Create 2 replies to a discussion post NO MORE than 1-1.5 paragraphs each
Write a reply to the two discussion posts made by these two students. They were asked to write about this:
Post an explanation of at least two opportunities that currently exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy review.
Explain some of the challenges that these opportunities may present and describe how you might overcome these challenges.
Finally, recommend two strategies you might make to better advocate for or communicate the existence of these opportunities. Be specific and provide examples.
Student #1 Maureen
Two opportunities that exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy review are through professional nursing organizations and running for city councils, committees, local office or state office. The nurse can participate in policy review by joining a professional nursing organization such as American Nurses Association (ANA), National Nurses United (NNU), and American Academy of Nursing, American Association of Nurse practitioners and American Board of Nursing specialties (Nurse.Org, n.d.). The nurse being a member of these organizations can bring nursing issues to the Capitol Hill through the organization’s lobbyists. Again, the nurse can run for state office. According to My American nurse (n.d.) two nurses are currently legislators in the state of Florida.
Some of the challenges that these opportunities may present are first, little opportunity to get involved, lack of awareness, lack of skills and limited healthcare policy education and knowledge. Also, other challenges include lack of time and resources to participate in policy review.
Two strategies to better advocate for or communicate the existence of these two opportunities (joining a professional healthcare organization and running for office) are through nursing schools and employers. For example, the nursing schools (both community colleges and universities) through courses such as healthcare policy education if included in their program curriculum will create awareness and knowledge about the existence of these opportunities.
Another example is through the nurse’s employers. The employers can provide continuing education on healthcare legislation and how it affects the nurse. Finally, the employers can communicate the existence of these opportunities by encouraging the nurses to be politically active, encourage them to join a professional nursing organization as part of the hiring requirements and give incentives (Awards of recognition, gift, promotion) to nurses who are actively involved in policy making.
Student #2 Abby:
According to Milstead & Short (2019), Policy review usually starts when different stakeholders discuss their interest and degree of active buy-in about the development of the proposed policy. For RNs and APRNs to get involved in the evaluation of policy review, they need to apply themselves in policy analysis with stakeholders; this way, they will have a voice in the policy review.
For example, through professional health organizations, like American Nurses Association (ANA), nurses were argued to participate in the review, education to patients, and the transparency of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2011 (“Milstead & Short,” 2019).
Another opportunity for RNs and APRNs in policy review is to participate in the unit meetings sharing ideas on unit policies and even developing new policies, for example, the nurse can start working on editing or developing strategies to reduce the hospital-acquired infection rate of the unit and come out with a measurable goal and effectiveness of the policy. According to Laureate Education (2018), policy evaluation begins from the start or implementation of the policy. This will help policymakers stop or continue with the policy; nurses can also influence this.
Some of the challenges these opportunities will bring are, working with a policymaker who have different ideas and background of the problem at hand and may disagree with the nurse’s input because they have other ideas about patient care and the healthcare system itself. Nurses are afraid of change, so during unit base meetings, introducing a new policy by another nurse can cause opposition to rise; this is another challenge for contemporary policymaking or reviewing and replacing old policies.
The two strategies I will use to better advocate for or communicate these opportunities are through social media and seminars. Regular participation in nursing meetings and seminars will help me pass the word to other nurses to participate in policy reviews and the importance of becoming one. Another way is by spreading the opportunity and creating awareness to other nurses is through the company’s Facebook page.
