Introduction
Modern health systems present health professionals as equal participants in the public health system. Nurses can overcome inequalities in access to health care and the provision of knowledge about health and medical education, using professional knowledge and competencies in the largest group of medical professionals. It is the professional and moral duty of nurses to participate in legislation that affects their patients. However, their participation in health policy formulation remains low in both developed and developing countries. When nurses influence policies that improve health care delivery, they protect their patients. In this way, nurses can have a profound impact on politics on a global scale.
Nurses As Part of the Political System
Each nurse can influence three primary levels of policy: local, state, and federal. In the first place, medical workers can occupy leading positions, including nurses. In addition, they have the right to influence the entire health care system through communication with elected officials about legislation. Nurses can become politically active as a result of formal political education. It will allow them to serve on local councils and committees, as well as run for local government. Thus, even simply exercising the right to vote can affect health policy.
At the next levels of politics, state and federal, nurses can become members of professional political organizations for nurses. Moreover, nurses can even run for statehood — two nurses currently serve in the Florida State Legislature (The nursing profession’s potential, 2021). These organizations often have lobbyists who bring nursing issues to Capitol Hill (The nursing profession’s potential, 2021). Thus, nurses can contact health policy representatives, for example, by writing a written appeal. In addition, there is an opportunity to become part of the political system, working independently on topical health issues. Then, it is necessary to undergo an internship with elected officials.
The open environment of participation in healthcare organizations is critical to creating a cultural shift that emphasizes the importance of politics. Nursing administrators need to understand and appreciate the importance of being involved in policy development at all levels. They should voluntarily act as representatives in developing health policy in their organizations, participate in professional organizations and act as leaders in the political arena (The nursing profession’s potential, 2021). They can propose policy changes based on evidence from policy research, thus providing important input to policymakers.
Nursing administrators must actively encourage staff participation in policy and politics and provide time, budget, resources, and opportunities as well. They may organize constitutional and political conferences, seminars, or training programs so that nurses can better understand their role and influence in politics and politics. Organizations that do not have the resources to organize these events themselves should support staff attending policy-related events and training.
Health Expenditures and Their Distribution
Even in those countries whose governments reaffirm their commitment to universal health care principles, providing health services requires high and ever-increasing budgetary costs. The increase in the population, its aging, and the costs associated with new technologies, constantly increase these costs. Distribution is one of the cost management mechanisms in the health sector. In some cases, restrictions on access to certain types of services are used depending on medical indications. In others, the public sector provides services only to those who cannot afford to pay for them.
It is possible to exclude certain procedures from public funding as redundant or ineffective (for example, cosmetic surgery). Since such decisions may raise allegations of discrimination, they must be made after extensive public consultation. The mechanisms of hidden distribution and redistribution of resources are common. Strategies aimed at reducing costs have led to a heavier indication for hospitalization, a reduction in the length of stay in a hospital, and a limitation in the number of employees, which directly affects the quality of medical care and treatment.
Formulation of the Problem
To meet the needs of society in quality healthcare and improve the level of individual and public health, it is necessary to use financial resources effectively, increase responsibility for personal health, and provide equal access to medical services. Recently, the public health sector has faced severe financial cuts and difficulties. The Nurse Manager (NM) is tasked with managing and reducing costs in the nursing sector without compromising the quality of care (Naranjee et al., 2019). It is necessary to master and develop the skills of financial management.
Staff and supplies, as well as equipment, are part of individual nursing departments, each with its budget. The staff budget, which is the most significant part of the operating budget, comprises the average daily census, patient acuity, staffing requirements according to full-time equivalents (FTE), and productive and non-productive hours (The nursing profession’s potential, 2021). Although managers or heads of nursing may not be involved in developing the revenue budget, knowing this is important for making effective decisions (Naranjee et al., 2019). The capital budget is of a different type; this includes all costs that are necessary to acquire capital items.
The hospital’s finances have traditionally been out of the control of the professional nurse. The modern nurse understands or should understand the basic funding needs of hospitals and medical centers. Although this is not considered the central issue in hiring, it is necessary knowledge for the smooth functioning of any department. However, the NM is expected to understand and manage the financial side of the nursing sector by taking on this role (Rundio, 2020). Health care spending provides insight into the institution’s problems and its leaders. Intelligent management, with an understanding of the financial issue, can largely positively affect the process of patient care. That and many other reasons are essential for nurses to understand their role in managing the healthcare budget.
Ways to Solve the Problem
Professional nursing organizations should evaluate the benefits that can be gained by collaborating with each other and with non-nursing organizations to advance the profession. One of the most exciting potential collaborations has begun between the National Advisory Council for Nursing Education and Practice (Rundio, 2020). It recommends the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Council for Graduate Medical Education, which advises Congress on health policy issues pertaining to medical education (Rundio, 2020). The collaboration of groups now working on both medical and nursing education has been explored for primary health care. These two bodies determine the national health personnel financing policy and serve as models for cooperation between the two professions in all areas of policy development. As an equal partner in this effort, nursing can demonstrate its reliability and expertise in all aspects of health care delivery, including health workforce issues.
Conclusion
Contrary to the belief of many nurses that financial management belongs to the finance department, Nursing and Midwifery Council have been clear about what they do in terms of their financial management roles. The main role of NM in health system financing is to participate in budget planning for such stages as premeditated, budgetary, operational, purchasing, and personnel. They defined their overall managerial planning function and agreed on their roles and contribution in each of the previous activities in the context of economic planning. Thus, many results show that both managers and nurses at all levels influence financial planning at the health policy level.
References
Naranjee, N., Ngxongo, T. S. P., & Sibiya, M. N. (2019). Financial management roles of Nurse Managers in selected public hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, 11(1). Web.
The nursing profession’s potential impact on policy and politics. American Nurse. (2021). Web.
Rundio, A. (2020). Budget development for nurse managers. Sigma. Web.