As nurses, we advocate every day. At the bedside we advocate for our patients, their families, and each other. We listen, teach, and coach with a focus on improving the care of our patients and our communities. I have always felt this was the one most important element of nursing, yet this year, as a first-time attendee at the American Nurses Association (ANA) Hill Day in Washington, D.C., I gained a new appreciation for this critical opportunity for us to improve care, policy advocacy.
As a novice, I was nervous about what they day might bring and what I might say. I found Hill Day well organized and helpful in supporting newbies get familiar with the flow and providing tips to being a successful advocate. The day brought together more nurses from across the country to meet directly with their home state members of Congress and staff to discuss issues affecting patients, families, and the nursing workforce. Legislative priorities of the day included strengthening the nursing workforce through Title VIII funding for workforce development, preventing workplace violence by requiring employers to have a workplace violence prevention strategy and protecting nurses when they speak up, and improving APRN’s to ability practice independently increasing access to care to those living in rural and underserved areas. The most impactful part of the day was hearing nurses shared their personal stories illustrating the real-world impact of current policies and work climates on colleagues, and their community.
In clinical practice, we witness firsthand the challenges families face in accessing care, the consequences of workforce shortages, and the systemic barriers that prevent patients getting the best care and allowing them to be as healthy as possible. As a pediatric nurse and researcher, I feel passionate improving healthcare delivery and outcomes for children and families through evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and research, but is it enough? Hill Day made me think I need to take my work further. I collect and carry patient stories, and work with communities; our work can shape policy locally and nationally. As nurses if we don’t take a seat at the table, the voices of our patients and families may be underrepresented or unheard.
Regardless of your specialty, practice setting, or career stage, nurses share a common desire to improve health and support our patients. Every one of us can play a role by contacting elected officials, participating in professional organizations, serving on committees, or sharing your experiences with policymakers. Meaningful advocacy can start with small actions and grow over time. As nurses, we are consistently ranked among the most trusted professionals in the country, which gives us an opportunity to be heard and create change.
If you haven’t participated in advocacy outside of your clinical setting, I encourage you to take one step forward, stay informed, share your expertise and experiences. Recognize that your voice matters. What seems obvious to us, is not obvious to others. You are the expert in the health and care of your community. If we don’t share our stories and advocate in whatever way we can, large or small, we forfeit, and our profession becomes overridden by whims of others.
