the health and prosperity of people across the globe. Continued poverty and famine, climate change, and infectious disease outbreaks demonstrate the urgency of developing resilient health systems and strengthening global health security. In line with the notion that health workers and health employment reside at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda, in 2016 the UN Secretary General announced the appointment of the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth. Driven by its 10 global recommendations, the Commission works to ensure that the world has a sufficient number of health workers to achieve universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals. With this focus on human resources for health, migration is seen as a strategy for tackling health worker deficiencies around the globe. Momentously, this past year, UN member states, civil society, and other actors collaborated to develop the first intergovernmental negotiated agreement to cover all dimensions of international migration, guaranteeing that it takes place in a "safe, orderly, and regular" manner.
As we watch these international, intersectoral goals, agreements, and partnerships flourish, we must acknowledge that these issues are not the sole responsibility of politicians, governments, and international aid workers. Rather, we should recognize the fundamental role that nurses serve as frontline combatants against prominent global issues such as widespread epidemics, climate change, human trafficking, civil conflict, and the refugee crisis. The greater nursing community must come to terms with this and work together to become globally competent. Specifically, the nursing profession must evolve beyond traditional, inward models of thinking by taking on a more global approach-in education, research, practice, and beyond-to help tackle some of the leading issues facing humanity.
The focus of this issue is to learn from our international colleagues about their work and to gain a deeper understanding of the profession's increasing participation in global events. In this issue, contributing authors from multiple regions of the world share their experiences with, and perspectives on, global nursing. From this, we hope that readers will gain insight into the current global nursing landscape and will become energized to further globalize their attitudes, actions, and worldviews. We have enjoyed collaborating with these nurse scholars to bring you some very interesting manuscripts that focus on nursing beyond our borders.
-Franklin A. Shaffer, EdD, RN, FAAN, FFNMRCSI
President and Chief Executive Officer
CGFNS International, Inc
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania