The ANA has deemed 2020 as the Year of the Nurse. Advocacy in action is needed especially with the uncertainty with the global pandemic. Nurses must take action for policy change and to improve patient outcomes. Reflect upon this moment of time in a 5-7 page paper.
Answer the following prompts in separate sections:
Describe political activism in nursing as a form of advocacy
The role of the ANA and nursing organizations in policy change
2020: The Year of the Nurse; what does that mean to you?
Examine how politics at the national, state, and local level affects nursing policies every day. Provide specific examples of this.
Discuss how hard nurse activist have worked in the past 100 years to affect health care policy. Compare nurse activists to suffragettes from the early 20th century.
Make a list of the nurses who are serving in the Congress of the United States. Identify the two nurses who have been serving in the House of Representatives for 17 years or more and consider their careers.
Examine the ways that each nurse or nursing student can be involved in creating nursing policy, from being a registered voter to actively lobbying for a specific issue to running for office.
Of the three levels of political involvement, the least difficult for the individual nurse to maintain is being a registered voter and knowledgeably voting in every election. List some ways in which to maintain political knowledge and be able to vote responsibly.
APA formatting with at least 3 references and use of citations is required.
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Political activism in nursing as a form of advocacy
Political activism in nursing refers to the active engagement of nurses in the political arena to influence and shape policies that affect their profession and the health outcomes of their patients. This can take many forms, including lobbying, letter writing campaigns, grassroots organizing, and running for office. By participating in the political process, nurses can ensure that their voices are heard and that policies are enacted that support their patients and advance the nursing profession.
The role of the ANA and nursing organizations in policy change
The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the largest professional organization for nurses in the United States and plays a critical role in shaping nursing policies. The ANA works to advocate for the nursing profession and advance policies that support nurses and improve patient outcomes. This can include lobbying for legislation, conducting research and providing education on key issues, and engaging with stakeholders at all levels of government. Additionally, state and local nursing organizations can also play a crucial role in shaping policies that impact the nursing profession. By working together, these organizations can have a significant impact on the policies that affect nurses and their patients.
2020: The Year of the Nurse; what does that mean to you?
2020 was declared the Year of the Nurse by the World Health Organization (WHO) in recognition of the critical role that nurses play in delivering health care. This year was a moment of recognition and appreciation for the hard work and dedication of nurses who, in the face of the global pandemic, continued to provide care for their patients. To me, this year meant a renewed commitment to advocating for policies that support the nursing profession and a recognition of the important contributions that nurses make every day to the health and well-being of their patients.
Examining how politics affects nursing policies
Politics at the national, state, and local level affects nursing policies every day. For example, at the national level, decisions made by Congress can impact funding for nursing education programs, the scope of practice for advanced practice nurses, and access to health care for patients. At the state level, decisions made by state lawmakers can impact the scope of practice for nurses, staffing ratios in health care facilities, and access to care for patients. At the local level, decisions made by city councils and county boards can impact access to care for patients, funding for health care facilities, and the working conditions for nurses.
Nurse activism over the past 100 years
Nurse activists have been working for over a century to shape health care policies and improve patient outcomes. They have been inspired by the suffragettes of the early 20th century, who fought for women’s right to vote and political representation. Like the suffragettes, nurse activists have been instrumental in advancing policies that support the nursing profession and improve patient outcomes. They have done this through lobbying, grassroots organizing, and running for office. By participating in the political process, nurse activists have been able to shape policies that support their patients and the nursing profession.
Nurses serving in the United States Congress
There are currently several nurses serving in the United States Congress. Some notable nurses serving in Congress include Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Donna Shalala, and Deb Haaland. Two nurses who have been serving in the House of Representatives for 17 years or more are Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson and Lois Capps. During their careers, these nurses have been instrumental in advancing policies that support the nursing profession and improve patient outcomes.
Political involvement for nurses and nursing students
Nurses and nursing students can be involved in creating nursing policy in a number of ways, including being a registered voter, actively lobbying for a specific issue, and running for office. Being a registered voter and knowledgeable about political issues is the least difficult form of political involvement for the individual nurse or nursing student. To maintain political knowledge and be able to vote responsibly, nurses and nursing students can stay informed about political issues by reading news articles, attending town hall meetings, and participating in political events. They can also join advocacy organizations and become active members, participating in lobbying efforts and grassroots campaigns. By participating in the political process and advocating for their patients and the nursing profession, nurses and nursing students can play a critical role in shaping nursing policies and improving patient outcomes.
Political activism in nursing is a critical form of advocacy that can help shape policies that affect the nursing profession and improve patient outcomes. The ANA and nursing organizations play an important role in advocating for nursing policies, and the Year of the Nurse provided a moment of recognition for the hard work and dedication of nurses. Political decisions made at the national, state, and local levels can have a significant impact on nursing policies and patient outcomes. Nurse activists, inspired by the suffragettes of the early 20th century, have been working for over a century to advance policies that support their patients and the nursing profession. By participating in the political process and advocating for their patients, nurses and nursing students can play a critical role in shaping nursing policies and improving patient outcomes.
References:
American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Political advocacy. Retrieved from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/
Year of the Nurse and the Midwife 2020. (2020). World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/campaigns/year-of-the-nurse-and-the-midwife-2020
Hampton, D., Heath, J., & Rayens, M. K. (2022). Strengthening Professional Values of Doctoral-Level Nursing Students. SAGE Open Nursing, 8, 23779608221126359.
Hassmiller, S. B., & Daniel, G. A. (2023). Taking Action: Top 10 Priorities to Promote Health Equity and Well-Being in Nursing. Sigma Theta Tau.
National Nurses United. (n.d.). Political action. Retrieved from https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/political-action
Reynolds, N. R., Baker, D., D’Aoust, R., Docal, M., Goldstein, N., Grubb, L., … & Wenzel, J. (2023). COVID‐19: Implications for Nursing and Health Care in the United States. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 55(1), 187-201.
