The Role of Nurses in Developing Health Policy
Select one of the following discussion questions below. Post a substantive initial response with references
Option 1: Describe the role of nurses in developing health policy addressing each of the three components listed: a) legislative action, b) regulatory action, and c) nursing advocacy. The role of developing “health policy” is not developing “policy and procedure” where you work.
Option 2: Choose an environmental health issue or concern in our local community. Local communities can include specific towns/cities, Monroe County, or Florida. Provide an overview of the hazard, including its effect on people, the interventions that could or should take place, and the role that nurses should play in reducing or eliminating this hazard.
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Option 1
The Role of Nurses in Shaping Health Policy: Legislative Action, Regulatory Action, and Advocacy
Abstract:
Nurses play a pivotal role in shaping health policy through their involvement in legislative action, regulatory processes, and advocacy efforts. This paper examines the various ways nurses contribute to policy development, highlighting their unique perspectives and expertise. By engaging in these areas, nurses help create and implement policies that improve patient care, healthcare delivery, and public health outcomes.
Keywords: nursing policy, legislative action, regulatory processes, nursing advocacy, healthcare reform
Introduction:
Healthcare policy shapes the landscape of medical practice, patient care, and public health initiatives. Nurses, as the largest group of healthcare professionals, have a unique position to influence these policies. Their frontline experiences and deep understanding of patient needs make them invaluable contributors to policy development. This paper explores the roles nurses play in three key areas of health policy: legislative action, regulatory action, and nursing advocacy.
Legislative Action:
Nurses contribute significantly to legislative action by engaging with lawmakers and participating in the legislative process. Their involvement includes:
Educating legislators: Nurses provide crucial insights into healthcare realities, helping lawmakers understand the potential impacts of proposed legislation. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses offered firsthand accounts of healthcare challenges, influencing policies on personal protective equipment distribution and staffing ratios (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2023).
Testifying at hearings: Nurses often serve as expert witnesses in legislative hearings, offering evidence-based perspectives on healthcare issues. Their testimony can sway legislative decisions on matters such as nurse staffing standards and patient safety measures (Chiu et al., 2021).
Drafting legislation: Some nurses work directly with legislators to draft bills addressing healthcare concerns. The Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2023 is an example of legislation influenced by nursing expertise (U.S. Congress, 2023).
Lobbying: Nursing organizations engage in lobbying efforts to promote or oppose legislation affecting healthcare. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) actively advocates for increased funding for nursing education and research programs (AACN, 2023).
Regulatory Action:
In the realm of regulatory action, nurses play a crucial role in shaping and implementing healthcare regulations:
Participating in regulatory bodies: Nurses serve on state boards of nursing and other regulatory agencies, contributing to the development and enforcement of nursing practice standards (National Council of State Boards of Nursing [NCSBN], 2023).
Providing expert input: Regulatory agencies often seek input from nursing professionals when developing or revising healthcare regulations. Nurses offer insights on issues such as scope of practice, patient safety measures, and quality of care standards (ANA, 2023).
Implementing regulations: Once new regulations are enacted, nurses are often at the forefront of implementation, ensuring compliance within healthcare institutions and educating colleagues about regulatory changes (NCSBN, 2023).
Evaluating regulatory impact: Nurses assess the effects of regulations on patient care and healthcare delivery, providing feedback to regulatory bodies for potential revisions or improvements (ANA, 2023).
Nursing Advocacy:
Advocacy is a core component of nursing practice, extending beyond individual patient care to broader health policy issues:
Public awareness campaigns: Nurses engage in public education efforts to raise awareness about health issues and policy needs. For example, nursing organizations have been instrumental in promoting vaccination campaigns and addressing health disparities (National League for Nursing [NLN], 2023).
Coalition building: Nurses collaborate with other healthcare professionals, patient groups, and community organizations to advocate for policy changes. These coalitions amplify the nursing voice in policy discussions (American Academy of Nursing, 2023).
Media engagement: Nurses increasingly use media platforms to share their perspectives on health policy issues, influencing public opinion and policy debates (ANA, 2023).
Professional development: Nursing organizations provide training and resources to help nurses develop advocacy skills, empowering them to engage effectively in policy discussions (American Association of Nurse Practitioners [AANP], 2024).
Conclusion:
Nurses play an indispensable role in shaping health policy through their involvement in legislative action, regulatory processes, and advocacy efforts. Their unique perspectives, grounded in direct patient care experiences and professional expertise, contribute significantly to the development of effective and equitable healthcare policies. As healthcare continues to evolve, the engagement of nurses in policy development remains crucial for ensuring that health policies reflect the needs of patients and the realities of healthcare delivery.
References:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2023). Policy & Advocacy. Retrieved from https://www.aacnnursing.org/policy-advocacy
American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2024). 2024 State Policy Priorities. Retrieved from https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/state/state-policy-priorities
American Nurses Association. (2023). Federal Advocacy Library – Policy & Government Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/federal/ana-advises-federal-agencies/
Chiu, P., Trent, N. L., & Boehm, L. M. (2021). Policy Advocacy and Nursing Organizations: A Scoping Review. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 22(4), 267-289. https://doi.org/10.1177/15271544211033092
National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2023). The NCSBN 2024 Environmental Scan: Every Moment Counts. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 14(3), S1-S36. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(23)00127-8
National League for Nursing. (2023). NLN Announces Public Policy Priorities for 2023-2024. Retrieved from https://www.nln.org/detail-pages/news/2023/01/04/nln-announces-public-policy-priorities-for-2023-2024
U.S. Congress. (2023). S.1113 – Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2023. Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1113/text
Discussion Question:
How can individual nurses, who may not be directly involved in policy-making roles, contribute to the development of health policy in their day-to-day practice? Provide specific examples of actions that bedside nurses can take to influence legislative action, regulatory processes, or advocacy efforts.
American Nurses Association. (2022). Health policy. Retrieved from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/health-policy/
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2022). About CMS. Retrieved from https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/About-CMS
Gostin, L. O. (2019). Public health law: Power, duty, restraint. University of California Press.
Huston, C. J. (2020). Professional issues in nursing: Challenges and opportunities. Wolters Kluwer.
