Optimizing the contributions of the nursing and midwifery workforce to achieve universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals through education, research and practice

The nursing and midwifery professions have been recognized for their crucial role in implementing the priorities envisaged in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),  including their efforts to end preventable maternal and child mortality and to improve the health of populations they serve. Moving forward to ensure the full implementation and achievement of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the World Health Organization (WHO) – through its Nursing and Midwifery Programme and in conjunction with partners – is fostering international collaboration and monitoring progress in developing the nursing and midwifery workforce towards these goals. 

Despite the considerable achievements of the international community in driving progress towards the MDGs, many goals were not met. Nurses and midwives are now at a crucial point for reflecting on strengths and lessons learned in the MDG era in order to optimize their contributions to implementing the SDGs – the aim of which is to ensure universal health coverage (UHC). Areas that could be further improved include ensuring quality education and adequate generation and utilization of research evidence. Strengthening nursing and midwifery education is essential for improving the quality of health services. It is critical that competent educators develop and implement evidence-based curricula that are in line with local needs. In addition, nurses and midwives must be educated and trained to conduct relevant research and to translate research findings into practice to promote best practices and improve health outcomes.
This document focuses on how research evidence can be used as a vital tool to strengthen nursing and midwifery education and evidence-based practice related to five specific areas, namely:

• sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health;
• noncommunicable diseases and mental health;
• human immunodeficiency virus;
• malaria;
• tuberculosis. 

The development of this Observer is inspired by nurses and midwives and those who support them in policy and resource development and in education and research activities. The aim is to further strengthen nursing and midwifery education and practice through research in order to contribute to the implementation of the SDGs and UHC. This responds to the United Nations Secretary-General’s call to action – “to transform the world agenda beyond 2015”. 

The target audiences of this Observer are the following persons working in nursing and midwifery:

Each section of this paper highlights current information/statistics about the selected thematic area from multiple sources, including WHO and other United Nations agencies. The discussions on implications of action concentrate on evidence generation and policy, research translation and practice, and development of the nursing and midwifery workforce.