Among the many roles nurses play in the healthcare system, there are policy-making and change advocacy for patients and practice. One of the nurses who perform a legislator’s role in the state of New York is Karines Reyes. She is an experienced nurse who started her career as an oncology department nurse and later advanced her performance as a nursing advocate and legislator (“Biography,” n. d., para. 1). Throughout her career, Karines Reyes worked toward the facilitation of the nation’s health through equity achievement and nursing practice improvement, which are essential elements of future nursing development (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM], 2021, para. 1-2). Thus, her experience in the legislative sphere might be demonstrated by her sponsorship of a multitude of legislative initiatives.
Indeed, among the laws that the legislator supported and sponsored, there are those directly related to food product quality regulations. In particular, legislation aimed at taxes for sugary drinks, abortion access funds, cosmetic products quality assurance, and others has been supported by Karines Reyes (“Sponsored legislation,” n. d., para 1). All these acts have had a positive impact on the health of New Yorkers due to the improved regulation of their exposure to harmful substances and chemicals, as well as the facilitation of access to care.
Furthermore, the legislator advocates for nursing practice improvement, which is evidenced by her sponsored legislation. For example, Karines Reyes sponsored legislation on freedom of speech in the workplace, the scope of practice of certified registered nurse anesthetists, and other bills aimed at improving the work of nurses (“Sponsored legislation,” n. d., para. 1). Thus, the example of the legislative work of this nurse demonstrates that advocacy and policy-making are pivotal factors in driving change through leadership in the healthcare setting in general and nursing practice in particular.
References
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2021). The future of nursing 2020–2030. Web.
Biography. (n. d.). Web.
Sponsored legislation. (n. d.). Web.