Paving the way for health promotion nurses: an international perspective

This article calls for an evolution of the nursing role to incorporate time and resources into promoting health through coaching and empowering clients to make healthy life choices. Health promotion practice needs to be incorporated into nursing role descriptions, and nurses must be given the scope to carry out this practice without being distracted by other activities deemed more urgent or important. Integrating this practice may be difficult in a system that itself does not support health promotion or consider it a priority. The health promotion nurse role is one solution to our current health problems and an investment in the wellness of our population. Just as the arena of curative care belongs to the medical profession, the realm of preventive care and health promotion belongs to nurses. This article considers the role of nurses as health promotion practitioners and supports the implementation of a system that focuses on proactive choices and holistic care.