NSG 4068 Nurse’s Role in Influencing the Legislative Process
NSG 4068 Nurse’s Role in Influencing the Legislative Process
Lawmaking is a complex and dynamic process that requires the involvement of specific individuals from multi-disciplinary healthcare agencies at every stage. Nurses can influence every segment of the lawmaking process utilizing their intelligence and interrelations with healthcare agencies. Nurses use their knowledge and experience to advocate for patients throughout the lawmaking process. Nurses have the responsibility to influence the lawmaking process in developing policies that shape the delivery of care for improved patient care outcomes. Policies also affect the allocation of resources supporting the delivery of care. This paper discusses the role of nurses in influencing the legislative process by answering structural questions based on the subject.
Parts of the lawmaking process a nurse can influence the final bill passage
It is the moral and ethical responsibility of nurses to be engaged in the formulation of legislation that impacts healthcare delivery. Nurses advocate for their patients by influencing the lawmaking process from the introduction of the bill and referral to the committee to presentation to the President for signing. Nurses’ participation in policy formulation has been maximized by some factors such as comprehensive awareness of their responsibility in legislation procedure, adequate skills and resources, and maximal opportunity. Nurses
NSG 4068 Nurse’s Role in Influencing the Legislative Process
remain vital in the development, redesigning, and implementation of care policies; since nursing is the largest medical profession in the country. To participate effectively in the lawmaking process, nurses are encouraged to join professional nursing organizations and healthcare agencies responsible for advocating for patients (Goolsby and DuBois, 2017). Nurses also need to partner with other medical professionals such as physicians with comprehensive knowledge and experience in the formulation of healthcare policies.
The House has the power to introduce bills about healthcare because it is highly directly representative of the
NSG 4068 Nurse’s Role in Influencing the Legislative Process
subjected population than the Senate. The proposed legislation then is presented to the public for hearings in which both sides of the argument testify on the proposal. Nurses through professional nursing organizations develop their arguments about proposed healthcare bills in this stage. Their arguments are highly considered since they are part of the medical professionals to be affected by the contemporary policies. After hearing, the committee makes recommendations based on healthcare experts’ advice and opinions. If the bill is not supported by both chambers, a conference committee is formed to check and negotiate factors of the bill and make changes to satisfy all parties. The revote in the House and Senate occur for the bill to pass or fail. Professional nursing organizations have lobbyists who present nursing issues. The passed bill is considered enrolled. The enrolled bill is presented to the President to sign the measure into law or veto it and return it to Congress to let it become law without signature (Schiller et al., 2019). Professional nursing organizations have the power to write to the President to advise him on the effect of the enrolled bill on healthcare, and how it can impact quality care delivery.
Methods that the influence can take place
Nurses need to gain professional and educational experience to participate actively in the lawmaking process for the development of effective policies promoting improved care delivery. Nurses influence the legislative process through various methods. The main method involves engaging with, House and conference committees, designing professional nursing organizations, and joining registered healthcare agencies that can be highly recognized during the legislation process. Nurses’ influence in policy formulation protects patients’ safety, maximizes the quality of care, and expedites their acquisition of necessary resources to promote the quality of healthcare (Waddell et al., 2017). The managerial role of nurse leaders which includes decision-making skills and analytical ability is vital while generating professional nursing organizations for active participation in the lawmaking process.
Professional nursing organizations keep in communication with the House representatives and the Senate throughout the macro policy formulation process to validate their opinions on the proposed healthcare policies. Nurses’ arguments are greatly considered when the committee is making recommendations. The professional nursing organization advises the President on the efficacy of the enrolled bill, assisting the President to consider the bill in signing it into law without much deliberation. The professional nursing organization is highly essential than other approaches that can be incorporated by nurses to influence the legislative process. The professional nursing organization promotes togetherness in presenting nurses’ opinions to the committee and the President (Ellenbecker et al., 2017). It also portrays morality and ethics integrated into nursing practice.
Social determinants of health
Social determinants of health are the elements affecting health. Housing, social services, geographical location, and education are the common determinants of health. Access to health is the most common determinant of health which has a significant impact on the contemporary healthcare scope (Figueroa et al., 2020). Nurses are more focused on delivering value-based care and developing strategies that can improve the quality of care by actively participating in the legislative process to influence the formulation of effective healthcare policies.
Nurses have an immense responsibility to involve policy-makers in the political arena and healthcare agencies to address complex and dynamic issues affecting healthcare settings, hindering quality healthcare delivery. Their engagement can impel individuals responsible for healthcare bills to make critical changes in insurance programs to accommodate contemporary provisions in the healthcare industry. Professional nursing organizations should constantly advocate for insurance coverage for patients preferring home care (Brom et al., 2018). Some insurance policies are rigid in eligibility excluding patients with critical healthcare needs who cannot out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. Nurses must keep assessing populations to discover new challenges that require urgent intervention through amendments and the development of new policies.
Conclusion
Nurses need to advocate for patients by influencing final bill passage. Nurses have divergent opportunities to influence amendments on the existing policies and suggest changes in the proposed bill. Professional nursing organizations can constantly communicate with policymakers to advise them on the prospective future outcomes of the proposed bill for the delivery of quality healthcare. The professional nursing organization is important in conveying inclusive information that receives comprehensive consideration by the committee during recommendation.
References
Brom, H. M., Salsberry, P. J., & Graham, M. C. (2018). Leveraging health care reform to accelerate nurse practitioner full practice authority. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(3), 120-130. doi.org/10.1097/jxx.0000000000000023
Ellenbecker, C. H., Fawcett, J., Jones, E. J., Mahoney, D., Rowlands, B., & Waddell, A. (2017). A staged approach to educating nurses in health policy. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 18(1), 44-56. doi.org/10.1177/15271544177092
Figueroa, J. F., Frakt, A. B., & Jha, A. K. (2020). Addressing social determinants of health. JAMA, 323(16), 1553. doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.2436
Goolsby, M. J., & DuBois, J. C. (2017). Professional organization membership. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 29(8), 434-440. doi.org/10.1002/2327-6924.12483
Schiller, C. J., Pesut, B., Roussel, J., & Greig, M. (2019). But it’s legal, isn’t it? Law and ethics in nursing practice related to medical assistance in dying. Nursing Philosophy, 20(4). doi.org/10.1111/nup.12277
Waddell, A., Adams, J. M., & Fawcett, J. (2017). Exploring nurse leaders’ policy participation within the context of a nursing conceptual framework. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 18(4), 195-205. doi.org/10.1177/1527154418762578