Poverty Post Pandemic, Lapsed Public Policy, and Rising Rates: A Call to Action for Nursing

Poverty is a pressing societal problem, adversely affecting the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the United States and beyond. During this period of pandemic recovery, nurses, as the largest health workforce, are well positioned for action with the potential to improve health outcomes for many experiencing poverty. An actionable plan begins with an understanding of poverty and how poverty is experienced. It builds on nursing’s disciplinary perspective, patterns of knowing and a new model of professional nursing education advanced by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Finally, a feasible and sustainable plan is responsive to the challenges of a contemporary and complex health care delivery system.