One of the most significant steps nurses and APRNs can take to become more active participants in lobbying/policy-making is joining a professional nursing organization. Many of the bills that affect healthcare and nursing have been brought to congressional attention by professional nursing organizations and lobbying groups that represent the interests of nurses. Nurses and APRNs also have the opportunity to write to their legislators, using their professional knowledge and expertise to either support or refute currently legislation on the table. Many professional organizations include fact sheets about certain legislation on their website that can be printed and included with letters to congressmen (NACPM, n.d.). 

 One great example of a law resulting from a ground-up effort by advanced practice nurses is S. 1697, the Midwives for MOMS (Maximizing optimal maternity services) Act of 2021 (Congressional Research Service, 2021). The bill was proposed in 2021 and is currently in committee in the Senate. If passed, the act would expand federal funding for the training and diversification of the midwifery workforce (Congressional Research Service, 2021). The bill is supported by the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives and they even have links on their website of how to write or call your congressmen about the bill (NACPM, n.d.). 

 While advanced practice nurses have many opportunities to become involved in policy-making, there are also challenges involved. Milstead & Short (2019) point out two potential barriers for success when implementing or evaluating policy, which include lack of resources (either human, financial, technological), and a potential lack of stakeholder buy-in. When nurses decide to take action in the world of public policy, it can be beneficial to use our skills of collaboration and communication to include members of other health professions in our efforts (Milstead & Short, 2019). Interprofessional collaboration not only helps build a larger grassroots platform, but also increases the knowledge base of the involved parties. Nurses can also use social media as a platform to increase public awareness and participation in their campaign (Milstead & Short, 2019). 

 

References:

Congressional Research Service. (2021). Summary: S.1697. Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1697?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22nursing%22%2C%22nursing%22%5D%7D&s=2&r=48 

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide. Jones & Bartlett Learning. 

NACPM. (n.d.). Support H.R. 3829, The Midwives for Moms Act! Call Your Legislators today. National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM). https://nacpm.org/support-h-r-3829-the-midwives-for-moms-act-call-your-legislators-today/ 

In teaching undergraduate, pre-licensure nursing, one of the distinct differences I have found between teaching BSN and ADN level nursing courses is the fact that outcomes for the BSN, led by the BSN essentials, includes such topics as political advocacy, leadership and management, and nursing research. However, I think these topics are important for nurses at all levels. Do you think there is time in an ADN curriculum to teach political advocacy? How can we ensure that nurses at all levels are properly prepared to become active in the political process?

Dr. Mooring

 

 

Dr. Mooring,

I agree that ADN nurses deserve a voice in the political arena as much as their bachelor’s-educated colleagues. Having worked with many ADN nurses over the years, most of them have expressed how rigorous their programs were, especially when it came time to prepare for the NCLEX. Because ADNs have the same level of patient care responsibilities as RNs after graduation, I believe that the vast majority of their curriculum should be devoted to the hands-on nursing process, for the safety of their future patients. One possible answer to this conundrum is that more hospitals should be paying for continuing education for ADNs. According to a post from Nurse.org (Brusie, 2020), many ADNs are eligible for tuition reimbursement from their hospitals and aren’t even aware of it. If we make it possible for ADN-prepared nurses to work while obtaining a BSN, that would level the playing field in terms of potential political involvement.

Reference:

Brusie, C. (2021). How to get your RN to BSN paid for by your employing hospital. Nurse.org. https://nurse.org/education/employer-paid-rn-bsn/ 

Andrea,

Amazing post! I had no idea about that proposed bill that expands available maternity services. I think it is a great utilization of alternative care for those who are pregnant. There are many who choose not to do a “traditional” birth at the hospital and find it much more comfortable to do it at home or another facility in the care of midwives. If this law passes do you think there should also be regulation to go along with it because there are certain risks associated with giving birth in facilities outside of a hospital? On another note, I agree that a lack of resources whether it be financial or in regards to available professionals and collaboration can definitely combat this. Networking can lead to economical or professional opportunities that can aid in advancing policy.

References:

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

NACPM. (n.d.). Support H.R. 3829, The Midwives for Moms Act! Call Your Legislators today. National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM). https://nacpm.org/support-h-r-3829-the-midwives-for-moms-act-call-your-legislators-today/

Thank you for your reply, Chris. As far as I understand the Midwives for Moms Act, it is aimed at expanding the workforce of CNM (certified nurse midwives) but does not touch on the practice of at-home or out-of-hospital birthing centers. Many hospitals are adding midwives to their in-hospital birthing teams, who collaborate with physicians in the hospital setting much the same as acute care NPs do. Many midwives have the potential to practice in outpatient OB/GYN offices as ease the physician caseload and address the backlog of patients seeking prenatal care (Dawson et. al., 2015). I do agree with your point that in the case of home births, regulations are necessary to protect mothers, babies, and the professional licenses of the midwives who perform home births.

Reference:

Dawson, A.J., Nkowane, A.M. & Whelan, A. (2015). Approaches to improving the contribution of the nursing and midwifery workforce to increasing universal access to primary health care for vulnerable populations: a systematic review. Hum Resour Health 13, 97. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-015-0096-1

Response

Hi Andrea thanks for your post, I enjoyed it.  Facing opposition at work or while working on something you know could be beneficial to others could be very frustrating, but as you mentioned, working together with others can help reduce the barriers while providing quality care; However, not everyone knows how or is comfortable in working together with others, but as nurses, it is important that we collaborate with other health care professionals to provide care to our patients. “Interprofessional collaboration is considered by many in governments and health care organizations and professions to be critical to the provision of safe, effective, and efficient care” (Prentice, et al., 2015). Interprofessional collaboration can begin from school. Health care students, like nursing and medical students can be trained on how to work collaboratively with others while in school and by the time they get out in the real world they will be ready (Prentice, et al., 2015). Interprofessional collaboration increases patient safety and also improve healthy work environment.

References

Prentice, D., Engel, J., Taplay, K., & Stobbe K. (2015). Interprofessional collaboration, the experience of nursing and medical students’ Interprofessional education. Global qualitative nursing research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5287322/

Sigmon, L. (2020). Interprofessional collaboration made easy. American Nurse. https://www.myamericannurse.com/interprofessional-collaboration-made-easy/

Andrea,

Before reading your post I had not heard of the MOMS act. I think that this ACT is critical for improving quality care for pregnant mothers. Congresswoman Alma Adams announced that the MOMS act along with the maternal CARE act, were both crucial for decreasing morbidity and mortality in maternal care in April of last year (Adams, 2021). This came at the end of black maternal health week which targeted an audience of diversity. I think that when trying to convince legislature of policy changes, we should first identify our audience and what is important to them. Another important factor for influencing policy changes is the act by which it is written.  Merely sending a letter to your congressman may not be enough but, witting them in a fashion that is appealing as well as using language that they can understand may be more beneficial. Understand how to identify your audience and learn to craft your writing to meet their needs (University of Maryland Global Campus, n.d.).

References

Adams, A. (2021). Adams announces MOMS Act and maternal CARE Act to conclude black maternal health week.  Adams Announces MOMS Act and Maternal CARE Act to Conclude Black Maternal Health Week | Congresswoman Alma Adams (house.gov)

University of Maryland Global Campus. (n.d.) Writing for an audience.  Writing for an Audience | UMGC

     Nurses are the largest profession in the industry. RN’s and APRNs have a significant role in policymaking. Nurses have specific knowledge, skills, and first-hand perspectives to offer and contribute to health care policy design and implementation. RN’s and APRNs have a great influence on the transformation of the health care model (Sundean et al., 2018). Health policy directly affects RN’s and APRNs because it affects how they provide care to their patients.  Since RNs spend a lot of time working directly with patients, they know the specific needs of the communities they serve. In turn, RNs are excellent advocates for public policy development. Nurses have the duty to advocate for change for policy by reviewing, modifying, implementing, and evaluating policy through various organizations (Milstead & Short, 2019).

There are 2 popular and simple approaches that RN’s and APRNs can use to participate in policymaking. The first method is to join professional organizations and nursing boards. Boards of Nursing and Professional Organizations present opportunities to influence health policy and the opportunity to role model governance leadership and decision-making. As members, you can influence and provide unique and specific information to educate legislators and interest groups. Increasing nurse board appointments will also leverage the knowledge, skills, and perspectives of nurses critical for governance decision-making and health care transformation (Sundean et al., 2018).  Any bill that is introduced to the house concerning health must pass through committees where expert opinion is recruited to change policy; health practitioners from the board of nursing are part of this process. If nurses and nurse practitioners sit on those boards, they can influence and provide informed opinions on the proposed policy. They can support and oppose the bill, then the committee can present their suggestions or perspectives regarding the bill (Milstead & Short, 2019).  Professional organizations can be used by nurses to review a certain policy and make sure that the policies that are implemented are effective.

The second method RN’s and APRNs can use to promote policymaking is through the workplace. They can advocate for high quality and service for their patients as well as improve the working environment.  Through this advocacy, nurses can influence health care policy. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of and specialization in particular areas of health care, nurse practitioners are uniquely situated to support positions that will benefit our communities. NPs can conduct quality improvement projects in their working environments and can use their findings to help implement new policies at the facilities where they work (Chilton, 2015). Nurses on the front line are knowledgeable about what policies are effective and produce quality results in the workplace. Nurses can join quality assurance programs, participate in programs to increase improved outcomes thereby challenging the current ineffective and outdated policy. RN’s and APRNs can use evidence-based research to support policy change in the workplace through active involvement on facility boards and committees.   Capitalizing on this can influence nurses  become involved as well as become a catalyst for change when opportunities present themselves would result in substantial advancement in the profession in addition to the populations they care for (Romain-Lapeine, 2016). These methods do not come without issue. Consideration of the professional organization to introduce, advance, or promote policy, ultimately, the decision still resides with the legislator. This method can take many sessions, unrelenting lobbying efforts to educate and persuade legislators and special interest groups to remain interested and focused on the policy. The second obstacle with the workplace is a lack of knowledge by nurses’ regarding updated policies or new policies. Many nurses’ involvements are insufficient regarding policy reform. Many contributors regarding policy in the workplace are introduced by quality management, senior-level administrators, or adjunct staff that does not have the hands-on perspective and knowledge that the nurse could toward the policy. Key strategies to incorporate better involvement in policymaking would be to better educate nurses on how to join professional organizations, how to lobby or encourage written letters to legislators, voting, and introducing health policy as courses required in course programs and encourage robust and involved leadership in our facilities. Increase communication amongst nurses by using spotlights in your facilities’ communication paper, Quizlet, monthly updates in nursing meetings, and provide incentives to participate and become involved in the development of new proposals, implementation, reform, and evaluation processes for policy. Provide the nurse educators with robust and innovative techniques in the training of nurses. Provide computer-based modules to employees to better understand why a policy is important and how policy becomes laws.

 

Chilton, L. (2015). Nurse practitioners have an essential role in health policy. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 11(2), A19.

 

Milstead, & Short, N. M. (2019). Health Policy and Politics (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

 

Romain-Lapeine, F. (2016). Starting Early: Influencing Change Through Nurse Engagement in Health Policy.

 

Sundean, L. J., Polifroni, E. C., Libal, K., & McGrath, J. M. (2018). The rationale for nurses on boards in the voices of nurses who serve. Nursing outlook, 66(3), 222-232.

Nurses are one of the largest groups of health care providers, so who better to advocate for policy change than nurses? Nurses provide a different point of view on health care policies. Because nurses have direct patient contact, they can efficiently identify current problems within the healthcare industry and advocate for change to improve the quality of care. One of the many opportunities for nurses to participate in policy-making is becoming a member of a professional nursing organization. Professional nursing organizations such as the American Nurses Association (ANA) or the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) give nurses access to multiple resources regarding policy change (Abood, 2007). Through nursing organizations, nurses can learn more about healthcare policies, how to propose changes, and how to support current proposals.

Another opportunity for nurses to be active in policy-making is to further their education by obtaining a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Advancing one’s education allows one to expand on their current knowledge and skillset while also placing one in a better position to advocate for change (Walden, 2020). APRNs are much better equipped to influence policy change because they have a greater awareness and insight for what changes should be implemented and how to go about implementing new policies.

Stepping out of one’s comfort zone and becoming overwhelmed by participating in policy change are challenges these opportunities present. Despite the ease of joining a nursing organization, nurses may become discouraged when presented with the various resources that they provide. Nurses may feel as though they don’t know what they’re doing or wonder if they’ll make a difference. One way to address this challenge is by educating nurses on the power of advocacy and that no change is too small. Educating nurses about the importance of policy change throughout nursing school is imperative in ensuring the confidence nurses need to advocate. Another challenge is the inadequacy of nursing school education regarding policy reform. Nursing schools should effectively prepare nurses for participation in policy-making (Rasheed et al., 2020). Nurses cannot be expected to advocate for policy change if they are not instructed on its importance and relevance to their careers.

One strategy to communicate the existence of these opportunities in policy-making is to ensure that nursing students’ curriculum contains a healthcare policy course. I remember briefly discussing policy during my RN program, but I wasn’t fully introduced until my BSN program. Prior to obtaining my BSN, I did not know much about my role in policy reform and how I could potentially influence positive change. More thoroughly implementing this material in the curriculums of LPN and RN programs is necessary for laying the foundation for nurse activism.

Another strategy to create awareness of these opportunities in policy-making is to do so through the workplace. Most hospitals already have some form of a policy committee in place as a resource for nurses interested in policy-making. These committees should be expanded and advertised more often as most people may not even know that they exist or how to get in touch. Policy committees can provide nurses with resources and connections with other people who share common goals.

References

Abood, S. (2007). Influencing Health Care in the Legislative Arena. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol12No01Man02

Rasheed, S. P., Younas, A., & Mehdi, F. (2020). Challenges, extent of involvement, and the impact of nurses’ involvement in politics and policy making in in last two decades: An integrative review. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 52(4), 446–455. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12567

Walden University. (2021, March 25). Why Nurses Are Such Good Advocates for Policy Change. Walden University. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from https://www.waldenu.edu/online-masters-programs/master-of-science-in-nursing/resource/why-nurses-are-such-good-advocates-for-policy-change

The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making

 

 

Precious Dixon

Walden University

NURS 6050

Dr. Mooring
1/19/2022

 

The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making

Nurse professionals are obligated professionally and morally to engage in healthcare policy-making. Nurses can influence policy-making at any level of governance by taking part in leadership. It is unfair for nurse professionals to feel the adverse impacts of policies developed and implemented by less knowledgeable and incompetent individuals. The frustration causes increasing burnout and job dissatisfaction, affecting health care quality and patient safety.

Nurse professionals can impact healthcare policy and change the state of affairs in the healthcare system. One opportunity for nurses to influence policies is to work as consultants with primary care groups (Arabi, Rafii, Cheraghi, & Ghiyasvandian, 2014). Consulting local nurses regarding key fields in care services effectively ensures involvement and collaboration. Locally, nurses can participate in politics by embracing leadership positions in the healthcare system. Nurses can receive formal political training within these positions, enhancing their involvement as consultants. Nurses can participate in policy implementation evaluation which involves understanding the stakeholders, facilitators and barriers, and the critical components of the logic model, such as inputs, activities, and outputs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d ). When nurses have political training, they can understand the bureaucracies involved in policy-making and policy implementation. The knowledge allows nurses to be competitive players in the policy-making arena. Similarly, nurses can join professional organizations and interest groups (Milstead & Short, 2019). Professional organizations provide a platform for lobbying the government to address nursing issues. Care providers can inform their state representatives about policy challenges in the healthcare system. The benefits attached to being nurses enable the individuals to engage in committees and city councils and run for available government offices. Nurses often have a heavy workload, and these opportunities are not easy to embrace; however, they yield significant results when taken.

The role of nurses in policy implementation is critical in ensuring patient safety and overall quality of care. Opportunities for nurses to participate in policy-making are available at the local, state, and national levels depending on how far the nurse is willing to go. If more nurses could participate in legislation-making activities, they would improve the condition of healthcare nationally.

 

References

Arabi, A., Rafii, F., Cheraghi, M. A., & Ghiyasvandian, S. (2014). Nurses’ policy influence: A concept analysis. Iran Journal of Nursing Midwifery Research, 19(3), 315–322 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4061635/

Step by step: Evaluating violence and injury prevention policies: Brief 4: Evaluating policy implementation, (n.d.). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/injury/pdfs/policy/Brief%204-a.pdf

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Nurses are definitely pressed for time, especially when they are required to work overtime, or even have to work extra shifts or multiple jobs. That makes it almost impossible for them to attend meetings and rallies. With all the barriers to being politically active, how can nurses still become involved? How and why should their facilities support their efforts?

Dr. Mooring

Hello Dr., irrespective of our busy schedules, we still need to prioritize patient advocacy as part of our responsibilities. We can still advocate at the hospital level by promoting evidence-based programs to ensure patient safety.

Janelle

I enjoyed your post this week. Discuss the two impediments to nursing involvement in actively engaging in policy advocacy and burnout. Another factor is the lack of knowledge regarding policy advocacy in health care.  All nursing curricula should mandate a course in policy advocacy and the nurse’s role. According to Reutter and Duncan (2002), a requirement for preparation in advanced nursing practice in community and public health nursing is the standard.  The beginning understanding of the policy process and approaches to policy advocacy. This preparation should enable nurses in advanced practice roles to collaborate more effectively with others to determine the impact of policies on health, understand the factors influencing the policy process, and apply strategies to influence policy change. Most importantly, it is crucial to legitimize their roles in policy reform and turn the tide toward more focused activism among advanced practice and leadership roles. In this way, graduate nursing education can ultimately best contribute to the health of populations.  The perfect bridge to involve our nurses is providing them with knowledge and a bucket of tools that can fix problems.  The correct tools and knowledge would lessen the burden on our nurses and help prevent burnout of our nurses.  Basic knowledge of the policy process is the first step in planning how to initiate your potential political power and influence fundamental changes in your patients’ lives, your work environment, or social policy change in your community and beyond (Patton et al., 2015).

Nurses can be activists in different participation models, such as government activities, institutional decisions, organizational positions, or professional standards. They can become involved by joining committees, unit boards, nurse counsel, and quality management teams. Nurses can lobby their legislature with letters or in-person visits, join professional organizations, participate in community projects and schools. You can attend seminars, open forum discussions, or even run for office in your local community or state. Nurses “… practice at the intersection of public policy and personal lives; they are, therefore, ideally situated and morally obligated to include sociopolitical advocacy in their practice” (Falk-Rafael, 2005, p. 222). Nurses engage in advocacy every day to bring about change to address their patient’s needs (Patton et al., 2015).

Reference

 

Falk-Rafael, A. (2005). Speaking truth to power: Nursing’s legacy and moral imperative. ANS. Advances in Nursing Science, 28(3), 212–233

Patton, Zalon, M. L., Ludwick, R., & Abood, S. A. (2015). Nurses are making policy: from bedside to boardroom / Rebecca M. Patton, Margarete L. Zalon, Ruth Ludwick, editors ; contributors, Sheila A. Abood [and twenty-seven others]. Springer Publishing Company

 

Reutter, L., & Duncan, S. (2002). Preparing Nurses to Promote Health-Enhancing Public Policies. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 3(4), 294–305. https://doi.org/10.1177/152715402237441

Nurses are patient advocates who spend the majority of the time getting to know the patient physically, emotionally, and mentally. We have the privilege of forming a special bond with our patients and their families. Many nurses have taken their bedside experience to congress and have implanted change within the health care field.

One opportunity that exists for a nurse to actively participate in policy-making is through continued education such as obtaining a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctoral degree (Milstead & Short, 2019, p.203). These health care programs include classes on health care policies and nursing leadership that offers a nurse the opportunity to advance in the clinical ladder. Many challenges to pursuing higher education include, time, money, family dynamics, and even the desire to continue studying. One way to overcome these obstacles would be to work for a hospital that provides tuition reimbursement or tuition discounts. Often, nurse managers are willing to work with flexible schedules in order for a nurse to continue to pursue higher education.

Another opportunity that nurses and nurse practitioners have to actively participate in policy-making would be to join a professional nursing association (Brokaw, 2016). Joining such organizations allows a nurse to actively participate in healthcare decision making. Nursing organizations work together with lobbyists and are able to provide significant work experience that would bring a better understand to the proposed change (Brokaw, 2016). One challenge that may represent in becoming a board member of such organizations, would be the amount of working experience they require. In Florida, the board of nursing requires four years of work experience to apply to become a member (The board, n.d.). One way to overcome this would be by becoming the representative of your unit and join the nursing professional practice council of your hospital. This would allow you nursing advocacy experience while also obtaining work experience.

Nurse practitioners can be part of community meetings, local school meetings, and district school meetings where student health care issues are a priority, and a change needs to be addressed regarding certain matters (Chilton, 2015). NPs are also able to write to their legislators regarding a health care topic that is of concern to the community where they practice (Chilton, 2015). A challenge noted in this matter would be the lack of expertise in health care policy. Even though a majority of nurses and nurse practitioners should be involved in health care policies, the truth is that not every nurse is interested in policy-making. We want change but we are not willing to pay the price for that change. Higher education programs already include health care policies in their curriculum in order to prepare nurses and make them aware. I must admit that hospitals do not emphasize the need for health care policy awareness as much as they should. Nursing administrators can develop programs where nurses can get involved and bring change to their unit. Nursing schools also should incorporate health care policy right from the beginning because it can open up many opportunities for nurses.

 

References

Brokaw, J. J. (2016, September 22). The nursing profession’s potential impact on policy and politics. American Nurse. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.myamericannurse.com/nursing-professions-potential-impact-policy-politics/#:~:text=At%20the%20state%20and%20federal,joining%20a%20professional%20nursing%20organization.&text=Nurses%20can%20also%20write%20their,work%20on%20matters%20affecting%20healthcare.

Chilton, L. (2015). Nurse Practitioners Have an Essential Role in Health Policy. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.npjournal.org/article/S1555-4155(14)00687-4/pdf

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

The Board. Florida Board of Nursing. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://floridasnursing.gov/the-board/

Jamie,

You make a great point about what an important tool social media can be in the political arena for nurses. Social media posts have the power to reach a population of younger people who otherwise would not engage in public health policy of any kind. There is a growing field of research regarding the power of social media in influencing public opinion, and nurses can take advantage of having a platform from which to share their expertise and their views (Charalambous, 2019). Of course, with any internet tool there are certain risks that come with becoming engaged professionally on social media. To help protect nurses and patients, the ANA has issued 6 principles to guide nurses in ethical social media use. These include protecting patients’ PPI, upholding the code of ethics for nurses in terms of post content, and helping develop organizational rules for social media use (ANA, n.d.).

References:

ANA. (n.d.). Ana social media principles. ANA.  https://www.nursingworld.org/social/ 

Charalambous A. (2019). Social Media and Health Policy. Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursing, 6(1), 24–27. https://doi.org/10.4103/apjon.apjon_60_18

I believe that proper advocacy starts with proper education. Many nurses are unaware of opportunities available to them such as careers or chances for policy-making. Not only do nurses need to be aware of these opportunities but we must also educate ourselves despite the idea that unless the legislature has a direct impact on the individual we do not need to pay attention to it. So it is essential for such information to be readily available and known so that the information can be passed on as well as paying close attention to decisions that our leaders are making.

Professional experts in their field, such as RNs and APRNs, have several opportunities to participate in policymaking. They are often asked to serve as panel members, consultants, serve on committees that provide input to policymakers or take on leadership roles to advocate for change (Milstead and Short, 2019). When nurses participate in this process of policymaking, they are advocating for their patients to improve healthcare for the population.

There are barriers to nurses’ involvement in policymaking. Rasheed, Younas, and Mehdi suggest that major challenges include inadequate involvement of professional nurses, as low as 1.9 on a scale of 0 to 5, and nurses mainly work as policy implementers rather than policy developers (2020). This lack of involvement may be due to inadequate skills, lack of awareness, and lack of time and resources.

Several strategies that will encourage nurses to participate in health policymaking include providing more information to nurses regarding health policies, enhancing nurse’s image of their job and the importance of their participation in health policy, increasing partnership with nurses at upper levels of management, and supporting nursing professional organizations in the field of health policy (Barzegar Safari, Bahadori, & Alimohammadzadeh, 2020). An example of ways to provide more information to nurses about health policies is through education regarding health care policy. This should be incorporated in both nursing school curriculums and by employers in providing staff with time, resources, and opportunities to influence health care policies. Nurses can also get involved in policy and politics by joining a professional nursing association, such as the American Nurses Association (ANA) or the National League of Nursing (NLN), who have lobbyists that bring nursing issues to Capitol Hill. Health care organizations seek nurses’ expertise to share evidence-based knowledge that will guide the development of policies.

References

Barzegar Safari, M., Bahadori, M., & Alimohammadzadeh, K. (2020). The related factors of nurses’ participation and perceived benefits and barriers in health policymaking. The Journal of Nursing Research : JNR, 28(4), e103. https://doi.org/10.1097/jnr.0000000000000385

Milstead, J.A., & Short, N.M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Rasheed, S. P., Younas, A., & Mehdi, F. (2020). Challenges, extent of involvement, and the impact of nurses’ involvement in politics and policy making in in last two decades: An integrative review. Journal of Nursing Scholarship: An Official Publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, 52(4), 446–455. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12567

Week 8 Discussion

 

By joining a professional nursing association, nurses can become involved in law and politics. These organizations frequently employ lobbyists to advocate for nursing issues in Washington. Additionally, nurses can write to their state legislators discussing health care policy (Milstead & Short, 2019).

For example, the (ANA) American Nurses Association gives options for RN’s to share in shaping policy. In addition, the ANA has an advocacy program called “RN Action” at the federal level. Nurses can pick their cause within the website and click “add your voice” to participate (ANA, 2022).

The (AANP) American Association of Nurse Practitioners supports advocacy for APRNs to get involved directly with issues that specifically impact APRN practice in federal and local arenas (AANP, 2022).

Nurses must be members of these organizations to learn more about engaging in advocacy projects. Some of the challenges nurses may face with learning more about advocacy could be collaborating with other nurses. Most nursing organizations have sub-groups within the large group. For example, the ANA and the AANP have state and region-based focus groups. The familiarity of the smaller group may make it easier for nurses to share and learn more about advocacy.

A primary strategy to get the information out to other nurses would be to inform as many as possible of the need to join a nursing professional organization. This could be done through social media. In addition, joining an organization provides the monetary support that can pay lobbyists to bring nurses’ concerns to Congress or State leaders (Milstead & Short, 2019). Another strategy for informing fellow nurses of how to get involved in advocacy could be a staff meeting at work, with time for questions.

 

References

(ANA). The American Nurses Association. (2022). RN action.

https://ana.aristotle.com/SitePages/rtv.aspx

(AANP). The American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2022). Advocacy.

https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/state

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

 

There may be push back from administration as nurses organize and become more politically active. In reading articles and watching news reports about the Senator from Washington who made the remark about nurses “playing cards” most of the day”, I couldn’t help but wonder who’s best interest she had in mind and who was relaying this information to her.

Dr. Mooring

I am a firm believer that numbers don’t lie. Of course, they can be manipulated sometimes. One thing we have seen in this current political climate is a manipulation of the numbers and the facts to fit a particular narrative. This can be true for anyone, regardless of their political affiliation. How can we cut through the fluff and ensure we are being led by accurate, reliable information?

Gabriel,

 

Great Post! You mentioned the challenges that RNs and APRNs have with understanding the concept of policymaking as being very different from their role as a caregiver to the patient. In the past, it seemed as though we (nurses) were guided towards patient care, and largely left the “decision-making” to hospital executives, state legislators, etc. According to (Anders, 2020), It cannot be emphasized how critical it is for the nursing voice to be heard. Any other job cannot match the situational awareness of patients’ healthcare demands that this massive workforce possesses.

I agree with your strategy for increasing opportunities to advocate by “understanding that the knowledge gained in the process of nursing education equips the nurse to be in a position to advocate for improvements in public health”. In this situation, Milstead and Short discuss a needs- assessment that can be used as a learning tool to clarify the need to “support or oppose a policy.”

 

 

References

 

Anders R. L. (2021). Engaging nurses in health policy in the era of COVID-19. Nursing forum, 56(1), 89–94.

https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12514

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6^th ed). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

One method nurses can do to get more involved in policy making is to receive formal training in politics. This allows the nurse or APRN to “become involved in city councils and committees, or even run for local office” (Brokaw, 2016). Becoming involved in city councils and committees allows the nurse to be involved at the local level, meaning the policies they get involved in would be for their city or council. They could hold positions on city council, school board, justice of peace, etc., allowing them to be more involved in the decision-making when it comes to policies.

Another method would be to leverage their leadership skills. This can be done a number of different ways, such as leading community health initiatives, educating their community, and strengthen the nurse pipeline (Marymount University, 2021). Leading community health initiatives allows for the nurse to be actively a part of helping the public get healthier, and if their work gains traction it could lead to an opportunity with working together with a politician to make it a part of health policy. Strengthening the nurse pipeline could also look like advocating for better learning and financial conditions for upcoming nurses currently working on their education.

One strategy I would recommend myself to take would be to join a professional organization and becoming active in it. Organizations such as the American Nurses Association do a lot of work in nurse and patient advocacy, and it offers the opportunity for me to learn more about and get involved in different health-related policies. Another strategy I would recommend is to “network with other nurses to create a unified voice… [and] form a good working relationship with… elected representatives and their staff by first building credibility with them” (Oesterberg, 2013). There is power in networking, and we oftentimes take networking for granted. Being able to bring forward a unified front when advocating for a policy would be more convincing than going on your lonesome, and can also gain the attention of policy makers much more easily.

References

Brokaw, J. (2016, Sept. 22). The nursing profession’s potential impact on policy and politics. https://www.myamericannurse.com/nursing-professions-potential-impact-policy-politics/

Marymount University. (2021, May 6). 5 ways nurses can shape policy. https://online.marymount.edu/blog/nursing-influence-on-health-care-policy

Oestberg, F. (2013, May). Getting involved in policy and politics. https://journals.lww.com/nursingcriticalcare/fulltext/2013/05000/getting_involved_in_policy_and_politics.10.aspx 

 

There may be push back from administration as nurses organize and become more politically active. In reading articles and watching news reports about the Senator from Washington who made the remark about nurses “playing cards” most of the day”, I couldn’t help but wonder who’s best interest she had in mind and who was relaying this information to her.

Dr. Mooring

Hi Blessing,

Nurses being involved in community health in their community is of importance and could pursue many nurses to get involved more. The Tennessee Action Coalition (TAC) is a nursing organization in my state that promotes nursing leadership and participation in nursing initiatives throughout the state of Tennessee. “We are working with diverse stakeholders to create and model innovative solutions with nurses leading the way in building healthier communities” (Campaign for Action, n.d.). “Community health is the convergence of health care services, economics and social responsibilities” (S.C., 2021). Nurses have ample opportunities to make a difference and be impactful through health promotion and by tackling issues affecting their community.

References

Campaign for Action (n.d.). Tennessee Action Coalition. Retrieved January 21, 2022, from https://campaignforaction.org/state/tennessee/

S. C. (2021). Community health and its importance. Primary Health Care: Open Access. (11)2.  https://www.iomcworld.org/open-access/community-health-and-its-importance-63417.html

Nurses are definitely pressed for time, especially when they are required to work overtime, or even have to work extra shifts or multiple jobs. That makes it almost impossible for them to attend meetings and rallies. With all the barriers to being politically active, how can nurses still become involved? How and why should their facilities support their efforts?

Dr. Mooring

Nurses make a difference in the lives of their patients every day. We are considered trustworthy, honest, and compassionate. To a certain extent, nurses are role models for the community. Change in health care policy has to be initiated  by the people that have firsthand experience with the issues that we face working in hospitals and related areas. Dr. Ernest Grant is the president of the American Nurses Association (ANA), and he explains that if nurses do not get involved in policy-making and speak their voice regarding matters that affect them, then non-nurses will be the one’s making the decisions for us (Brusie, 2021). Those decisions are based on their opinion and research, but it can never compare to the experience we have as nurses that would benefit better outcomes. Dr. Grant recommends nurses join a nursing board, professional organization, or a minority organization (Brusie, 2021).

Reference

Brusie, C. (2021, January 18). ANA president encourages nurses to get into politics and advocacy. Nurse.org. Retrieved             January 21, 2022, from https://nurse.org/articles/american-nurses-association-politics-advocacy

Monique,

I agree that being a patient advocate is one of the most important roles in nursing, including involvement in health care policymaking. Roth Parr (2015) suggests that serving as a patient advocate when moving into the role of an advanced practice nurse causes nurses to draw from their experiences at the bedside to use in the policy arena. Nurse help to provide real-life examples to illustrate the needs of the patients.

In early 2019, the Congressional Nursing Caucus, a bipartisan working group dedicated to the role of the nurse, shared these words in an internal House letter from U.S. Representatives Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI): “Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system. As the largest healthcare workforce in the United States, with four million RNs nationwide, nurses provide care and comfort to patients in the most trying circumstances. The bottom line is that any challenge facing our nurses hurts the health and well-being of the American people.” (Stone & Becze, 2020). Nurses’ stories are different than what policymakers typically hear. They understand the patient experience like no other and can tell it in a way that produces action and results on Capitol Hill.

References

Roth Parr, J. (2015). The role of the advanced practice nurse in the treatment of addiction disorders: Advocacy, leadership, lobbying to influence public policy. Kentucky Nurse, 63(2), 5–6.

Stone, A., & Becze, E. (2020). Today, more than ever, nurses are imperative to the world of healthcare advocacy. ONS Voice, 35(2), 24–25.

Nurses are taught to advocate for their patients during the earliest days of nursing school. However, many are not comfortable discussing politics or have not been taught to truly evaluate bills and other political writings. What can we do to ensure all nurses are prepared, not only to advocate for patient needs during their health care stay, but also to advocate for policies that will improve patient outcomes?

Dr. Mooring

I believe that we should continue to encourage ourselves that doing the right things do not always feel good. These types of things can be hard but are necessary. There may not be many thank yous received but to be content with making the right decision to speak up and out about what we believe our needs of our patients are.

There may be push back from administration as nurses organize and become more politically active. In reading articles and watching news reports about the Senator from Washington who made the remark about nurses “playing cards” most of the day”, I couldn’t help but wonder who’s best interest she had in mind and who was relaying this information to her.

Dr. Mooring

Week 8 Main discussion

I think two ways nurses can get involved in politics would be joining a professional nursing or healthcare organization. There, he or she has access to other like-minded individuals and lobbyists that help support and fight for changes. Another way is to get involved locally and maybe even run for politic office or higher position within the healthcare field. A big factor that nurses face today against them is the lack of knowledge held in those positions where no one knows anything about healthcare or has little knowledge of the issues faced. Being more educated on policy and politics will also help nurses become more aware and have more power in fighting for changes or policies that need to be brought up.

References

(n.d.). Congress.gov. Retrieved January 7, 2022, from https:/www.congress.gov

The nursing profession’s potential impact on policy and politics. (2016). American Nurse Official Journal. Retrieved January 14, 2022, from https://myamericannurse.com

Week 8 Main discussion

I think two ways nurses can get involved in politics would be joining a professional nursing or healthcare organization. There, he or she has access to other like-minded individuals and lobbyists that help support and fight for changes. Another way is to get involved locally and maybe even run for politic office or higher position within the healthcare field. A big factor that nurses face today against them is the lack of knowledge held in those positions where no one knows anything about healthcare or has little knowledge of the issues faced. Being more educated on policy and politics will also help nurses become more aware and have more power in fighting for changes or policies that need to be brought up.

References

(n.d.). Congress.gov. Retrieved January 7, 2022, from https:/www.congress.gov

The nursing profession’s potential impact on policy and politics. (2016). American Nurse Official Journal. Retrieved January 14, 2022, from https://myamericannurse.com

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Week 8 Main discussion

I think two ways nurses can get involved in politics would be joining a professional nursing or healthcare organization. There, he or she has access to other like-minded individuals and lobbyists that help support and fight for changes. Another way is to get involved locally and maybe even run for politic office or higher position within the healthcare field. A big factor that nurses face today against them is the lack of knowledge held in those positions where no one knows anything about healthcare or has little knowledge of the issues faced. Being more educated on policy and politics will also help nurses become more aware and have more power in fighting for changes or policies that need to be brought up.

References

(n.d.). Congress.gov. Retrieved January 7, 2022, from https:/www.congress.gov

The nursing profession’s potential impact on policy and politics. (2016). American Nurse Official Journal. Retrieved January 14, 2022, from https://myamericannurse.com

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide. Jones & Bartlett Learning.