As a nurse, how often have you thought to yourself, if I had anything to do about it, things would work a little differently? Increasingly, nurses are beginning to realize that they do, in fact, have a role and a voice.
Many nurses encounter daily experiences that motivate them to take on an advocacy role in hopes of impacting policies, laws, or regulations that impact healthcare issues of interest. Of course, doing so means entering the less familiar world of policy and politics. While many nurses do not initially feel prepared to operate in this space effectively, the reward is the opportunity to shape and influence future health policy.
Resources:
- Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide(6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
- Chapter 3, “Government Response: Legislation” (pp. 37–56)
- Chapter 10, “Overview: The Economics and Finance of Health Care” (pp. 180–183 only)
- govLinks to an external site.. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.congress.gov/
- Taylor, D., Olshansky, E., Fugate-Woods, N., Johnson-Mallard, V., Safriet, B. J., & Hagan, T. (2017). Corrigendum to position statement: Political interference in sexual and reproductive health research and health professional education. Nursing Outlook, 65(2), 346–350Links to an external site..
- United States House of RepresentativesLinks to an external site.. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.house.gov/
- United States SenateLinks to an external site.. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.senate.gov/
- United States Senate. (n.d.). Senate organization chart for the 117th CongressLinks to an external site.. https://www.senate.gov/reference/org_chart.htm
To Prepare:
- Select a bill that has been proposed (not one that has been enacted) using the congressional websites provided in the Learning Resources.
The Assignment: (1- to 2-page Legislation Grid; 1-page Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement)
Be sure to add a title page, an introduction, purpose statement, and a conclusion. This is an APA paper.
Part 1: Legislation Grid
Based on the health-related bill (proposed, not enacted) you selected, complete the Legislation Grid Template. Be sure to address the following:
- Determine the legislative intent of the bill you have reviewed.
- Identify the proponents/opponents of the bill.
- Identify the target populations addressed by the bill.
- Where in the process is the bill currently? Is it in hearings or committees?
Part 2: Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement
Based on the health-related bill you selected, develop a 1-page Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement that addresses the following:
- Advocate a position for the bill you selected and write testimony in support of your position.
- Explain how the social determinants of income, age, education, or gender affect this legislation.
- Describe how you would address the opponent to your position. Be specific and provide examples.
- At least 2 outside resources and 2-3 course specific resources are used.
Submit your completed legislation grid and testimony/advocacy statement.
