Running Head: NURSES AND LEGISLATION 1

Nurses Influence on Legislation Process

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NURSES AND LEGISLATION 2
Nurses Influence on Legislation Process

Nurses are expected to provide holistic care to patients. Mainly, the duties of a nurse are

in the healthcare facilities. Nonetheless, nurses play a critical role in the legislation process. They

are consulted on laws regarding healthcare issues before they are enacted.

What parts of the lawmaking process does a nurse have an opportunity to influence the

final bill passage?

The United States has a bicameral legislature. It comprises of two main chambers, the

community and the council chambers. Before a proposed bill is enacted, the two chambers must

approve it. At first, the debate on the bill starts as a consideration. It is up to the proposers of the

bill to prove the value and benefit of the bill to the people. While any person can draft a bill, the

Congressmen are the only ones mandated to table the bill and support it for adoption. The

proposers, therefore, have to research carefully through the help experts and professionals. In the

healthcare sector, nurses should take this opportunity to influence the final bill passage since

they are knowledgeable and are aware of the reality on the ground.

List at least two ways that this influence can take place. In your opinion, would one way be

preferable over the other?

How nurses can influence the passage of the final bill

Nurses are well versed with the challenges facing the healthcare system. While they may

not have enough time to get involved in influencing final bill passage, nurses can create mark

through advocacy. Their advocacy role can influence changes in laws, polices and regulations

that govern the healthcare system. In this regard, nurses can influence the bills concerning

healthcare through two ways; advocating as an individual and through large nursing

organizations. As an individual, the nurse can create contact with members. Here, they can be
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sending personal letters, or visit the contact persons and organize personal meetings. During this

time, they can raise their opinions about various issues. On the other hand, nurses can work with

other health organizations involved in advocacy. As a group, nurses will have more influence

due to the numbers (Chaska, 2000). Through professional organizations, nurses can be

effectively involved in the drafting legislations, providing statistical information and other facts,

and evaluating proposed legislations.

Reviewing the social determinants of health, select one to respond to this question: What

role can nurse play in promoting health status through policy changes directly affecting

this social determinant?

According to Schroeder et al. (2018), the social determiners of health are the conditions

in which people in a certain community are born, brow, live, work and age. The living conditions

are such as the location of their houses, their socioeconomic status, occupational hazards,

environmental living conditions and health risks. When people lack the basic amenities, their

health outcomes are at risk. In this regard, to promote the health for such people, other resources

other than the medical care are required. For example, people living in slums should be settled in

standard houses with all the basic amenities. To improve the social determiners of health, a nurse

therefore, can advocate for enactment of policies that affect the living conditions of poor people.

Also, nurses can make politicians aware that any policies they enact, though not concerned with

healthcare, has an effect on the quality of health of the people. Such approach in advocacy will

create a multi-sectoral approach towards improving healthcare, and in the process, improve the

social determiners of health.

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References

Chaska, N. L. (Ed.). (2000). The nursing profession: Tomorrow and beyond. Sage Publications.

Schroeder, K., Malone, S. K., McCabe, E., & Lipman, T. (2018). Addressing the social

determinants of health: A call to action for school nurses. The Journal of School

Nursing, 34(3), 182-191.