How to be a Nurse Activist • UVA School of Nursing

Gorham said she convened the ENACT coalition and each student was a founding member. — Apple, of Richmond, organized a roster of nurse luminaries to speak, including Millicent Gotham, executive director of the National Black Nurses Association, who spoke to a dozen students over Zoom.

"It's a little like a School House Rock for nurses," quipped Ashley Apple, a Richmond nurse practitioner and DNP student who organized the two-day legislative policy, advocacy and action event for her fellow nurses. "It's a class, a networking opportunity, and a cool experience to boost enthusiasm."

Indeed, the two-day in-person (masked, socially distanced) forum Apple dubbed ENACT -- that's Empowering Nurse Advocates to Cultivate Transformation -- did all those things, bringing together undergraduate and graduate nursing students to talk race, justice, health, housing, law, caucusing -- and how, basically, to advocate for change.

"We need to stimulate nurses to be more engaged in the profession, not just to pay dues but to see how you can actually be a part of policy and advocacy."

Terri Yost, assistant professor and Apple's DNP advisor

"I call together and claim you all as part of our new ENACT coalition," cheered Millicent Gorham, executive director of the National Black Nurses Association, who spoke to students over Zoom. "We'll advocate for ourselves, our patients, the profession of nursing, our communities, and the world."

The gathering is part of Apple's final culminating capstone project, which, explained Apple's advisor assistant professor Terri Yost, will allow her to collect "data on attendees' policy awareness and evaluate their level of political involvement" subsequent to attending the conference. "The hope is that we stimulate people to be more engaged in professional nursing organizations, and not just paying their dues. We want to raise their awareness about the political process, and how you can actually be a part of it."

Grad students attended the talk by Helen Hardiman, who discussed the link between race, housing, and health. — A dozen undergraduate and graduate nursing students gathered in Richmond over two days at ENACT, organized by DNP student Ashley Apple.

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BSN student Paige OBrien attended the two-day policy and advocacy summit with fellow nursing students — BSN student Paige O'Brien was among the attendees who learned about political process and involvement at the granular level.

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An image of ENACT nurses and Jill Hanken, of the Virginia Law Poverty Center, who spoke. — Jill Hanken, an attorney with the Virginia Poverty Law Center, discussed race, housing, and working with legislators, even taking a call mid-presentation from Del. Lopez.

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Millicent Gorham, executive director of the National Black Nurses Association, spoke at the event. — The much-feted Millicent Gotham, executive director of the National Black Nurses Association, spoke to students about her long career of advocacy...

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An image of DNP student Ashley Apple, who organized the two-day long politics and advocacy event for her fellow nursing students. — ... while Apple - who used the story of Richmond's Mosby Court and its proximity to the Richmond Jail to illustrate structural racism - reminded students that being an advocate means being available.

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Ashley Apple's ENACT forum — According to Apple's advisor, assistant professor Teri Yost, ENACT as a forum will provide a template for teaching nursing students how to be advocates for policy and legislative change.

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Invited speakers included Gorham, Jill Hanken, of the Virginia Poverty Law Center, Helen Hardiman, assistant attorney general and a housing activist, Becky Bowers-Lanier, a nurse lobbyist and policy expert, Sara Jennings, education director for the International Association of Forensic Nurses, Mary Kay Goldschmidt, head of legislative affairs for the Virginia Nurses Association, Del. Dawn Adams, a nurse practitioner, and Sen. Ghazala Hashmi. Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax made a Zoom appearance, and even, afterwards, gave the nursing students a shout-out from the floor of the General Assembly, which was concurrently in session.

BSN, MSN, DNP and PhD student steeped in topics related to race, housing insecurity, even the intersection between an individual's race and their experience of weather and life expectancy.

"It's a 'how-to' for policy and advocacy," said Apple, "but also a 'why.' Framing policy work in the context of social justice speaks to the historical roots of nurse activism and the ethical tenets of the nursing profession. Hopefully, it lights a fire."

"This is a sharp crowd," Hardiman nodded to the group. "The General Assembly has too many lawyers, and not enough nurses. You are the experts. Y'all are it."

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