Why nursing students should be taught advocacy and activism

A new course on nurse advocacy, activism and resistance wins praise for preparing future nurses to be champions of patients, colleagues and the profession

When the University of Essex began designing its new nursing curriculum, it carried out a consultation asking stakeholders, including patients and service users, what they viewed as important.

Advocacy was seen as crucial. ‘Service users were especially clear that nurses needed to advocate for them, pushing back on systems that were sometimes detrimental to patients,’ says senior lecturer Sarah Richardson, who is deputy programme lead for mental health nursing at the university.

New module has a focus on social justice

As a result, the university decided to incorporate a module on advocacy, activism and resistance,