The nursing profession has lagged behind others in the health sector because of limited involvement in the policymaking process. Consequently, nurses have assumed a second-best position to physicians. They are demoralized from pursuing higher education and training because of the limited appreciation of their input in the health sector. Therefore, my vision for transforming nursing leadership is to prepare and enable nurses to advance and lead change in the healthcare industry. It is in line with the IOM Future of Nursing Recommendation 7.

To prepare and enable nurses to lead change in their profession, they must fight to ensure the practice scope barriers are removed. Scope restrictions in the health industry prevent nurses from implementing the full range of their training and education (Kershaw, 2012). One strategy is to rally nurses and other health professionals in the industry to lobby the Ministry of Health (MoH). It involves convincing the ministry through labor relations organizations to create a health insurance platform that covers nurses in their practice, to replace the current private system. An expanded coverage would allow nurses to operate to the full scope of their education and training level (Ferguson, 2015). Moreover, the health insurance program should increase their reimbursement for the various cadres from APRN to ACA to match what primary care physicians receive.

Another strategy is to expand the opportunities for nurses to manage and lead the collaborative team efforts with other health care professionals. It would allow nurses to improve their skill and competence in the application of evidence-based practices in their new scope.

Moreover, to attain the goal of leadership in the industry, nurses need to have high standards of training and education. Therefore, a strategy would involve increasing the proportion of male and female nurses with a bachelor degree. The aim is to raise the image of the profession to encourage people to join. Currently, its negative image leaves females to flood the profession (AlYami & Watson, 2014). To attain it, the various organizations in the nation, from unions to hiring commissions, should increase the requirements for practice in higher-level hospitals. It falls under the “bring a plan” section of the presidential leadership lessons (Caper, Blumenthal, & Morone, 2010). Moreover, the increase in the number of nurses with higher degrees should be preceded with a desire to double the holders of a doctorate degree in the industry. It is necessary for the governments to increase both their reimbursement and create a medical insurance platform that covers nurses to allow for professional recognition and expansion of their practice scope to propel them to seek higher levels of education (Luzinski, 2011).

The key stakeholders in the vision of preparing and enabling nurses to lead change are nurses, physicians, nursing unions, regulatory bodies such as the ANA, and the government. The government, for instance, under the health ministry, serves to lobby the MoH to implement into law some of the considerations. It is also in charge of enforcing regulations of practice, such as Medical Malpractice Insurance program. On the other hand, physicians are essential team players in the care management of patients (Nursing, 2011). Collaboration with physicians should feature nurses in the major leadership positions that determine practice and policy. In essence, policy establishment requires stakeholder’s engagement and effective collaboration to form the necessary critical mass sufficient for change sustenance. However, the change must begin with nurses transforming their attitudes to perceive themselves as powerful and effective collaborators with the aim of advancing meaningful health policies (Galuska, 2012).

Some of obstacles and difficulties to the realization of the dream include lack of involvement, limited knowledge, and negative nursing image. Firstly, although many nurses take part in collaborative health professional meetings that aim to change policy, they either occupy minor positions or are not part of the policy process. Secondly, lack of knowledge, especially due to limited training denies nurses the chance for involvement in the policy process, leaving physicians in charge (Shariff, 2014). Finally, a negative nursing image that results from either limited scope or training reduces the trust that other professionals and stakeholders have in nurses. In essence, they do not recognize nurses’ contributions in the policy-making process.