Week 4: Nursing Advocacy and Professional Identity (Leadership Role) Formation ALL ANSWERS FALL-2022 LATEST 100% CORRECT

Give an example of how a nurse can affect public policy in various appointed positions. What aspects of professional identity (leadership role) formation would you anticipate acquiring for such positions? Nurses are influential members of the health care system as well as the community. Nurses can greatly impact public policy through advocacy from an excellent viewpoint. The professional and personal experiences of nurses in the field can help support and explain the patients’ healthcare needs to various political constituents to improve patient safety, access to healthcare services and increase quality of care. The clinical experience of nurses can aid in understanding what works and what does not work for patient care and services in making public policy changes. Nurses are also well liked, respected and trusted by the community and this can be helpful when nurses advocate for programs, they believe will improve patient care (Maryland & Gonzalez 2012). Nurses are a part of the largest group of medical professionals worldwide, with more than 3.8 million registered nurses (AACN, 2019). There is power in numbers. Any nurse can become an advocate at the local, state, or federal level but to hold elected and appointed office, work on the boards and committees that influence the decision- making process, it is important to know exactly how the system works.