Policy-making is a key factor of having order in health care professions. There are a few ways that RNs and APRNs can contribute to policy-making. The first opportunity that exists is nursing associations or organizations. When nurses join these organizations, they analyze problems to create resolutions in nursing. According to Koehn, two “ordinary problem” policy issues are analyzed, with the examination of how nurses, individually and organizationally, collaborated and advocated to address these issues by triggering local, state, and national action by stakeholders (2020). There are various professional organizations for RNs and APRNs. Many professional nursing organizations have an explicit commitment to advancing health policy and have established a presence on social media platforms; yet, little is known about what policy topics professional nursing organizations choose to disseminate (Waddell,2019). According to Waddell, the American Nurses Association and the American Academy of Nursing are two organizations that often represent the voice of nurses in policy discussions (2019). Professional organizations warrant that any policy that is implemented is effective and that it has the best interest for nurses. The second opportunity is through administrations in workplaces. The RNs and APRNs are professionals who have the opportunities to sit on boards in facilities where policies are reviewed. According to Rasheed et. al, educational institutions and nurse leaders should adequately prepare nurses for policy-making, and nurses should participate in policy-making at the organization, system, and national levels (2020).Through their workplace, RNs and APRNs have a chance to influence a policy review by having the first-hand experience on if the policy is effective in their places of work NURS 6050 Discussion 2: The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making.
The professional organizations and associations may endure challenges when it comes to exposure and getting information out. Many people nowadays receive information thru social media platforms. According to Waddell, organization leaders and members should consider how social media content could enhance nurses’ policy participation and advance the dialogue about health and well‐being in the context of high‐stakes healthcare debates (2019). The opportunity of the workplace has its challenges as well. In most facilities, administrators are the prominent people in policy-making. According to Rasheed et. al, the extent of involvement was inadequate, and nurses mainly worked as policy implementers rather than as policy developers (2020). This statement signifies the limitations nurses may have in policy-making in certain facilities.
The two strategies that lead to better communication of the existence of these opportunities are proper training and self-sufficiency. According to Rasheed et. al, nursing institutions and regulatory bodies should prepare and encourage nurses to work as policymakers rather than implementers and advocate for the rightful place of nurses at policy-making forums (2020). With effective training for the nurses, they can better understand their roles and carry out the policies appropriately. Also, leaders of an organization determine whether the nurses will have a chance to review a given policy. Training and good leadership are key elements of a solid, knowledgeable nursing team NURS 6050 Discussion 2: The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making.
References
Koehn, K. (2020). Triggers for nursing policy action: Getting to the critical point to solving “ordinary problems” in nursing. Nursing Forum, 55(1), 11–15. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1111/nuf.12376
Rasheed, S. P., Younas, A., & Mehdi, F. (2020). Challenges, extent of involvement, and the impact of nurses’ involvement in politics and policy making in in last two decades: An integrative review. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 52(4), 446. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1111/jnu.12567
Order this paper