As a practicing registered nurse and resident of the Altoona community for more than the past 20 years, it is imperative to discuss making our neighborhoods equitable in terms of health.

Nurses have a covenant with the public, and the profession’s practice laws, standards and ethics have roots in its history of activism for social justice.

COVID-19 has revealed systemic inequality in our health-care systems, including profound social injustice that will not be simple to solve.

Good health is not always evenly shared, but it can be.

Overall, all causes of death are higher in Blair County at 850/100,000 deaths compared to the state average of 764/100,000 (Pennsylvania Department of Health, 2015-19).

Blair County also ranks poorly regarding access to quality clinical care due to social and economic factors of concern (County Health Rankings and Road Maps, 2020).

How do nurses and the community of Blair County work cohesively together to decrease the gaps in health equity and social determinants of health?

Vulnerable populations at a disadvantage in our community are worthy of quality health care.

As nurses, we must become skillful in advocating for social policies that can positively impact the myriad of social and economic conditions that adversely impact the health and well-being of those we serve.

Public policy that addresses root causes of poor health related to our community determinants is essential in nourishing health outcomes.

Nurses have the collective power and personal power to change healthcare system imbalances that affect our communities by showing up during legislative processes, speaking up, and participating in proposed rulings.

Let us continue to be leaders in the health care delivery process to strengthen our community. The health lens that needs to be shed on public policy needs to come from the voice of nurses.

We have a unique outlook in engagement with intimate patient relationships that enables trust within our community. Now is the time to be involved in decision-making policies at the local and state level. Be the voice. Our community relies on us, and we have proven that our voices are indispensable through this pandemic.

Angela Daniels BSN, RN

Altoona