Advancing health equity through strategic communication: A call to action from the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship Nurse Leaders and Innovators

Strategic communication is a deliberate, systematic method for disseminating information that conveys organizational objectives and engages diverse communities. Nurse scientists participating in the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators examined the use of strategic communication to empower nursing leaders to drive transformative change through advancing health equity. Five exemplars from Nurse Scientists document approaches to strategic communications, including the use of visual storytelling techniques, production of a documentary, working with the media, research briefs to influence policy, and collaborations with journalists to advance equity. Each exemplar demonstrates how tailored messaging, culturally relevant storytelling, and multichannel strategies create tangible results, from increased pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake among Black women to policy reform. By mastering strategic communication skills explored and polished through the fellowship, nurse leaders heighten their impact, foster community trust, and catalyze systemic change toward achieving health equity.