Question

Go to the ANA home pageand search for their Advocacy Policy. Read through the ANA Advocacy Policy's web pages.

Look at issues at a federal, state, or local level for which the ANA is advocating change or new policies.

Which one are you most eager to see enacted? Why does it interest you? How will passage of such legislation affect you or your patients?

Answer 1

The American Nurses Association Political Action Committee (ANA-PAC) supports federal candidates who share our concern about the challenges facing the nursing profession - and the patients they serve. ANA-PAC fights to make sure that the nursing community is heard in the halls of Congress, for the most positive outcomes for health care providers and patients.

For the past 16 years, the public has voted nursing the most trusted profession in Gallup’s annual honesty and ethics survey, and this is a testament to the dedication that nurses show every day. Nurses provide essential services, are knowledgeable about client needs, and interact closely with health care consumers across a variety of care settings and social groups. This gives nurses a broad appreciation of health needs and an understanding of the factors that affect health care delivery.

ANA is committed to helping nurses step up onto the ladder of political advocacy. By knowing how the system works and which strategies can effectively influence policy, any nurse can become an advocate at the local, state, or federal level. You can make phone calls to elected representatives about bills under consideration, testify before committees, become involved in practice councils or boards at the workplace, and even run for elected office.

ANA offer a range of resources to demystify the process and enable nurses to analyze and then share their opinion on legislation