The process of developing health policy

 The process of developing health policy

The process of developing health policy should be pluralistic and inclusive of all nurse leaders who work in policy-making roles. Nurse leaders must proactively reassess their own roles in health policy formulation and work to formalize these positions through job descriptions that incorporate participation in policy formation. (Shariff, 2014) Nurse leaders, through their professional organizations and roles, must lobby and create an enabling atmosphere that encourages nurses to participate more actively in this arena. (Shariff, 2014) There are many reasons why nurses do not actively engage in lobbying efforts, a low level of awareness, insufficient skills, and limited opportunities for participation are only a few of the causes. (Shariff, 2014) Another impediment is the nursing profession’s lack of formal health-care policy education. Resources and time are further barriers to the nursing profession’s involvement in politics. (Shariff, 2014)

Nurses can utilize a range of strategies to urge themselves and their coworkers to become politically involved and fight for specific topics such as healthcare policy changes. Political participation was defined as nurses’ participation in activities that were considered political in nature. (Alhassan et al., 2019) Voting, campaigning, joining rallies, volunteering, addressing elected officials, working with others on local problems or concerns, and becoming a member of nursing or non-nursing groups that take positions on political matters were among these actions. (Alhassan et al., 2019) A good example that nurses can use is to protest outside of a healthcare facility while using poster boards and signs