Policy Advocacy In Nursing

Nursing advocacy at policy level is sometimes viewed as invisible, because many nurses are not aware of the power they possess to affect change in the health care system (Pelc, 2009). To become an active participant in policy advocacy, political nurse leaders need to encourage all nurses , regardless of educational level, to integrate politics into their practice (Spear, 2006). Nurses are advocates at the bedside, , but they need to advocate more broadly and become involved in political policy decision making (Spear, 2006). Nurses must be prepared to move out of their comfort zone and be politically engaged. Political engagement can include keeping abreast of important health care issues, conducting regular correspondence with legislative
leaders, lobbying and writing editorials in newspapers (Pelc, 2009). Nurses need to value their individual knowledge of patient care and health care issues in order to persuade the public and legislators to also appreciate and value this knowledge. An increased focus on directing their beliefs and voting habits to influence what is necessary to provide high quality, ethically and morally responsive health care is imperative. Nurse participation in these activities can lead to increased participation in nursing advocacy. Finally, I think that the subject of nursing advocacy needs to be added in the current nursing curricula. In this way, nursing graduates will have an educational foundation to be politically competent in addressing political issues in their career as nurse leaders. Nurses need to understand their political influence as it relates to their responsibility as health care providers.
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