An article written by University of Guam nursing faculty has been published in the January/March 2019 edition of Nursing Administration Quarterly. Dean Margaret Hattori-Uchima and Associate Professor Kathryn Wood from UOG’s School of Nursing & Health Sciences co-authored the article, “Nursing Leadership in Guam,” which brings attention to the significant health disparities as well as the critical nursing workforce shortage in Guam and the Micronesian region.

“We wanted to spread the word about Guam and our region and the many efforts by nursing leaders to improve health for our islands and our people,” said Hattori-Uchima, who was asked to write an article after attending a conference two years ago.

The article states there is a need for strong nursing leadership to improve the health infrastructure. It shares how nurse leaders in many organizations are working to implement solutions in the islands but that increased collaborations are needed to address health issues common in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as well as global issues that may particularly affect this region, such as epidemics, infectious diseases, migration, and climate change.

Nursing Administration Quarterly is a peer-reviewed journal that provides nursing administrators with up-to-date information on effective management in health care settings.

“The current edition of NAQ is about the challenges and triumphs experienced by nurses in various countries as we advocate and care for others, including the most vulnerable,” said NAQ Editor Kathy Sanford.

Read the full article by Hattori-Uchima and Wood in Nursing Administration Quarterly.