The American Nurses Association (ANA) recently released its latest interactive method for nurses across the country to easily stay engaged on the pressing issues facing the profession today. Almost everyone these days has a Facebook account, and most are keenly aware of the opportunity it provides to share with and engage friends, family, and colleagues on issues that are important to them. ANA is harnessing that power and taking it one step further by launching the new Boundless Voices action site for Facebook.

ANA’s Boundless Voices page is a unique online tool that was designed to integrate ANA’s online advocacy tools with Facebook’s social network. Now nurses can keep all their Facebook friends informed as they take action on critical nursing issues. In the true spirit of grassroots advocacy, nurses’ entire social network will be encouraged to support ANA with you.

So what can nurses expect from the new ANA Boundless Voices app? The new site will allow nurses to use the following features to generate instant Facebook updates to their wall and to the newsfeeds of all the nurse’s Facebook friends. Doing so will promote the nurses’ support of ANA and offer their friends the opportunity to take action as well.

Some of the features included in the Boundless Voices app include the following:

• Take action—connect to the alert to sign a petition, send a letter, etc.
• Get the word out—share the action alert with Facebook friends.
• Donate your profile picture—allow ANA’s logo to become your profile photo.
• Share your story—share your reasons for being an advocate with friends and other ANA supporters who have also downloaded the app.

ANA has also included a “Measure Your Impact” area where users can get updates on past alerts, make sure they don’t miss out on new opportunities to educate elected officials, and enjoy bragging rights by earning points for every alert they take.

ANA urges all members to take this opportunity to increase support for the nursing profession and to grow ANA’s impact on Capitol Hill. The potential is immense, and we are thrilled to be taking action with Boundless Voices! To join ANA in this effort, download Boundless Voices for your Facebook account.

Nurses who want to know more about the pressing issues facing patients and the profession can check out the ANA Take Action page at http://www.rnaction.org/site/PageNavigator/NSTAT/nstat_homepage, where they can find information on the hot-button healthcare
issues facing Congress and nursing today. Nurses also can follow ANA on Twitter @nursingworld. It only takes a few moments to lend your voice with nurses across the country. Members of Congress want to hear from nurses. Remember—when nurses talk, Washington listens.

Joe Mayer is a senior political action specialist at ANA.