1. Nurses : The Silent Voice in Health Policy Barbara Sheer DNSc, FNP-C, FAANP ICN APNetwork Communications Chair

2. Objectives Identify an approach to assess the health care needs, stakeholders, and policy makers in the community Discuss methods for gaining expertise in speaking on health care issues, planning an agenda and forming networks with health care

3. Crises in Global Health Care Increase in cost of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis Limited resources Governmental decisions of allocation of resources Increasing emphasis on cost effective primary care and prevention

4. Nurses Count Formidable source in the health care workforce Provide primary, secondary and tertiary care Direct knowledge and experience related to patient needs Direct knowledge of care delivery

5. Nursing Voice Why is it invisible? Nurses Lack –Knowledge of health policy –Top leadership positions –Recognition as authority to speak for health care issues –Leadership skills –Unification of the profession

6. TOOL BOX Leadership skills Knowledge of policy and the issues A collective unity of nurses A network and communication for support Outside support of nurses involved in policy and leadership

7. Leadership Skills Learn the skills –Seminars –Lectures –Practice –Speak out on issues –Start small THINK BIG

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9. Health Policy What are the National Issues? –Regional health issues –Local health issues What are the possible solutions? –What could be done on the local, regional, and national levels. Look at the possible solutions? –Will they work? Where can you start?

10. Unity within Nursing Identify the existing leadership –Work with them to establish a collective voice –Establish priorities –Encourage others to join with you and contribute to the voice Network with others –Identify others who can help –Use consultants

11. Action Plan Identify health issues in your community Speak out on the issues Speak in public forums, publish in news BE HEARD Identify policy makers Contact them Make them aware of your expertise Show them how you can make a difference

12. Policy Making Steps of policy-making Implementation Becoming an active participant in the policy-making arena

13. Policy-making Process is Universal Regardless of type of government policy- making follows a plan or a process The process does not have cultural borders or boundaries The process is sometimes messy and often does not follow rules

14. Are you a candidate for policy- making Are you willing to commit time, energy and resources to the task of change? Will you commit to communicating with colleagues and sharing information? Do you have a network of colleagues with your same interests?

15. Is your answer yes? Then lets talk about the policy- making process for change in health care, nursing roles or your work situation.

16. What is Policy-Making A series of related activities and their consequences A proposed course of action moving toward a goal and yielding outcomes

17. Policy-Making Process Issue Identification Issue Adoption Issue Implementation Issue evaluation Policy Issue ID Adoption Implementation Evaluation

18. Issue Identification Awareness of need Recognition of significance Support of peers or public Issue Identification Policy

19. Sorting out the issue What is meant by Awareness of issue? Pro and Con Stakeholders Building coalitions Moving the issue forward

20. Moving the issue onto the agenda What is an agenda How do you get an issue on the agenda How do you move the issue toward a positive resolution

21. Issue Adoption Does it meet the test for relevance? Is it timely? Is it timely? Is the issue ready to be placed on to be placed on the agenda? Issue Adoption Policy

22. Issue of Implementation Writing the policy Language of the policy policy Issue of Implementation Policy

23. Policy Established Move issue through the rule making the rule making process of group process of group to become a to become a policy policy Policy

24. Policy Evaluation Evaluation of policy Revisiting the outcomes Monitoring results Adapt to meet the needs over time needs over time Policy Evaluation

25. Issue Identification Issue Adoption Issue Implementation Policy Evaluation

26. Analysis We can do this because nurses are change agents for improved health!

27. Our Strengths Committed Persevere Affiliations

28. Benefits Benefits You will have learned how to make change within the system where you work, live or practice. The process can be applied to all situations where you want to make change. You have become a valued professional and change agent.

29. Next Step Begin building your network of colleagues Have fun and make change!

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