Investing in nursing and its leadership to secure global health: Are we making progress?

Investing in nursing and its leadership has been a key global priority in achieving world health. This paper aims to explore what it means to invest in nursing and its leadership and whether we are progressing in its endeavour. Consideration is given to whose responsibility it is to invest, the importance of education to support strategic nurse leaders and enable them to have a voice to lead as well as create a culture in which their staff wish to stay. Further, the paper explores the importance of each country accepting responsibility for developing and funding its strategic workforce plan and paying nurse professionals fairly and taking steps to reduce workforce shortages. Finally, the paper examines the progress the United Kingdom is making and concludes that investment in nursing is everyone's business, the government, healthcare organisations, society and above all nurses themselves. Collectively, we must step up to influence change and have nursing voices heard.