NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1: What specific bills has the legislator/nurse sponsored or supported that have influenced health care

NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

Choose a legislator on the state or federal level who is also a nurse and discuss the importance of the legislator/nurse’s role as advocate for improving health care delivery. What specific bills has the legislator/nurse sponsored or supported that have influenced health care.NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

REPLY TO DISCUSSION

Advocacy is defined as supporting a cause and the nursing field play a large role in advocating for patient care. Along with patient care the nursing field also advocate for safe working conditions and professionalism.NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

In 2020 a nurse was elected to serve Missouri’s 1st Congressional district and was sworn into office in January 3, 2021. The nurse’s name is Cori Bush and she was the first nurse to represent Missouri as well as the first female to represent Missouri’s 1st Congressional District. Congresswomen Bush received her nursing degree from Lutheran University of Nursing in 2008 and spent the next decade serving her community. She hurried and made the issues that affected St. Louisans.NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

This was done by getting $700 million in COVID-19 relief funds through the American Rescue Plan for St. Louis region. She delivered an 8-week FEMA mass vaccination site and brought leaders together to make a pandemic response team.

Since becoming the representative for Missouri’s 1st US congressional district in 2020, Congresswoman Bush has established herself as a nontraditional lawmaker. She’s Missouri’s first Black Congresswoman, likely the state’s first nurse to serve in DC and a Black Lives Matter activist bringing a new perspective to politics (Gaffney, 2022). Cori BrNRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

own political aim is to help the underserved and definitely the Congresswoman that loves her constituents. She is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus Political Action committee that supports the need to elect more minorities allies to the United States Congress. The committee developed scholarship opportunities to assist new political leaders of the future.NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

As a nurse Cori worked as a Nursing Supervisor at Amanda Luckett Murphy Hopewell Center that provides comprehensive mental health assistance for chronically mentally ill people suffering from major psychiatric disorders.NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1 References

American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Nurses serving in congress. nursingworld.org. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/federal/nurses-serving-in-congress/#:~:text=Congresswoman%20Johnson%20is%20the%20first,elected%20to%20the%20U.S.%20Congress.

Cori Bush. (n.d.). Cori Bush. bush.house.gov. https://bush.house.gov/about

Helbig, J. (2018). Influencing health care through advocacy. lc.gcumedia.com. https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs440vn/trends-in-health-care-a-nursing-perspective/v1.1/#/chapter/4

Read

Cori Bush and a couple other woman introduced the Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act to establish a grant program to help ease the financial burden of people that are being forced to travel, sometimes long distances, to access abortion care (US official news, 2022). This bill will make a huge difference as sometimes an abortion is medically necessary due to rape, ectopic pregnancy, high risk, and deformities. I can not imagine having to have an abortion but just like everything it can become medically necessary.NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, and Congresswoman Cori Bush Introduce Bill To Assist Travel for Abortion Care. (2022, July 22). US Official News.NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

Read

Cori Bush is an influential leader at the Congress and has pushed for several reforms in the nursing profession. She is a trained nurse with other certifications in the healthcare field thereby giving her knowledge about the different healthcare needs. Reforms and policy improvements in this field requires an individual who is informed and aware about the current problems in the field. Cori Bush is aware of these challenges nurses, patients and other stakeholders face therefore, it is easy for her to draft bills and suggest amendments in the industry.

Healthcare improvements can only be achieved through amendments in the current healthcare practices and regulations (Helbig, 2018). Without which there are several problems that may face the industry.

Reference

Helbig, J. (2018). Influencing health care through advocacy. lc.gcumedia.com. https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs440vn/trends-in-health-care-a-nursing-perspective/v1.1/#/chapter/4

Additionally, Cori Bush became more politically active during the civil unrest in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014. There she worked as a triage nurse and an organizer. Similarly, Cori Bush is a Nonviolence 365 Ambassador with the King Center for Nonviolent social change.NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

Her advocacy work earns her recognition from the Emmitt Till Legacy Foundation, the Hershel Walker Peace and Justice Awards, and the Jefferson City NAACP. She was born and raised in St Louis, Missouri, and Still resides there today. She is the first Black woman and first nurse to represent Missouri and the first woman to represent Missouri’s 1st Congressional District. She received a nursing degree from the Lutheran University of Nursing in 2008 and spent the next decade serving the community as a nurse, ordained pastor, community organizer, and childcare worker.

Reference

Nurses Serving in the U.S. Congress | ANA Enterprise. Retrieved from https://www.nursingworld.org

NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1 Read

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson is a nurse by profession. Johnson served as a nurse in Texas before she was elected in 1993 to represent the 30th Congressional District of Texas which she represents to date, making her the first nurse to serve in the United States Congress (Pollitt, 2020). Congresswoman Johnson has played a critical role in advocating for nurses’ role as advocates for public health because she introduced bill H.R. 1597 that the U.S. Congress passed to become the National Nurse Act of 2019.

The National Nurse Act of 2019 established the office of the National Nurse, improving healthcare delivery since nurses participate in national policy formulation. Before, nurses did not have a national office to advocate for their rights and be involved in formulating federal healthcare policy. The roles and responsibilities of the National nurse include serving as the national spokesperson for nurses in policy, preventative medicine, and leadership, working together with the Surgeon General’s office to identify and address national health priorities, advocating for healthcare professionals to work with community programs to improve health, increase emergency preparedness and public safety and prepare and submit biennial reports to the U.S congress on nurses working in the U.S Public Health Service (U.S Congress, 2019).

The National Nurse Act of 2019 has helped to address health disparities because the federal government provides funding for community nursing programs which helps to increase healthcare access among vulnerable populations in the United States. Hence, congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson has used her nursing background to address health disparities through the enactment of the National Nurse Act of 2019, increasing the role that nurses play in national healthcare formulation by creating the office of the National Nurse, which works in collaboration with the Office of the Surgeon General to provide preventative care and advocate for healthcare access among all Americans.

Eddie Bernice Johnson’s main contribution is the passage of bill H.R. 1597, which became the National Nurse Act of 2019 after its adoption by the U.S Congress. Johnson used her nursing background to lobby for the bill’s passage because she knows nurses play a critical role in promoting healthcare since they spend more time with communities and patients than physicians. The importance of Eddie Bernice Johnson was that she helped to address health disparities and advocate for better working rights for nurses at the national level through her work as a representative of the 30th Congressional District of Texas in the U.S. Congress.

References

Pollitt, P. A. (2020). Nurses in Congress: Eddie Bernice Johnson – UNCG. libres.uncg.edu/ir/asu/f/Pollitt_Phoebe_2020_Nurses%20in%20Congress_Eddie%20Johnson.pdf

U.S Congress. (7 March 2019). Congresswoman Johnson introduces national nurse act of 2019. ebjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-johnson-introduces-national-nurse-act-of-2019

I enjoyed your post and research, I also wrote about Cori Bush. In reading over the other the responses to this weeks discussion post, I noticed most of the representatives mentioned were female. It made me wonder about male legislators and historical figures we may be overlooking.

Medicine began amongst medicine men, shaman and healers. It then transitioned to monks and priests. The military had male nurses in every war long before women were allowed to fill that role. Only then did the title change from male nurse to corpsman or medic. Men in Nursing asserts that most historians reporting on nursing history are female and that has led to a biased version of our overall history.

Additional oversites are the lack of mention of male patron saints of nursing. There are 8 in total, 4 female and 4 male. The book goes on to blame Florence Nightingale with the creation of her school, she effectively ended men in nursing for the time.

There is some truth that the establishment of Florence Nightingale School of Nursing in London coincided with males in the field finding other roles.(O’Lynn & Tranbarger, 2007) Florence Nightingale wrote in a letter in 1867, “The whole reform in nursing both at home and abroad has consisted of this: to take all power over the nursing out of the hands of men, and put it into the hands of one female trained head and make her responsible for everything” (O’Lynn & Tranbarger, 2007).NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

A different perspective and an interesting read. I also discovered some information on Travis Nelson RN, he is a fulltime union representative with the Oregon Nurses Association and Oregon State Representative. He is a champion of African American and LGBTQ rights. He is fighting to protect abortion rights and expand Medicare (Nelson, 2022).

References

O’Lynn, C. E., & Tranbarger, R. E. (2007). Men in nursing: History, challenges, and

opportunities. Google Books. Springer Publishing. Retrieved May 31, 2022, from https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=-Ag7TqTyIC0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=O%27Lynn,+C.+E.,+%26+Tranbarger,+R.+E.+(2007).+Men+in+nursing:+History,+challenges,+and+opportunities.+Springer+Pub.+&ots=50jAodIYIt&sig=AsvB9mO2CJPjwVLeXPRWf6n2Ajg#v=onepage&q&f=false.

State of Oregon: Voting & Elections – Voting & Elections. (2022). Travis Nelson, RN. State Representative, 44th district. Retrieved January 21, 2023, from https://oregonvotes.gov/voters-guide/english/travisnelson.html

Nurse advocates play a vital role in healthcare by serving as a liaison between patients and healthcare providers. They help ensure that patients receive the best possible care by communicating their needs and concerns to healthcare providers and working to resolve any issues that may arise. Additionally, nurse advocates help educate patients about their health and treatment options, and can provide emotional support and guidance (Azar, 2021). They also play an important role in identifying and addressing any systemic issues within the healthcare system that may be impacting patient care. Overall, nurse advocates help to ensure that patients receive high-quality, patient-centered care.

The role of nurse advocates in hospitals has evolved over time. In the past, nurse advocates were responsible for coordinating care and advocating for patients’ needs within the hospital setting. However, as the healthcare system has become more complex and specialized, the role of nurse advocates has changed. Some hospitals have eliminated nurse advocate positions due to budget constraints, while others have incorporated the responsibilities of nurse advocates into other roles such as case management or patient navigation (Myers, 2020).

Despite the changes in the healthcare system, there is still a need for nurse advocates in hospitals. Nurse advocates can help to ensure that patients receive appropriate care and that their needs are met throughout their hospital stay. They can also help to improve communication between patients, their families, and healthcare providers, which can lead to better outcomes and increased satisfaction for all parties involved.

In terms of cost-effectiveness, having a nurse advocate can help to reduce the length of hospital stays, reduce the need for readmissions, and improve overall patient outcomes. This can result in lower healthcare costs in the long run. Additionally, nurse advocates can help to improve patient satisfaction and reduce the risk of malpractice claims, which can also have a positive impact on a hospital’s bottom line (Nsiah et al., 2020). Overall, the role of nurse advocates should come back in hospitals as they have a positive impact on patient care and hospital’s financials. NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1

NRS 440 Topic 4 DQ 1 References

Azar, K. M. (2021). The evolving role of nurse leadership in the fight for health equity. Nurse Leader, 19(6), 571-575. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1541461221001798

Myers, C. R. (2020). Promoting population health: Nurse advocacy, policy making, and use of media. Nursing Clinics, 55(1), 11-20. https://www.nursing.theclinics.com/article/S0029-6465(19)30086-6/fulltext

Nsiah, C., Siakwa, M., & Ninnoni, J. P. (2020). Barriers to practicing patient advocacy in healthcare setting. Nursing Open, 7(2), 650-659. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/nop2.436

Some people think there is no link between nursing and politics. Still, those who have put aside their careers in health care to hold office in their state capitals can attest that the relationship between the two is seamless, almost natural. Nurses are in a position like no other, to represent the interests of their fellow health officers and advocate for the health care wants of the society at large. The legislature is the body responsible for making laws that govern and dictate the day-to-day duties and conduct of a nurse. Without careful consideration, these laws may negatively affect general nursing care. Having legislators with health care experience enhances advocacy as they know the specific challenges that need to be addressed and, as such, will table these concerns to promote better health care delivery across the nation (Antoine Boivin, 2014).

One of the persons who has served at the state level and as a licensed practicing nurse is retired legislator Lenny Winkler. She served as the assistant minority leader in the Connecticut House of Representatives and is a licensed practical nurse with over 25 years of nursing experience. Her influence in legislation was significant as she saw firsthand what was going on in health. Her recommendations held a lot of weight because she was still practicing (Larson, 2016).

Eva Burch was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and attended valley public schools from kindergarten through high school, eventually graduating from Camelback High in 1998. Following in her mother’s footsteps, she studied nursing at Pima Medical Institute in Mesa, Arizona, and began a career in emergency nursing in 2012. In her many years working in high volume, high acuity emergency departments in Phoenix and Mesa, she saw firsthand the impact that food insecurity, healthcare inequality, homelessness, and other racial and gender disparities have on individuals, families, and communities in Arizona. A single mother, Eva made the tough decision to sell her home and move into an apartment with her two young children to return to school. She eventually went on to earn her master’s degree and her nurse practitioner credentials and became dedicated to improving the lives of Arizonans through compassionate and comprehensive healthcare. Eva is a nurse at heart and believes in the values that nursing expects within the profession. Among them are altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, honesty, and social justice. These are the values Eva promises to bring with her to the Arizona legislature as she advocates for a better, more inclusive Arizona that works for everyone. She is a precinct committee person in legislative district 25 and lives in Mesa with her new husband, two young sons, and her two dogs. (Billtrack,2023)

Mrs. Burch has introduced HOUSE BILL 2043, which is working with seasoned physician assistants (8,000 hrs) of clinical time and having them be able to work independently. They would not need an immediate physician working alongside them but would be able to work independently. Those not at the 8,000 hours of clinical work time would need a supervising physician to ensure the patients are receiving the correct care. It is essential to have people with experience in the nursing field who will help make changes to our healthcare system. It is nice to have legislators who have worked in the healthcare field who have real-life knowledge of the system and know of the downfalls and shortcomings that the system is faced daily.

References

State senator Eva Burch. BillTrack50. (2023). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/28072