Nurse Leaders’ Participation in Policy Development in Africa: A Rapid Review

Introduction Active involvement of nurse leaders in policy advancement is considered crucial, particularly in Africa, where nurses constitute most of the health workforce. This review was conducted to determine factors that influence African nurse leaders’ participation in policy development. Method The databases CINAHL and MEDLINE were searched to answer the review question. The search parameters were adjusted to include studies in English and between 2012 and 2025. The review partially followed the JBI methodology for evidence synthesis. Two reviewers conducted data extraction and independently assessed all included studies. The PRISMA guideline guided study selection reporting. Results were thematically analysed . Results Seven studies were identified. The review reveals a spectrum of challenges and opportunities impacting nurse leaders’ involvement in policy development. The main theme that emerged from the included studies was enablers and constraints in health policy development, with four subthemes. Namely: enablers of nurse leaders’ engagement, perceived value, knowledge and gendered influences, limited and peripheral participation, structural, organisational and individual barriers. Conclusion Personal, structural and institutional factors were enablers and bottlenecks that limit involvement of African nurse leaders in health policy. Implementing strategies such as leadership support, education, professional recognition, organisational empowerment, and governmental support could elevate the role of nurse leaders in policy development, contributing to a more robust and inclusive healthcare policymaking landscape in Africa. Additional case studies and longitudinal research are needed to examine the factors influencing nurse leaders’ involvement in policy development across different African contexts.