Advancing The Cause

Peer Responses:

Number: A Minimum of 2 to Peer Posts, at least one on a different day than the main post
Length: A minimum of 150 words per post, not including references
Citations: At least one high-level scholarly reference in APA per post from within the last 5 years if indicated based upon APA 7th ed.
Peer Post:
The Impact of Grassroots Policy
Over the past eight weeks it has become very clear that nurse leaders can, and should, work to be the change that they want to see in the healthcare industry. Nurses spend more time with patients than most other disciplines, this is just one reason that policy makers need to hear from nurses (Oestburg, 2013). There has never been a better time than now, when burn out is high and morale is low with the COVID 19 pandemic. Nurse leaders need to be willing to step up and advocate for the profession, patients, and each other.
Now is the time to stand up for the policy changes that we have been working towards for many years. The spotlight has somewhat fallen on nursing staff as the “healthcare heroes” push continued through the pandemic. The social media praise, news attention, and publicity may be the stepping stone needed to fix safe nurse-patient ratios to finally be passed at the federal level.
Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation (2018), speaks of nurses advocating for policy change as a requirement and part of the nursing code of ethics. Not only is it great when nurse leaders get involved in stirring up policy change, but it is our duty for ourselves and for our patients. Through this course I have learned how important it is to get involved with local professional organizations, such as the ANA. Also, reaching out to local lawmakers to take the fight to D.C. is easy, and such an important step in the right direction for improving healthcare.
Obviously, we still need to knock down some barriers for nursing when it comes to full practice authority, nurse leaders are the best hope we have at doing this. Also, in showing the professionalism and type of mind that exist in nursing, we will inadvertently knock down walls that are holding nurses in many different disciplines back.

References:

Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation™. (2018). Political Activism for Nurses – Blog. Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation™. https://engage.healthynursehealthynation.org/blogs/8/1733.

Oestberg, F. (2013). Getting involved in policy and politics. Nursing Critical Care, 8(3), 48. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ccn.0000429392.92546.6f