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American Nurses Association (ANA).

American Nurses Association (ANA). (n.d.). AdvocacyLinks to an external site.. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (n.d.). Step by step: Evaluating violence and injury prevention policies: Brief 4: Evaluating policy implementationLinks to an external site.. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/injury/pdfs/policy/Brief%204-a.pdf
Congress.govLinks to an external site.. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.congress.gov/
Klein, K. J., & Sorra, J. S. (1996). The challenge of innovation implementationLinks to an external site.. Academy of Management Review, 21(4), 1055–1080.
Sacristán, J., & Dilla, T. D. (2015). No big data without small data: Learning health care systems begin and end with the individual patientLinks to an external site.. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 21(6), 1014–1017.
Tummers, L., & Bekkers, V. (2014). Policy implementation, street level bureaucracy, and the importance of discretionLinks to an external site.. Public Management Review, 16(4), 527–547.
To Prepare:

Revisit the Congress.gov website provided in the Resources and consider the role of RNs and APRNs in policy-making.
Reflect on potential opportunities that may exist for RNs and APRNs to participate in the policy-making process.
Post an explanation of at least two opportunities that exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy-making. Explain some of the challenges that these opportunities may present and describe how you might overcome these challenges. Finally, recommend two strategies you might make to better advocate for or communicate the existence of these opportunities to participate in policy-making. Be specific and provide examples.

Sample Answer

Two opportunities for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy-making:

Testifying before Congress

RNs and APRNs can testify before Congress to share their expertise on healthcare issues and to advocate for policies that support nurses and patients. To participate in this opportunity, RNs and APRNs can contact their congressional representatives and express their interest in testifying. They can also join professional nursing organizations that offer advocacy training and support.

Challenges: Testifying before Congress can be a daunting task, especially for nurses who are new to advocacy. It is important to be prepared and to have a clear message. RNs and APRNs should also be aware of the potential for opposition from special interests.

Full Answer Section

Strategies: To overcome these challenges, RNs and APRNs can:

Work with other nurses and professional nursing organizations to develop a strong and unified message.
Practice their testimony in advance and get feedback from colleagues.
Be prepared to answer questions from members of Congress.
Build relationships with their congressional representatives and staff.

Serving on advisory boards and commissions

RNs and APRNs can serve on advisory boards and commissions to provide input on healthcare policy and regulation. These boards and commissions are often appointed by government agencies, professional organizations, and other stakeholders. To participate in this opportunity, RNs and APRNs can research the boards and commissions that are relevant to their area of expertise and contact the organizations that appoint them.

Challenges: Serving on advisory boards and commissions can be time-consuming and require a commitment to travel and meeting attendance. It is also important to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest.

Strategies: To overcome these challenges, RNs and APRNs can:

Choose to serve on boards and commissions that are aligned with their values and priorities.
Set boundaries and realistic expectations for their time commitment.
Disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
Build relationships with other members of the board or commission.

Strategies for advocating for or communicating the existence of opportunities for RNs and APRNs to participate in policy-making:

Share information about these opportunities with other nurses. RNs and APRNs can talk to their colleagues, write articles for professional publications, and give presentations at conferences to raise awareness of opportunities to participate in policy-making.
Encourage their professional organizations to offer advocacy training and support. RNs and APRNs can contact their professional organizations and suggest ways that they can better support nurses who want to participate in policy-making.
Reach out to policymakers and their staff. RNs and APRNs can contact their elected officials and their staff to share their expertise on healthcare issues and to advocate for policies that support nurses and patients.

Example:

An RN who is passionate about mental health advocacy could contact her congressional representatives to express her interest in testifying before Congress about the need for increased funding for mental health services. She could also reach out to professional nursing organizations and ask them to help her develop a strong and unified message.

Another example:

An APRN who is an expert in geriatric care could apply to serve on the advisory board of a state agency that develops policy for long-term care facilities. She could also contact other professional organizations and ask them to recommend her for other advisory boards or commissions that are relevant to her area of expertise.

By participating in policy-making, RNs and APRNs can help to shape the future of healthcare and to improve the lives of nurses and patients.

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