Assignment Task:
Elected Office
What is the potential impact of nurses holding elected office? How might healthcare policy advocacy change if nurses are seated at the table?
For this Discussion, you will consider what it takes to run for an elected office, as well as explore what is at stake for nurses to run for these positions. You will identify nurses elected to public office, and you will consider the impact of these positions. How might learning about policy and advocacy pave the wave for a future as an elected official? Want Online Help?
Resources:
Readings:
- Dawes, D. E. (2020). The political determinants of health. Johns Hopkins University Press.
o Chapter 4, "How the Game is Played: Successful Employment of the Political Determinants of Health" (pp. 78-111)
- Porche, D. J. (2023). Health policy: Applications for nurses and other healthcare professionals (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
o Chapter 13, "Board Governance and Policy Leadership" (pp. 185-192)
o Chapter 14, "Institutional and Organizational/ Association Policy" (pp. 193-199)
o Chapter 17, "Policy Institutes" (pp. 255-264)
- American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology. (2022). Advocacy and policy.
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2022). AANP advocacy: Championing the NP role and amplifying the NP voice
- American Nurses Association. (2018). ANA advocacy toolkit
- American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Nurses serving in congress.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Policy, Performance, and Evaluation. (2021). Resources for writing briefs.
- IDRC. (n.d.). How to write a policy brief.
- International Council of Nurses. (n.d.).
- International Council of Nurses. (2022). Nursing policy.
- National League for Nursing. (2022). Public policy
- National League for Nursing. (2022). Toolkit home
- Open Secrets. (2021). Health professionals: Summary.
- Pitsker, K. (2019, November 26). How to run for local office. Kiplinger
- She Should Run. (2020).
Note: Explore this site on the topic of "Running for Elected Office." You will need to join (free) to access the self-quizzes and materials.
- United Nations. (n.d.). Sustainable development goals: 17 goals to transform our world
- Weakley, S., &Tarrega, M. (n.d.). How to write a policy brief
- Document: Global Issues Impacting Nursing Download Global Issues Impacting Nursing (PDF)
Media
- American Nurses Association. (2021, May 11). RNAction: When nurses speak, Washington listens. [Video].
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 1 minute.
- Parks, M., & Weiner, C. (2019, October 19). How to run for office. [Multimedia]. NPR.
To Prepare:
- Review resources about running for elected office.
- Consider what it might take-including resources, manpower, education, money, etc.-to run for office.
- Research nurses who have become elected officials.
- Consider why nurses might consider running for office.
Post a response detailing the following:
1. What does it take to run for elected office? What are the resources you may need?
2. After determining what it takes to run for office, identify an elected official that is a nurse (anywhere in the world), and then provide an introduction, with a picture, for this official.
3. Finally, explain why running for office is important for nurses to consider.