Influencing Health Policy

Nurses can play a pivotal role in spearheading and influencing health care policy. Karen Daley's personal story, presented in this week's media program, is a poignant example of this. In addition, special interest groups and professional nursing organizations support nurses at the local, state, national, and international levels to improve health care delivery through influencing health care policy. To prepare for this Discussion, reflect on your readings and the video presentation from this week's resources. Then address the following:

1. Identify a health policy problem in your local community or state.

2. How could nurses use policy and politics to address the problem?

3. Review the Learning Resources and note successful strategies used by nurses or nurse associations to influence policy making.

4. What strategies could support you in championing this issue?