WEEK 7 Reflect on the role that the electoral process and government plays in one’s daily work and family life. As nurses, health policy can influence both arenas of our lives. What policy issues might drive nurses to lobby Congress and/or get involved in campaign politics? What strategies might nurses use to have their voices heard? The American Nurse: **As a reminder, please include your name in the title of the discussion. Also, make sure to use scholarly sources to support your discussion.
The electoral process and government play a significant role in shaping the work and family life of individuals, including nurses. In the healthcare sector, health policies enacted by the government can have a direct impact on the nursing profession and the well-being of patients. Therefore, it is essential for nurses to understand the policy issues that might drive them to lobby Congress and/or become involved in campaign politics.
One of the policy issues that often motivates nurses to advocate for change is healthcare access and affordability. Nurses witness firsthand the challenges faced by individuals without adequate access to healthcare services. Limited access to care not only affects patients’ well-being but also places additional strain on nurses as they try to provide necessary care within a resource-constrained healthcare system. Consequently, nurses may feel compelled to lobby for policies that improve healthcare access for all individuals, such as expanding Medicaid or implementing universal healthcare.
Another critical policy issue that concerns nurses is staffing and the nurse-to-patient ratio. In many healthcare settings, nurses often face heavy workloads and are stretched thin due to a shortage of nursing staff. Insufficient staffing levels can lead to increased patient safety risks, nurse burnout, and decreased quality of care. Nurses may seek to address this issue by advocating for legislation that mandates safe staffing levels, ensuring that patients receive the attention and care they need, while also improving nurses’ working conditions.
Additionally, healthcare policy issues related to patient safety and quality of care often drive nurses to engage in political advocacy. Nurses, as frontline caregivers, witness the consequences of inadequate patient safety measures and suboptimal quality of care. They may strive to influence government policies that promote evidence-based practices, implement standardized safety protocols, and enhance the overall quality of healthcare services. By advocating for patient safety and quality improvement initiatives, nurses aim to protect their patients, promote better outcomes, and build a culture of excellence within the healthcare system.
To have their voices heard, nurses can employ various strategies. First and foremost, nurses can actively engage in the political process by educating themselves about relevant health policy issues. This includes staying informed about proposed legislation, understanding its potential impacts, and critically evaluating policy alternatives. By being well-informed, nurses can effectively communicate their perspectives and concerns to policymakers, colleagues, and the public.
Furthermore, nurses can collectively leverage their influence by joining professional nursing organizations and participating in their advocacy efforts. These organizations often have established platforms and resources to support nurses in engaging with policymakers and shaping healthcare policies. They can provide guidance on effective lobbying techniques, offer opportunities for networking and collaboration with like-minded professionals, and amplify nurses’ collective voices to facilitate policy change.
Moreover, nurses can also engage in grassroots advocacy, which involves actively reaching out to elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels. This can include writing letters or emails, making phone calls, attending town hall meetings, or organizing and participating in legislative visits. By directly interacting with policymakers, nurses can effectively communicate their concerns, share personal experiences, and advocate for policy changes on behalf of themselves, their patients, and their profession.
In conclusion, the electoral process and government heavily influence the daily work and family life of nurses. Various policy issues, such as healthcare access and affordability, staffing and nurse-to-patient ratio, and patient safety and quality of care, can drive nurses to lobby Congress and get involved in campaign politics. To have their voices heard, nurses can utilize strategies such as staying informed about policy issues, joining professional nursing organizations, and engaging in grassroots advocacy. By actively participating in the political process, nurses can contribute to shaping health policy and advocating for positive change in their profession and the healthcare system as a whole.
References:
American Nurses Association. (2018). Advocacy and policy. Retrieved from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/
Buerhaus, P. I., Skinner, L. E., Auerbach, D. I., & Staiger, D. O. (2017). Four challenges facing the nursing workforce in the United States: Shortages, education, scope of practice, and workforce planning. Health Affairs, 36(6), 16-25. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2017.0474
Griffo, G., & Mullin, L. (2017). Political advocacy in nursing: What is it? Nurse Researcher, 24(5), 20-25. doi:10.7748/nr.2017.e1446