Nurse Advocate

Nursing Advocate in Policy and Regulations. Nurses today are aware that healthcare systems entail a myriad of policies, laws, and regulations. Often nurses are the first who see the impact of health policy on individual patients and their families. This can impose a challenge for both the nurses and the patients alike due to the fact that they are often caught between cost constraints and quality care. Dealing with these issues, nurses have the choice to adhere, make do, and keep silent, or to get involved, stand up and speak up. Looking back on the history of nursing, there are many outstanding examples of nurses who paved the way in the political arena. Some initiated policy proposals, some worked hard to veto others’ proposals and some who have demonstrated how a nurse can influence the implementation of health policy. Indeed, starting with Florence Nightingale and many more that followed are the inspiration for today’s nurses to take action and bring about changes in the current policies, laws, and regulations that are in place in …show more content…
I believe, stepping out of the comfort zone and speaking out is the most significant issue that not only me but many nurses face. It is not easy to overcome ones’ weaknesses. One way how I can overcome this challenge is to have a “Noble Purpose” in mind. As author Diana M. Crowell explains in her book Complexity Leadership: Nursing’s Role in Health Care Delivery (2011), that when a person engages in the noble purpose, he/she regenerates passion and purpose to live and to work meaningfully, with the purpose to serve others, and when the cause is greater than oneself, anything is possible. Another key barrier is to have a mindset of “I am powerless.” Feeling disempowered, thinking that one voice is not enough and cannot be heard is the wrong approach. By sharing my nursing perspective and professional opinion on healthcare issues I can stand up and be