Nurses Are in the Best Position To Get Involved in Health Policy
As health care needs in the United States evolve, it’s critical, now more than ever, for well-informed individuals who have a nuanced understanding of patient and practitioner needs to speak into the nation’s health policy. Nurses are uniquely positioned for this work. Between their clinical expertise, rich understanding of their patients, and with their disposition toward advocacy and compassion, nurses have direct insights that can help improve health policy for individuals and communities in a tangible and lasting way.
What Is Health Policy?
is the development of a system of laws, rules, and regulations that are used to manage health care in a particular community, state, or nation. Lawmakers will often defer to health care professionals to provide insight into the important health care needs of their constituents. Often, nurses can be involved in the process of maintaining and developing health care initiatives meant to improve such policies. Nurses who are in policy roles are with analyzing new regulations in health care and researching methods to improve health policy. Individual nurses can join nurses’ associations or nursing commissions, where they can collaborate with other health care professionals to best advocate for the needs of patients and those who care for them.
Advocacy in Health Policy
Nurses involved in health policy can bring important changes for many bedside nurses and patients that sometimes do not have the voice to advocate for themselves. Championing changes in policy can bring great outcomes in patient care procedures and staff safety. Recently, the Washington State Nursing Association (WSNA) announced that its efforts to rally for change concerning staff safety reached the legislative level, and they are hopeful that this policy will be adopted in the state’s legislation.
Nurse professionals often advocate for improved health care and policy changes. Nurses have personal experience with frontline patient care and fully understand the needs of patients and workers. Nurses can work to shape health policies in their local communities, hospitals, or even at the state level.
ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ Nursing Faculty Leadership in Health Policy
Wendy Murchie, adjunct faculty at the Mark and Huldah Buntain College of Nursing (BCON), developed and teaches a course on health policy in the online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. Murchie says that this inspired her to become a pro tem member for the Washington state Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission (NCQAC). This commission regulates patient and public safety and efficacy in health practices in the state of Washington by regularly evaluating the qualifications of every nurse technician, LPN, RN, and ARNP. They examine licensing, practice standards, competency, and discipline in nurses at every level. In her role, Murchie reviews and develops health policy for advanced practice nurses in Washington state. As an ARNP herself, she states: “I am proud to ensure our role is protected and practiced to the full extent of our licensure and training.” Murchie also explains additional work she does as a pro tem member of NCQAC: “I also receive disciplinary cases of LPNs, RNs, ARNPs, and nurse technicians who have had an allegation made on their practice. I will review the case along with a commission attorney and present findings and recommendations to a panel of commission and pro tem members for a final decision based on the risks to patient and/or public safety.”
ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ Nursing Students Lead Policy Change
Recently, Gina Harold, an RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) student at the Mark and Huldah Buntain College of Nursing, proposed a policy revision that was implemented into the organization she works for. Harold focused on improving care for patients in emergency situations after observing that staff are often underprepared to effectively serve. “Through my literature review for this policy, I found that being prepared for medical emergencies in the ambulatory clinic setting is a challenge due to their infrequent occurrence,” says Harold. Seeing this need, she proposed a revision to the Urgent Medical Alert Response Policy at her workplace. While reviewing the literature for evidence to support the policy revision, she found that simulation exercises were identified as safe training methods to better prepare emergency workers. “I proposed that the policy be revised to include annual emergency simulation exercises for all staff,” she says. She is hopeful that implementing simulation exercises will improve emergency response and patient care.
Getting involved in health policy can feel daunting. It may seem like a task meant for nurses in high leadership positions, but the truth is that bedside nurses can get involved and even lead policy change. Nurses are often in a position to best advocate for policies that benefit patients. So, if you are a nurse, contact nurse leaders with patient care concerns, get involved with local or state , or even reach out to state lawmakers. Your direct involvement can help promote the well-being of every person.