Word cloud generators have become popular tools for meetings and team-building events. Groups or teams are asked to use these applications to input words they feel best describe their team or their role. A “word cloud” is generated by the application that makes prominent the most-used terms, offering an image of the common thinking among participants of that role.

What types of words would you use to build a nursing word cloud? Empathetic, organized, hard-working, or advocate would all certainly apply. Would you add policy-maker to your list? Do you think it would be a very prominent component of the word cloud?

Nursing has become one of the largest professions in the world, and as such, nurses have the potential to influence policy and politics on a global scale. When nurses influence the politics that improve the delivery of healthcare, they are ultimately advocating for their patients. Hence, policy-making has become an increasingly popular term among nurses as they recognize a moral and professional obligation to be engaged in healthcare legislation.
Revisit the Congress.gov website and consider the role of RNs and APRNs in policy-making.
Reflect on potential opportunities that may exist for RNs and APRNs to participate in the policy-making process.
Instruction
Post an explanation of at least two opportunities that exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy-making. 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 to participate in policy-making. Be specific and provide examples.

Discussion 8. The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliations

Discussion 8. The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making

Today’s nurses perform other roles in addition to patient care. One of these roles is participating in the advocacy of health improvement processes. As advocates, registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) participate in the development of health policies that are aimed at improving patient outcomes (Anders, 2021). An opportunity that exists for RNs and APRNs to participate in policy-making is by serving in leadership positions. Nurse leaders catalyze the creation of policies to improve the quality of patient care at the organizational level and to promote health equity at the public health level (Azar, 2021). The other opportunity that exists for RNs and APRNs is joining professional nursing organizations. Joining professional nursing organizations such as the American Nurses Association (ANA) gives nurses an opportunity to contribute to legislative processes that focus on advancing the nursing profession (American Nurses Association, 2022). When serving as nurse leaders and as members of professional nursing organizations, nurses need to view issues from a socio-political lens utilizing such opportunities to advance the nursing profession through policy-making.

The opportunities available for RNs and APRNs may present some challenges that nurses need to understand. For instance, nurse leaders might be faced with the challenge of engaging their followers to participate in the process (Azar, 2021). Again, members of a professional nursing organization may lack representation in areas that require their involvement due to poor engagement (American Nurses Association, 2022). The best ways to overcome these challenges are through effective communication and increased involvement of members in policy-making respectively.

Some nurses might not be aware of the opportunities that exist for them to participate in policy-making. The two strategies that would be recommended to better communicate the opportunities above include professional training and encouraging nurses to become information seekers to understand their specific roles as members of professional organizations (Azar et al., 2021; Anders, 2021). Nurses must be adequately informed about their roles in every stage of the health policy process.

References

American Nurses Association. (2022). Advocacy. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/

Anders R. L. (2021). Engaging nurses in health policy in the era of COVID-19. Nursing Forum, 56(1), 89–94. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12514

Azar K. (2021). The evolving role of nurse leadership in the fight for health equity. Nurse Leader, 19(6), 571–575. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2021.08.006