The Role of RN and APRN in Policy Making
Similar to other healthcare professionals, such as physicians and public health officers who participate in the policymaking process, nurses also have a role in the process. Nurses are capable of problem-solving, decision-making, data collection, and communication, which make them able to influence policies. There are various opportunities that the nurses have to participate actively in the process of creating policies (Varghese & Moss, 2021). Among the opportunities include leadership positions and involvement in the decision-making process.
All through the nursing training and nursing practice, nurses are encouraged to take up leadership positions. The nurses can either be leaders of the facilities they are working in or even leaders of the professional bodies. As leaders, the nurses can scrutinize policies and request changes should there be a need to. Most health policies that are implemented somehow influence nurses in their practice, and therefore, the leaders must take part in the policymaking process to ensure their views are considered. Subsequently, the other existing opportunity is the involvement of nurses in the decision-making process. Nurses, as healthcare providers, play a significant role in healthcare service delivery, and they should always take part in the process of making decisions that influence healthcare practice. Therefore, the nurses are obliged to share their views during the process, as the final decisions are usually used to develop policies.
However, some challenges influence the available opportunities for participation in the policymaking process. These challenges can include gender equality, rivalry, and issues with communication. In certain situations, such as the off-duty policies for leaders, male nurses can be excluded from sharing ideas and suggestions during policymaking. Secondly, there can be rivalry among the nurse leaders and nurse staff, and this disconnection can hinder the nurses from grabbing the opportunities to participate in the making of the policies. Lastly, there are various professional bodies or associations for nurses, and the different associations have different policies. Some associations can exhibit poor communication channels for the nurses to share their views. To overcome these challenges, registered nurses should be taken through training in leadership and the policymaking process to ensure competency during policy development. Additionally, there should be standardization of the professional bodies’ communication channels so that all nurses can have equal opportunities.
To advocate for the opportunities mentioned above, some recommendations can be considered. Firstly, there should be intense training for the registered nurses on policymaking to prepare the nurses for the process. Secondly, the nurses should be encouraged to advance their leadership skills to take up more leadership positions in the policymaking team (Boston-Fleischhauer, 2019). With a good representation, the nurses have a great chance of actively participating in the process by confidently sharing their thoughts. Lastly, the nurses should be active in data collection with regard to policy making as they will have a better understanding of the policies needed to be developed and implemented.
References
Boston-Fleischhauer, C. (2019). The Power of Advocacy. Journal For Nurses In Professional Development, 35(6), 365-366. https://doi.org/10.1097/nnd.0000000000000594
Varghese, J., & Moss, E. L. (2021). The Power of Influence: Nurses’ Role in Advocacy and the Legislative Process. AAACN Viewpoint, 43(5), 12-13.