Question

discuss ways to become active as a policymaker in healthcare as a nurse.

Answer 1

Nurses can be involved in policy and politics both at the state as well as the federal levels, by joining a professional nursing organization. These organizations have lobbyists that bring nursing issues to Capitol Hill. Nurses can also write their state representatives regarding healthcare policy. Nurses influences health care policy through a nurse’s daily role in health care delivery. RNs are excellent advocates for public policy development. Groups such as the Association of Public Health Nurses encourage RNs to advocate for health care policies and provide resources on how to do so.

Further, nurses should be politically active because politics is a means for nurses to advocate for patients. Advocacy is very vital for nurses for social justice which forms the core value of the nursing profession. Moveover, nurses can help to protect healthcare access for vulnerable populations.

Nurses must see themselves as professionals with the capacity and responsibility to influence current and future healthcare delivery systems. This profession is based on the science of human health and science of caring. It operates from a framework that values all people in a holistic way and seeks to foster and advance people’s heamlth throughout their lifespans and across all society.

To achieve these objectives, it is essential that policies exist which defines and integrate appropriate standards for delivery of care. Through , work policies, nurses can and should influence practice standards and processesto assure quality of care. Nurses who influence policy helps to shape up the care that will provide a better today and tomorrow. Policies also has an impact on resource allocation to support delivery of healthcare. The nurses plays a unique role in formulating policy. Health care associations expects nurses to address policy as a part of their professional role.

The policy making involves the following:

Collaborative policy work: It involves professionals actively participate in health policy decision- making processes, ultimately benefiting patients outcomes.

STTI’s commitment to policy: STTI has been long time a force for shaping policy and has worked with nursing and governmental organizations to advance policies that promotes world health.

Todays nurse continues to make an important contribution to planning, decisionmaking and development of apprrropriate and effective public, health and nursing policy on all levels.

Now we can discuss some methods of active participation:

1. Learn how policy is developed, seek out areas of policy we want to influence.

2. Learn who is participating in policy development and make contact with them.

3. Explore resources related to policy formulation.

4. Investigate health policy agendas

5. Volunteer to participate in policy meetings or related activities.