State and Federal Advocacy - Paper Example

Introduction

The advocacy approach requires nurses to step past their individual practice environment and engage in environments they are not familiar with, including politics and policy. It is a world that the majority of nurses usually feel unprepared to engage in effective operation. If advocacy policy is to be successful, it will depend on the power, the time, the will, and the energy alongside political skills required in the field of legislation.

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Advocacy actions to improve health care

Policy advocacy may involve addressing the environmental factors of health. as a nurse, it is likely that I will encounter cases of childhood that lead to poisoning in a given neighborhood. In such a situation, I am likely to see the need to come up with a community-based initiative to facilitate screening, hazard abatement, and health education. Suppose I work in areas affected by toxic waste. In that case, I will act on behalf of the community by taking publicly in partisan debates, responding to questions raised by reporters, and providing expert testimony in courts when called upon. In most cases, a nurse is likely to be concerned about the health risk of a patient from the pollution of air and lobby for robust regulation and enforcement practices for the current air quality principles (Gamble et al., 2013). I would also take the responsibility of providing technical support to a group of citizens who protest against the pollution practices.

Nurses are the individuals who interact with both patients and their parents and are, in most cases, the firsts provides to witness how and when the health care system fails to effectively meet the needs of patients. Advocacy actions may include efforts to support comprehensive transformation in policies formulated to address health issues (Mason et al., 2016). As a nurse, I would advocate for changes in safety and protection policies by participating in forums that require ideas on the best approaches to ensure all areas involving safety are covered. The policy recommendation I would provide to the country's healthcare department includes ways to enhance access to services, reduce health disparities, improve clinical outcomes, and patient safety. The challenges faced in hospitals require motivation to take the action of speaking out and initiate change in the healthcare system.

The federal and state administrations usually sponsor annual legislative days, conduct workshops, and provide policy internships that give nurses an opportunity to learn about the current issues in healthcare and the process of legislation. As a nurse, I would participate in such opportunities to enhance my understanding of the policy area and advocate for change in the healthcare system (Gamble et al., 2013). Representing the general public in courts or bodies that explore patients' rights includes some measures to ensure improved healthcare is attained.

Once I become aware of the circumstance in which health policy needs to be improved or policy to enhance the delivery system, it is my duty to first look at the pros and cons of the available solutions and incorporate other persons involved or interest in the issue (Gamble et al., 2013). I would need to motivate myself for the courage to testify in public meetings about the given situation.

Conclusion

Nurses have become aware that the modern healthcare system is in great trouble, and it requires transformation. The experiences that most nurses who practice in healthcare real-world usually motivate them to some of the advocacy responsibility to influence a transformation in laws, policies, or certain regulations that govern the entire healthcare system. Advocacy includes speaking in public meetings about the issues, courts, answering media questions, and participating in forums that champion policy change to improve the healthcare system.

References

Gamble, J. L., Hurley, B. J., Schultz, P. A., Jaglom, W. S., Krishnan, N., & Harris, M. (2013). Climate Change and Older Americans: State of the Science. Environmental Health Perspectives, 121(1), 15-22. doi:10.1289/ehp.1205223

Mason, D. J., Gardner, B. D., Outlaw, H. F., & O’Grady, T. E. (2016). Policy and Politics: In Nursing and Health Care. (7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders. ISBN: 978-0-323-24144-1 Chapters 40, 41, and 43