ANSWER:

RNs and APRNs have the experience, knowledge, and skills to advocate for improved healthcare and public health systems. So decision-makers need to consider the ideas of nurses when considering developing or amending policies (Choi, 2015). The critical challenge for nurses is that the opportunity to access the lawmakers or the negotiating tables and make an impact is never given, leaving some of the issues in healthcare to be handled by officials with competing interests. RNs and APRNs need to understand how the political and authority system works and the applicable strategies to influence the given type of leaders. Nurses need to be vocal in advocating at the federal, state, local, and community levels (Choi, 2015). RNs should place themselves in positions that they can easily contact elected representatives to influence policies, engage in practice councils, testify in boards and committees, and, if interested, run for the elective office. This paper will focus on the various opportunities that exist for nurses to dynamically participate in policymaking.

There are numerous ways in which RNs can use to develop their way to policymaking tables. One way is joining a professional association such as ANA, which has multiple ways to get an opportunity to influence policies. ANA provides education, training, and connections to accessing legislative representatives. ANA’s Hill Day in Washington, DC, is a great example of a platform where nurses get the opportunity to meet lawmakers and share their insights and priorities. ANA also has an advocacy site where members can raise their issues, and the organization organizes a letter to the relevant authorities. It is easier for representatives to pay attention to an organization’s concerns since it represents the voice of a collective than to respond to personal letters.

The other opportunity for RNs and APRNs is to take a bold step and get to know their representatives. Look for the politician’s contacts such as mail and office contact, which one can use to let them understand your concern. The nurse can also inquire of key information such as when they host town hall meetings and attend. One can also schedule a meeting with the representatives and elaborate that the agenda will be, say, to address the concerns of public health, nurses, or health facilities. Political participation may involve other aspects such as campaigning, volunteering, attending rallies, voting, and working with politicians who have similar stands in politics and health matters. The key aspect is for the RN to ensure that they develop relationships with stakeholders in leadership positions to have the opportunity to serve in committees, councils, boards, and health department meetings. The process can begin with working with legislators in small nursing issues, and with time they will have the trust to work with you in larger health projects.

As noted earlier, nurses’ opportunities to participate in policymaking platforms are not always given and may involve persistence and overcoming various hurdles. For example, many nurses do not bother joining nursing professional associations or even when in those organizations, they do not take advantage of the available opportunities as they complain of complicated and lengthy maneuvering procedures (Safari, Bahadori & Alimohammadzadeh, 2020). Some nursing professional associations have thorough processes of joining, which most nurses may despair in the process. The professional organizations have numerous advantages, and to encourage more nurses’ enrollment, the various registration hurdles should be loosened, and the processes within made easier. It is also a challenge to organize a meeting with some government leaders who provide the excuse of having busy schedules. Nurses should use their communication skills to be persuasive and convincing to either get some time with the leader or use communication means they are comfortable with, such as emails. The nurses should clearly and strategically present their needs to get the attention of politicians. Nurses also have busy schedules and may lack time to participate in political activities (Safari, Bahadori & Alimohammadzadeh, 2020). Still, they should also capitalize on the little time they get to create connections with lawmakers and involved stakeholders. Some nurses distrust politicians or may have different political beliefs, but nurses should have the courage to overcome such interests intelligently to champion health care needs.

Nurses need to understand the potential they have in ensuring positive changes in healthcare and public health. The opportunities can be incorporated in nurses’ education and training and taught as a subject on strategies to use and when to take their chances (Aarabi, Cheraghi & Ghiyasvandian, 2015). The other strategy is that professional nursing associations should offer education, training, and connections honestly and use other persuasive methods such as the use of publications. Nurses should also engage in continuous education as it is through that that they will learn about changes and dynamics of administrative leaders.

 

References

Aarabi, A., Cheraghi, M. A., & Ghiyasvandian, S. (2015). Modification of nursing education for upgrading nurses’ participation: a thematic analysis. Global journal of health science, 7(4), 161.

Choi, P. P. (2015). Patient advocacy: the role of the nurse. Nursing Standard (2014+), 29(41), 52.

Safari, M. B., Bahadori, M., & Alimohammadzadeh, K. (2020). The Related Factors of Nurses’ Participation and Perceived Benefits and Barriers in Health Policy Making. Journal of Nursing Research, 28(4), e103.

 

QUESTION:

The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making

Word cloud generators have become popular tools for meetings and team-building events. Groups or teams are asked to use these applications to input words they feel best describe their team or their role. A “word cloud” is generated by the application that makes prominent the most-used terms, offering an image of the common thinking among participants of that role.

What types of words would you use to build a nursing word cloud? Empathetic, organized, hard-working, or advocate would all certainly apply. Would you add policy-maker to your list? Do you think it would be a very prominent component of the word cloud?

Nursing has become one of the largest professions in the world, and as such, nurses have the potential to influence policy and politics on a global scale. When nurses influence the politics that improve the delivery of healthcare, they are ultimately advocating for their patients. Hence, policy-making has become an increasingly popular term among nurses as they recognize a moral and professional obligation to be engaged in healthcare legislation.

To Prepare:

Revisit the Congress.gov website provided in the Resources and consider the role of RNs and APRNs in policy-making.
Reflect on potential opportunities that may exist for RNs and APRNs to participate in the policy-making process.

By Day 3 of Week 8

Post an explanation of at least two opportunities that exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy-making. Explain some of the challenges that these opportunities may present and describe how you might overcome these challenges. Finally, recommend two strategies you might make to better advocate for or communicate the existence of these opportunities to participate in policy-making. Be specific and provide examples.