Health improves when nurses know health policy

My patients invited me into their homes, where I observed the forces that shaped their lives and health – comparable to stress, neighborhood safety, access to food, social support, education level, and whether or not they had medical insurance. I witnessed what nurses do each day, how people’s environments greatly impact their health, and the way the form of insurance my patients had or lacked played a big role within the care I could – or couldn’t – provide. Nursing is a demanding occupation, but at the same time as I delved into the small print of the various activities nurses engage in, I discovered myself reflecting on the powerful social and environmental aspects that influence the health of the people I encounter. I spotted that if, as a nurse, I could influence these aspects through policy – ​​regulations created to unravel problems – I could influence hundreds of individuals or more. Since then, my profession as a public policy nurse has been wealthy and varied. I actually have held leadership positions in state government and co-directed the state health policy center. I taught and did research. IM driving AARP Public Policy Institute and act as its chief strategist Center for Mastery Nursing in Americawhere I help lead the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, a national initiative AARP Foundation, AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which works to construct healthier communities through nursing. CCNA is an initiative of the identical three organizations. Although curiosity led me to alter the direction of my nursing profession, this alteration is just not for everybody. Nurses are needed in direct care and in communities greater than ever. But I consider this: what makes nursing more practical is not less than being aware of how political rulings may affect you and the people you look after.

The impact of public health policy

Public policy may determine whether someone has medical insurance or not. This affects the form of care an individual can receive and whether the care they receive is roofed by insurance. It affects the price of pharmaceuticals, copays, deductibles, and services covered by insurance. As nurses, this has a big impact on our work environment. Public policy influences how and where nurses can do their work and what we will do. In 29 states, nurses are prevented from practicing to the total extent of their education and training as a consequence of outdated legal barriers. Nurses in these states face barriers comparable to having to seek out a physician to supervise them (often for a big fee) to diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications for patients, despite the fact that nurses in other states can practice without these restrictions. At CCNA, we work to remove these barriers. Since 2010, we now have helped change laws in nine states in order that advanced practice nurses can provide complete care.

Conscious nurses make contacts

We were all occupied with nursing because we would like to assist people. And because politics affects us all, one strategy to get entangled is to know what’s happening on this planet around you. Being an informed nurse and citizen gives you insight and understanding of the world and the way and why decisions are made. It permits you to make contacts and have conversations that you simply would not normally have. Thanks to this, you gain knowledge each at work and in life. How to get there? Pay attention to current events – especially health care policy, vote at skilled conferences, join your state or national nursing organization, and consider joining a state organization affiliated with the Campaign for Action. These experiences may even lead you to a leadership position. As nurses, we understand the health needs of people, families and communities. But when nurses take the massive picture and understand the greater impact of their work, it helps us as professionals work more effectively to enhance the health of our nation.

Course related to “Policies and access to care”

Healthcare within the US is continually changing. Perhaps the largest change is the decreasing variety of primary care physicians caring for the population. With this alteration, family nurses have the chance to expand their practice and supply family-centered, collaborative care. This webinar will discuss these changes and where FNPs might help reimagine health care.