Strategies An Advanced Professional Nurse Should Use to Strengthen Professional Practice as a Policy Advocate
The use of the right advocacy strategies by advanced professional nurses is key in strengthening professional practice and for the successful implementation of the proposed peer mentorship program. one of the advocacy strategies that can be employed by APRNs is networking with other healthcare professionals and stakeholders to increase their influence in the successful implementation of a given policy. At the same time, the other advocacy strategy that can be used by APRNs is actively engaging in policymaking strategies like researching about the legislative process, participating in healthcare forums, offering opinions about the effectiveness or gaps in healthcare policies in town hall meetings, working with schools to implement health programs like mentorship programs, and sharing nursing experiences with policymakers and leaders (Hanks, 2007). Equally important, the other strategy that APRNs can employ is teaching the community about the impacts of a certain social determinant of health and the benefits of a relevant policy in improving the situation. Notably, this calls for the utilization of evidence-based practice, culturally competent care, and collaborative practice among the APRN and other healthcare professionals.
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