Abstract
This paper explains the relevance of “The Year of the Nurse” to the entire healthcare sector, particularly for nurses. The study then examines how political activism in nursing constitutes a form of advocacy. The role of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and other professional nursing organizations in health policy is then discussed.
Following that, it is investigated how national, state, and municipal politics influence nursing policies on a daily basis. The nurses currently serving in the United States Congress are then identified, and their career paths and personal interests are summarized. The paper then explains how a registered nurse or nursing student can get involved in developing nursing or healthcare policy, from becoming a first-time voter to actively advocating for a specific issue to running for office. Before summarizing the study, two approaches for staying informed about relevant, credible political information are provided, enabling nurses to vote responsibly.
Introduction
Nurses are the largest group of medical workers and, in terms of costs, the most expensive workforce. Today, they find themselves in a difficult situation, as governments and employers attempt to restrain healthcare costs, which is often manifested by job cuts, maintaining the same level of wages, and sometimes a decline (Kalaitzidis & Jewell, 2020). Therefore, the nursing staff has a significant responsibility: they must continually justify the costs associated with their activities and demonstrate their professionalism. In this regard, active work on nursing advocacy is necessary, aimed at attracting new personnel to the profession and providing specialized training for existing personnel on the impact of policies on healthcare and options for influencing them.
Meaning of “The Year of the Nurse”
I was previously aware that the ANA had declared 2020 “The Year of the Nurse”. I try to keep track of events related to celebrating a particular profession or drawing attention to a problem. This enables me to understand the needs and weaknesses of the field in which I work.
For me, “The Year of the Nurse” has a special meaning. This event demonstrates that the complex, selfless work of nurses in hazardous conditions is genuinely appreciated. It also shows people that nurses are the heroes of our time and inspires more people to join their ranks (Rosa et al., 2020).
The dedication of 2020 to nurses meant to me that my profession is essential. My work assumes a personal significance, giving me reasons to prioritize my professional activities. At the same time, the presentation in the image of the role and place of the profession for humanity in the format of the Year of the Nurse announcement serves as the primary regulatory function of the personal meaning of work.
Political Activism in Nursing
Political activism in nursing is a form of advocacy. The restructuring of healthcare in the United States has significantly expanded the role, powers, and responsibilities of nurses. Activity, entrepreneurship, and creativity took center stage in her work.
The non-initiative role of a nurse has been a part of the historical past, when all decisions were made for them by a doctor, who was personally responsible for their work and tightly controlled the nurses (Jones et al., 2020). However, at the moment, nurses have the right to make decisions, and in this regard, their political activism has become possible (Anders, 2021). It demonstrates the importance of the nurse’s work as an independent subject in the treatment process, possessing the right to vote and the necessary qualifications and responsibility to make influential political decisions.
Role of Nursing Organizations Regarding Health Policy
The role of the ANA and other professional nursing organizations in shaping health policy is significant. This organization sets itself several goals, both short-term and long-term. The short-term goals of ANA and other professional nursing organizations include raising the prestige of the nursing profession and protecting their professional rights (Jones et al., 2020).
Additionally, such organizations set themselves the task of improving working conditions and increasing wages. They are also aimed at organizing the education of nurses, including professional development of practitioners (Kalaitzidis & Jewell, 2020). The most important long-term goal of ANA and other professional nursing organizations regarding health policy is to create practical standards and conduct research and development in the field of nursing.
Daily Impact on Nursing Policies
National
The national policy has a daily impact on nursing policies by determining the level of healthcare quality, which serves as the threshold for entry into the profession. For example, national policy dictates the need for continuous self-education and legally approved standardized education of nurses (Rosa et al., 2020). Additionally, the national policy outlines standards for working with patients and medications, as well as the onset of liability resulting from their violation. For example, nurses need to provide ampoules when narcotic drugs that cause addiction(Stucky et al., 2021). Thus, the national policy regulates the absence of illegal earnings from nurses resulting from the sale of drugs.
State
The healthcare industry can gain an additional impetus for forward movement by utilizing management methods and tools that align with the trends and challenges of its current state. In this regard, not only are the issues of the current state of the healthcare system in the states interesting, but also the potential conditions for development (Stucky et al., 2021).
They influence the daily work of nurses, determining the planning of volumes of medical care and the methods for assessing effectiveness at the global level. For example, the number of patients with chronic diseases varies from state to state, so each state determines the burden on nurses independently(Stucky et al., 2021). Moreover, each state has its own commission to measure the quality of medical care, so the ways of their daily maintenance differ between states.
Local
Local policies have the most noticeable impact on the daily work of nurses. This is due to the ease of reorganizing work in specific institutions and the frequency of its implementation. It determines the allocation of funding for technical equipment and drugs (Jones et al., 2020). For example, the daily work of nurses is easier when it is possible to automate processes with the help of modern devices.
In addition, local policy has a personal orientation to specific people who need to improve their health, which gives this activity a pronounced targeted character (Rosa et al., 2020). Thus, it affects which category of patients and which diseases nurses will most often encounter in the course of their work. Each local institution has its own values, which manifest themselves in the form of unified, non-separable tangible and intangible services, a combination of psychological forms of interaction with patients (Rosa et al., 2020). For example, in some organizations, it is customary to maintain a distance between the nurse and the patient, while in others, trusting relationships are welcomed, which affects the nature of daily interactions between staff and clients.
Nurses Serving in the United States Congress
Career Trajectories
The career trajectories of nurses serving in the United States Congress are aimed at advancing to the position of Health Minister. The advancement of nurses on the career ladder is determined by their participation in the executive authority, which develops and implements health policy. They aim to enhance their influence in various regulatory areas, including ensuring a high standard of publicly available medical services and overseeing the activities of pharmaceutical companies (Stucky et al., 2021). The desired trajectories of the sphere of influence of nurses of congress employees include even resort activities, as well as control over the conduct of forensic medical examinations.
Individual Passions
All nurses currently serving in the United States Congress have individual passions that inform their desired career trajectory. All types of medical activities that are within the competence of the United States Congress can be divided into several areas (Kalaitzidis & Jewell, 2020). Those nurses whose individual passion is children choose a career trajectory in the field of maternity, paternity, childhood, and family protection in general.
Nurses interested in pharmacology seek to make a career in the field of quality control and provision of pharmaceuticals. Nurses, whose individual passion is management, choose control and monitoring in the field of providing medical personnel(Stucky et al., 2021). The career trajectory for employees interested in high technology is to manage logistics in medical settings.
Getting Involved in Creating Nursing Policy
The leading factor in determining the nature and direction of activities for creating or modifying regulatory health acts is the role of nurses. It is they who, as the executors of these health bills, are the main subject of lawmaking. The implementation of their will is one of the ways to formulate and define the meaning of the norms of law that are subject to official consolidation in the system of normative legal acts(Kalaitzidis & Jewell, 2020). A registered nurse or nursing student can become involved in creating nursing or healthcare policy by expressing their public opinion on bills. They can do this all the way from becoming a registered voter for the first time to actively lobbying for a specific issue to running for office.
Legislators have the opportunity to consider the opinions of nurses in the course of their professional activities, with the help of surveys available on official websites, and participate in them. Additionally, proposals put forward by nurses during the discussion of draft laws in legislative work may also be used to address challenging problems (Stucky et al., 2021). They can be sent by email or offline mail to the addresses indicated on the government websites.
Remaining Abreast of Current Political Developments
First Technique
The first technique that enables all voters, including nurses, to stay informed about current political developments, particularly those that may impact nursing practice, is to track publications on the official Congress website. Generally, information about a bill pending in Congress is entered into the Congressional database within 1-3 days (Jones et al., 2020). There, one can search for the text of the bill by its number, name, status, name of the responsible committee, subject of the right of legislative initiative, or by the date of introduction of the bill to Congress. There is also information about the adopted laws and about working with rejected bills.
Second Technique
Another method that keeps all voters, including nurses, up to date on current political developments—especially those affecting nursing practice—is monitoring publications on official healthcare websites. In some cases, it is necessary to familiarize oneself with the text of the bill before it is introduced in Congress. Generally, information about upcoming bills is reported in press releases, interviews, and business meetings with representatives of health authorities (Anders, 2021). Analyzing such messages and discussions on professional forums, you can identify the name of the state agency or other entity responsible for drafting the bill, as well as the names of responsible employees, and contact them.
Conclusion
Thus, in a civilized society, politics is carried out for people and through people. No matter how significant a role social groups, mass social movements, and political parties may play, ultimately, their main subject is the individual. These groups, movements, parties, and other public and political organizations themselves consist of real individuals, such as nurses. It is only through the interaction of their interests. It will be that the content and direction of the political process in the field of healthcare, as well as the entire medical life of society, are determined.
References
Anders, R. L. (2021). Engaging nurses in health policy in the era of COVID‐19. Nursing Forum, 56(1), 89-94.
Jones, C., Alexander, G. R., Montano, N. P., Grant, E., & Peterson, C. (2020). A look back to envision the future: Nursing Now USA™ as a vehicle for advocacy and change. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 28(2), 1-6.
Kalaitzidis, E., & Jewell, P. (2020). The concept of advocacy in nursing: A critical analysis. The Health Care Manager, 39(2), 74-84.
Rosa, W. E., Kurth, A. E., Sullivan-Marx, E., Shamian, J., Shaw, H. K., Wilson, L. L., & Crisp, N. (2020). Nursing and midwifery advocacy to lead the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda. Nursing Outlook, 67(6), 628-641.
Stucky, C. H., Brown, W. J., & Stucky, M. G. (2021). COVID 19: An unprecedented opportunity for nurse practitioners to reform healthcare and advocate for permanent full practice authority. Nursing Forum, 56(1), 222-227.