The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making.

Word cloud generators have become popular tools for meetings and team-building events. Groups or teams are asked to use these applications to input words they feel best describe their team or their role. A “word cloud” is generated by the application that makes prominent the most-used terms, offering an image of the common thinking among participants of that role. What types of words would you use to build a nursing word cloud? Empathetic, organized, hard-working, or advocate would all certainly apply. Would you add policy-maker to your list? Do you think it would be a very prominent component of the word cloud? Nursing has become one of the largest professions in the world, and as such, nurses have the potential to influence policy and politics on a global scale. When nurses influence the politics that improve the delivery of healthcare, they are ultimately advocating for their patients. Hence, policy-making has become an increasingly popular term among nurses as they recognize a moral and professional obligation to be engaged in healthcare legislation.The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making.

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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. Write an explanation of at least two opportunities that exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy-making.The Role of the RN/APRN 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.

The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making

Opportunities that exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy-making

Health policy decision-making usually results from legislation at the national, state, or local level Politics influence change and offers an avenue for nurses, including APRNs and RNs to take part in shaping the future of healthcare. Nurses can actively participate in policy-making through political involvement including communicating with local lawmakers,( for example, by e-mail correspondence, phone, personal visits,  and writing a letter)  supporting candidates, voting, and contributing time as well as financial support(Edelman et al., 2017).

Informing local representatives about health care issues and advising them on the needs of their constituents is another way nurses can become involved in policymaking. According to Edelman et al. (2017), lawmakers are greatly influenced by the information they are given along with the sources of this information. Nurses have vast knowledge about healthcare and they can provide policymakers with the needed information on which to base their decisions.The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making.

Challenges that these opportunities may present and how I  might overcome them

Lack of time and financial resources to contribute to legislators, lack of confidence and lack of knowledge and skills on political activism are challenges that these opportunities might present. Joel (2017) indicates that the notion of becoming politically active is frightening to most APRNs. They lack the confidence to become involved in or confidence concerning the way to advocate at the policy level. I can overcome these challenges by joining a professional organization. Political activism is a key expectation of the majority of professional nursing organizations. According to Milstead and Short (2017), most organizations hire professional lobbyists who carry the concerns and issues of the organizations forward to policymakers. Nurses also have a chance to voice their opinions as well as provide information from their practice and experiences via active participation in professional organizations.The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making.

Strategies I might make to better advocate for or communicate the existence of these opportunities to participate in policy-making

Developing contacts with appointed officials, legislators, and their staff and developing credibility with appointed and elected offices are strategies that are that I might make to better communicate the existence that exists for APRNs to actively participate in policymaking. Milstead and Short (2017) allege that nurses who are serious about being politically active know that the major scheme of establishing contacts with lawmakers is to form continuing relationships. By developing credibility with people who are actively involved in the political process, nurses can become players in the intricate process of policymaking. The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making.