This week I have learned about the importance and nurse’s role in the healthcare policy making. Nurses provide essential services and knowledgeable about client needs. They interact with healthcare consumers in a wide variety of settings. This provide nurses a wide knowledge about patients health needs, an understanding of factors that affect the health of patient and their families and have insight into how people respond to various strategies and services. Nurses play a vital role in interpreting people's needs and expectations for healthcare. They also understand the expectations and needs of society's vulnerable groups. Therefore, they have an important role in the development and enactment of policies that promote health and wellness
of individual, families and communities (Benton, 2012). Health system is rapidly developing and changing. As part of this system, nurses need to move forward along with these changes. For this purpose, nurses have a greater role in influencing the formation of health polices rather than implementing them. They need to be active in the development of health policies to be better able to control their practice. Nurse leaders have an important role in this process. Nurses should identify issues deliberately and work with other decision makers to advance health care polices. Nurses’ influence the health polices to protects patient safety, increases quality of care, and facilitates their access to the required resources and promotes quality health. Nurses have the ability to affect health policies. Their expertise, judgment, and policy influence help them to achieve their goals and to facilitate the professional process and the efficacy of health care system (Arabi et al., 2014). As the largest single group of health care providers, nurses have the potential to successfully advocate from a diverse power base and have a unique perspective on health care policies and expertise to share with power brokers. Therefore, Nurses should be a strong voice which actively advocate for positive change (Abood, 2007).
Nurses have a considerable amount of responsibility in any facility. They are responsible for administering medicines and treatments to there patient’s. While caring for there patients, nurses will make observations on patient’s health and then record there findings. As well as consulting with doctors and other healthcare professionals to plan proper individual patient care. They teach their patients how to manage their illnesses and explain to both the patient and the patients family how to continue treatment when returning home (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014-15). They also record p...
The provision 8 of the American Nurses Association (ANA)’s Code of Ethics highlights that nurses collaborate with other health care professionals and the local and global community in promoting health. Nurses are committed in fostering the health and well being of individuals and the community. This also includes the broader health needs such as, world hunger, pollution, equity in health care, and human rights. Nurses are also responsible in keeping themselves updated with the health conditions of the community (Nursing World, 2001).
Mason, D. J., Leavitt, J. K., & Chaffee, M. W., (2014). Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare. Elsevier Saunders: St. Louis, MO.
The healthcare system can be difficult for clients to navigate and they are often unsure how to access information which puts them at the mercy of others and can lead to feelings of helplessness (Erlen, 2006). Nurses can provide resources to educate patients when they becomes dependent on a health care provider and no longer feel in control of their own body which can lead to fear, hopelessness, helplessness and loss of control (Cousley et al., 2014). The change in roles individuals face can further increase their stress and feelings of powerlessness (Scanlon & Lee, 2006). According to the CNA code of ethics, nurses are responsible for protecting patients from objective risks that place them in an increased level of vulnerability (Carel, 2009). They can do this by providing the resources necessary for patients to educate themselves and be better able to cope with the health challenges they
The American Nurses Association (ANA) developed a foundation for which all nurses are expected to perform their basic duties in order to meet the needs of the society we serve. The ANA “has long been instrumental in the development of three foundational documents for professional nursing; its code of ethics, its scope and standards of practice, ands statement of social policy.” (ANA, 2010, p. 87) The ANA defined nursing as “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations” and used to create the scope and standards of nursing practice. (ANA, 2010, p. 1) These “outline the steps that nurses must take to meet client healthcare needs.” () The nursing process, for example, is one of the things I use daily. Other examples include communicating and collaborating with my patient, their families, and my peers, and being a lifelong learner. I continually research new diagnoses, medications, and treatments for my patients. As a nurse of ...
Nurses are active, they see policies as what they can restructure or change, instead of taking it as what has been imposed on them. They are involved in policy development as well as working together as one profession. As nurses, they participating in decision making regarding health policies, as well as taking part in implementations associated with changes in health care. Currently, nurses are serving “on advisory committees, commissions, and boards” (Cohen, M. & Walker, A. 2010). Policies and decisions in these areas will help to advance patient care in health
You made some great points in your discussion post. I really liked that you talked about nurses being in a position to change people’s lives. That is exactly why I wanted to become a nurse to help others and make a difference at the same time. In our careers as nurses we will be around the public all day long. To me this is what makes us all public health nurses. Shearer (2014) reminds us that, “As nurses, we have power because of the trust the public puts in us”. This statement hit home to me because I had never really thought about nursing in that context until now. Patients come to us vulnerable, sick, and wanting help. By educating, advocating, and planning interventions for our patients we can help promote their way of life. We’re so much
There are legal requirements and policy to govern specific areas of health care practise. It differentiates nurse responsibilities, help establish boundaries of independent nursing action and assists in maintaining a standard to ma...
According to the American Nurses Association, nursing is defined as “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations” (American Nurses Association, 2016). Nurses have many jobs and responsibilities and wear many different hats. Nurses can perform at many different levels depending on their scope of practice which is defined by the board of nursing in one’s state of residence. It is important as nurses to understand and follow
Nursing entails self- directed and cooperative health care for the society at large in all contexts. It includes the promotion of appropriate practices to enhance health, prevention of diseases,
One of the goals of nursing is to respect the human rights, values and costumes of a patient and his or her family and with the community as a whole. The International Council of Nurses states that nursing practice can be defined generally as a dynamic, caring, helping relationship in which the nurse assists the client to achieve and maintain optimal health. As health care providers, we have some fundamental responsibilities such as to promote health, to prevent illnes...
Mrayyan, 2004 stated that one of the factors that decrease nurses autonomy and affect decision making process are autocratic management, doctors and heavy workload. Nursing have very limited autonomy, but this can be increased by a more effective support from auxiliary members of the health care community (Maryann, 2004). Cronewett et al., 2007 also proposed several challenges on what it means to be a competent and respected nurse. These challenges include preparing nurses with further education that will allow them to contribute in the improvement of quality and safety of the healthcare system in which they are a part of. Other areas that is needed is preparing nurses with competences necessary in patient centered care, quality improvement and evidence based practice. The benefits of having nurses involved in important health care decision was stated in laureate education (2012e). In March 23rd 2010, health insurance reform became a law in the united states. The impact of the reform on nursing practice. The health care reform the first step in delivery care reform and it had a huge impact on nursing practice. Majority of nurses practice in the health care delivery settings. The reform allowed nurses to move out into the community and become more active in patient care. The nursing community are now able to advocate on behalf of patients and work as a part of that advocacy is
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the legislative process and the manner in which the nursing profession can influence this process. Too often, nurses underestimate their potential to shape public policy regarding healthcare. Nurses can, and do, possess the necessary experience and skill to influence lawmakers, but do not always exercise this ability. This paper will explore the means by which nurses can impact the formation, implementation, and revision of healthcare policies in this country.
To briefly summarize, the report identifies nurses as an important factor in enabling access to high quality, affordable health care. This was supported by the development of four fundamental recommendations. The first suggests that nurses be allowed to practice within the scope of their degree. This becomes evident in the differences in state laws that pertain to nurse’s who have acquired advanced degrees, such as the nurse practitioner.... ...
. Nurses are the advocates for their clients, and nurses are the backbone of the experience that the client experiences first hand in the application of any health care policy change.