Nurses must always stress human rights protection and uphold the values and ethics of the profession. The purpose of this position statement is to bring the topic of human rights to the forefront and provide nurses with specific actions to protect and promote human rights in every practice setting. It describes the relationship between nurses' ethical obligations, the concept of human rights, and professional nursing practice. Statement of ANA Position The American Nurses Association believes that respect for the inherent dignity, worth, unique attributes, and human rights of all individuals is a fundamental principle ("Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretative Statements" [American Nurses Association, 2015, p. 1]). Nurses establish relationships of trust and provide nursing services according to need, setting aside any bias or prejudice (ANA, 2015, p. 1). This statement on ethics and human rights provides the foundation and context for all other position statements related to the practice of nursing. The protection and promotion of human rights in health and health care are fundamental functions of the American Nurses Association. Recommendations ANA supports the following recommendations:  All nurses advocate for human rights of patients, colleagues, and communities.

Objective To learn how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impacted the life course trajectory of formerly homeless and at‐risk African American women. Design Intersectionality and life course theory informed this qualitative pilot study, based on an instrumental case study design. Sample Forty previously homeless and at‐risk African American women, who were graduates from a long‐term transitional living facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Measurements Focus group interviews and one individual interview provided data about participants’ life experiences prior to, during, and following their time at the transitional living facility, which provided supportive wrap‐around services. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and line‐by‐line thematic analysis was conducted to identify themes. Fifteen focus group participants also completed ACE questionnaires. Results Participants reported a high prevalence of multiple ACEs, and three themes were identified: childhood experiences with family conflict, childhood experiences of abuse, and negative coping mechanisms. One‐hundred percent of women had experienced at least one ACE, based on ACE questionnaire responses. Conclusions ACEs affect various parts of patient's lives as adults. For nurses and other healthcare professionals, connecting with community resources provides the opportunity to strategically approach health improvement with wrap‐around resources to improve health outcomes.

Women experiencing homelessness who are also survivors of violence require uniquely tailored programs to accommodate complex needs. To understand how violence shaped the lives of formerly homeless African American women, an instrumental case study design and community-based participatory research approach was utilized in this qualitative study. Focus group interviews with graduates ( N = 40) from a long-term transitional housing program were conducted. Using thematic analysis, identified themes included: cycles of violence, violence in the community, relationships with children, and coping with violence. These themes illustrated survivors’ growth through supportive programming and highlighted services dedicated to empowering women who have experienced violence.

African American women are at higher risk of poor mental ill health compared with other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. For low‐income and homeless African American populations, the risk of poor mental ill health is even higher. The purpose of our study was to learn what programmes at a long‐term transitional living centre helped at‐risk and homeless African American mothers to succeed on their own, in accordance with self‐identified goals. We conducted ten focus group interviews with 39 graduates of a long‐term transitional living centre located in a Midwestern city, and an individual interview with the founder of that centre (N = 40). Our study was informed by Black Feminist Thought, Life Course Theory, and an instrumental case study design. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in the qualitative data collected. Findings pertaining to mental health included impacts of adverse childhood experiences, lack of social networks, child placement in foster care, and implications on self‐esteem and self‐worth. Our findings demonstrate the need for healthcare providers to take into account the intersecting factors facing African American women experiencing homelessness undergirded by systemic racism, which impacts their mental health and well‐being.

The purpose of this theoretical article is to analyze the utility of postcolonial, Black, and Chicana feminist frameworks to inform nursing research and practice specific to mental health needs of Latina women migrant farmworkers. Twentieth-century Western feminist narratives overlooked the intersecting systems of oppression experienced by women of color, including Latina women. Feminist epistemologies are useful in understanding the complex sociopolitical contexts that have impacted women's health outcomes and well-being. This analysis is critical to shaping nursing care that meets the unique health needs of migrant farmworker women while considering their sociopolitical realities.