Etti Rosenberg is a policy nurse leader who is finding new ways to tell the story of nurses through the media. Nurse representation in the media has declined over the past 20 years, yet the number of nurses around the world has grown significantly. Rosenberg has helped to facilitate the Clalit Nursing Community on Facebook, which stemmed from the tragedy on the day that Tova Karero, a nurse at a Clalit clinic was burned to death by a patient. Its goal is to tell the real story of what nurses do and the danger they often put themselves in to serve their patients. The hope is that this knowledge will increase their connection to patients and improve nursing pride.
“As a policy nurse practitioner and head of future human resources planning in the largest health organization in my country, I dedicate my life mission to bring nurses voice to the media and to decision making tables in every place. My purpose is to narrow the gap between the most trusted profession and the public knowledge about our work.” – Etti Rosenberg
The goal of the program was to spread the good news about nursing, uplifting the profession, and shedding light on the struggles that nurses face, particularly now during the pandemic. Clalit supported this initiative and it now spans the entire Israeli health system, including 14 hospitals, 2500 clinics, and three nursing schools. The community is home to students, as well as active and retired nurses. The initiative exists largely on social media, which allows for better connectivity between nurses and the public, as well as partners in health promotion campaigns.