Organizing for collective impact

The Katharine J. Densford International Center for Nursing Leadership partnered with nursing organizations in the state of Minnesota to create a collective impact agenda for health issues in the state. A Steering Committee convened a group of nursing organizations in November to explore the concept of collective impact to organize and activate the power and influence of state-wide nursing organizations.

The purpose of the forum was to leverage the power of nurses across all areas of nursing to support legislative policies that advance the realization of the quadruple aim and improve health of Minnesotans. The forum was designed to enable grassroots organizing to activate nursing organizations membership to identify and discuss legislative issues related to statewide health care agendas. Following the meeting, the Steering Committee was charged to develop principles that considered the nursing organizational policy agendas discussed. The following five principles were created to embrace and support a collective impact agenda.

• Principle 1: Minnesotans should have access to affordable, high-quality health care.
• Principle 2: Access to high-quality health care should be supported and improved for Minnesotans living in rural communities.
• Principle 3: All students should have access to adequate health care screening and on-site school health services.
• Principle 4: Minnesota citizens deserve to live free of gun violence.
• Principle 5: Health care workers should be able to practice in settings that are safe and free from violence.

As organizations use these principles in setting policy agendas, the group believes the collective impact of nursing influence will be realized. How might other professional organizations use these principles as they exercise leadership skills for collective nursing impact?