Introduction
Many people associate politics with the government and political aspirants. However, politics exists in the healthcare systems. In this case, we will consider the biased politics in the healthcare systems that oppress the nurses to an extent that they are unable to voice their pleas. In the contemporary world, nurses are better educated and they ought to be more influential in health care policy making than in the past, but they are not becoming influential. Like the doctors, nurses ought to have an opportunity to air their voices in the decision making process. They ought to have the power to accomplish their roles, as well as the freedom to promote change (Sullivan & Decker, 2005). However, it is evident that nurses are still intimidated in their roles. The doctors have more power and status than the nurses do, and they control all the decisions that are made in the healthcare systems. Females dominate the nursing field, and they operate in apartheid as their efforts to take part in political matters are downsized. This paper will give a critical analysis of the health political issues with an emphasis on the ways that nurses are downgraded. Essentially, the discussions will support the allegation that nurses are less privileged than other workers in the healthcare professionals are. The paper will thereafter give a brief description of the approaches that nurses ought to employ to ensure that they become influential in the health care policymaking process.
Arguments to support the mentioned standpoint
Low self-esteem of the nurses
In some way, it is evident that nurses have a low self-esteem with regard to the role that they play in the hospitals. The low self-esteem begins from the training level where nursing students feel downhearted in their studies. Cases have occurred where students who fail to meet the minimum points to study medicine opt to pursue a course in nursing. Such students study nursing for the sake of it, and they pass the negative message to the public through their actions. The negative self-concept affects the nurses in their nursing role, as it does not give the nurses a chance to present their political aspects (Yukl, 2005). The nurses with a low self-esteem have a negative perception of the nursing cultures and values. They keep on admiring and internalizing the norms of the physicians who oppress them. Such nurses live with the hope of eventually gaining power if they imitate the physicians’ characters. The assimilation aspect has very negative effects on the nurses’ self-esteem. In fact, there are cases where some nurses doubt their ability to take part in politics. Some will feel as if the doctors are more influential than the nurses are in the policy formulation exercise. Some nurses will find all the reasons to excuse themselves from taking part in petitions and demonstrations. Other than the inadequate political exposure and lack of knowledge of the importance of voicing their pleas, nurses lack the will and confidence to air their voices. The low self-esteem has become a culture in the nursing career, and if nothing is done, the trait will be transmitted into generations to come.
The submissive syndrome
It is evident that the highly ranked positions in the healthcare system comprises of the males. The doctors, hospital administration staff, and other powerful individuals have a great influence in the formulation of policies that guide the hospital setup. In fact, cases have occurred where doctors overwhelm nurses with increased workloads all day. The nurses experience pressures in their work. They are frustrated with the workload, and the submissive syndrome leaves the nurses with no choice but to adhere to the doctor’ rules. Essentially, the workloads do not allow nurses to have time to assess the political aspects of the healthcare systems. The nurses who adore the doctors will have their opinions unrepresented, as they do not capitalize in their political strength to air their petitions. The nurses end up with frustrations as their submissive behavior restrains them from airing their voices. Essentially, the nurses end up having some horizontal violence against them, which leads to some form of internal conflicts. The few highly educated nurses have no opportunity to influence the formulation of policies because they lack support from the other timid nurses.
Oppression in the nursing career
For a considerably long period, research has indicated that nurses are some of the highly oppressed workers. The highly ranked professionals in the healthcare system view nurses as inferior staffs. Essentially, the nursing career obliges nurses to have some sense of sympathy, nurturing power, sensitivity, and the ability to handle patients warmly (Marriner-Tomey, 2004). However, highly ranked medical staffs perceive the role of nurses negatively, and the negative perception causes the society to perceive nursing as an inferior career. The nurses experience some discontent from the way physicians treat them, but they have to be submissive. Since the nurses practices entirely depend on the physicians’ instructions, they have to obey them. Essentially, nurses are oppressed because people disrespect their hard work. Oppression has highly contributed to the political apathy amongst the nurses. The nurses feel some form of powerlessness although they comprise of almost 60% of the health workers in any healthcare setup. Whereas the nurses ought to be patient advocates, they do not have the opportunity to play their advocacy role. The nurses experience some ethical conflicts with respect to their professional values because of oppression (Roberts, 2000). They have little influence in the formulation of policies that would help them in airing their pleas.
The stereotyped nursing career
In most cases, women are associated with the nursing role. By default, women have the nurturing role, and they are expected to care for the patients in an unselfish manner. Just like the way women are submissive to their husbands at home, they ought to accept their underprivileged positions in their nursing role. The nurses are perceived to be handmaidens with a low status in the hospital setup (Ellis & Hartley, 2004). In most case, female nurses study a short career in nursing, and they only specialize in the nursing bedside role rather than the managerial role. Therefore, the few educated nurses will under represent the nurses in the policy making process. Essentially, most of the nurses have no interest in developing their political skills, and they do not care whether they are represented or not. In fact, the media portrays nurses as meager workers who have very little powers in influencing the policies in the healthcare systems. With the above notions in mind, some nurse leaders hesitate to participate in political matters. They keep their political concerns to themselves as they fear to air their voices. The nurses who are lucky enough to have some political consciousness express their views with some form of timid, as they are not sure of what their voices would bring forth. The view of nursing as a women’s role has greatly damaged the caring ethics with respect to the nursing profession. The nurses’ ability to achieve their political power is disabled as nurses are obligated to be subservient to whatever policies that doctors formulate. The nurses are unable to speak on behalf of the patients, as they ought to. The nurses have implanted the above named perceptions in their minds and they regard themselves as unimportant in the patients’ well-being. Regardless of their enhanced educational levels, nurses have failed in influencing the formulation of healthcare policies because of stereotyping.
The apolitical nursing career
For a considerably long period, it has been a tradition that nurses ought to have no influence in the formulation of policies in the healthcare systems. The allegation has implanted in most nurses’ minds, and as much as nurses would find politics to be important, they perceive it to be unrelated to their roles as nurses. Nurses have often concentrated on their career without any interest in politics. The apolitical nature bases its roots in the trainings that nurses receive. In spite of the fact that nurses are trained on the health political issues up to the degree level, they are naturally apolitical. Most nurses are non-registered voters, and they do know the exact location of the voting precinct (Des-Jardin, 2001). In fact, it is evident that some nurses have never voted, and they are not aware of the current health issues. Some nurses are not aware of the district council members who represent the health care system. Such nurses do not find it worthwhile to contribute financially to support the existence of nursing professional organizations. Interestingly, some nurses are not aware of the Legco committee that deals with issues related with health. Apart from a few nurses like Florence Nightingale who fought for the rights of the nurses, other nurses are apolitical. Certainly, Nightingale would fight for the nurses’ rights, but if not all nurses rise up to fight for their rights, the single consummate politician would be overwhelmed at the end. Essentially, only a few senior role models influence the other nurses to have the interest of pursuing some leadership course. From this perspective, it is evident that the educated nurses have a deficit in the role of influencing healthcare policymaking.
Conclusion
From the discussions, it is evident that nurses have a less privileged position than other healthcare professionals do. In spite of their hard work, nurses are unable to voice their concerns. They lack the interest and some interpersonal skills that would help in supporting their political stands. If nurses have to be influential in the formulation of health care policies, they have to be actively involved in politics. Nurses have to be aware of the significance of political nursing, and thereafter, they should join healthcare political organizations (Hughes, 2005). Some form of self-interest would play a great role in enabling the nurses to participate actively in political nursing. Essentially, nurses have to develop a motivational factor within their inner self to enable them to become influential in the healthcare policymaking process. Moreover, nurse leaders must advocate for feminism to combat the injustices that women receive in their nursing career. Certainly, nurses’ involvement in the formulation of healthcare policies would be beneficial in the development of the nursing profession.
References
Des-Jardin, K. E. (2001). Political involvement in nursing: Politics, ethics and strategic action. Association of Operating Room Nurses Journal, 74(5), 614-622.
Ellis, J., & Hartley, C. (2004). Nursing in today’s world: Challenges, issues and trends (8th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott.
Hughes, F. (2005). Policy: A practical tool for nurses and nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 49(4), 331.
Marriner-Tomey, A. (2004). Guide to nursing management and leadership. St. Louis, MO: Mosby.
Roberts, S. J. (2000). Development of a positive professional identity: Liberating oneself from the oppressor within. Advances in Nursing Sciences, 22(4), 71-82.
Sullivan, E. J., & Decker, P. J. (2005). Effective leadership and management in nursing (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Yukl, G. (2005). Leadership in organizations (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.