Choose a legislator on the state or federal level who is also a nurse and discuss the importance of the legislator/nurse’s role as advocate for improving

Choose a legislator on the state or federal level who is also a nurse and discuss the importance of the legislator/nurse’s role as advocate for improving health care delivery.

DQ 2

Research legislation that has occurred within the last 5 years at the state or federal level as a result of nurse advocacy. Describe the legislation and what was accomplished. What additional steps need to be taken to continue advocacy for this issue?

Verified Expert Answer and Explanation

Choose a legislator on the state or federal level who is also a nurse and discuss the importance of the legislator/nurse’s role as advocate for improving health care delivery. What specific bills has the legislator/nurse sponsored or supported that have influenced health care

Nurse Legislator

I come from New Mexico, and unfortunately, we do not have a legislator who is a nurse at either state or federal level. However, several nurses are representatives in congress. One of the nurses is Eddie Johnson, and she is currently serving in congress (Congress. Gov 2022). Through her service, she has supported various bills in healthcare and related matters, which has improved the quality of care provided. 

Importance Of The Nurse’s Role As An Advocate For Improving Health Care Deliver

Notably, most of the practices in hospitals are primarily influenced by legislation and politics. Even when nurses and hospital management do all they can to ensure quality care, they need political advocacy for the hospital to be successful. A nurse has ample experience dealing firsthand with health issues and is well versed with matters that can be experienced in healthcare.

As a legislator, the nurse ensures that most of the problems are addressed to improve health care in general (Wallis, 2015). Moreover, the nurse educates other legislators on the effect of bills that do not serve the health interests of the country or state. Therefore, it is paramount to have nurse legislatures as they offer a comparative perspective on how politics affect healthcare. 

Specific Bills That The Nurse Has Sponsored Or Supported That Have Influenced Health Care

Eddie Johnson has sponsored and cosponsored several bills that affect nursing. One of the bills includes the Telehealth Extension Act of 2021, which focuses on extending the availability of telehealth and improving the quality of care across the country. Another bill cosponsored by the legislator is Access to Birth Control which aims to ease methods through which women can access birth control methods at no extra cost (Propublica 2022). If the bills go through, there will be a significant improvement in current healthcare practices.

References

Congress. Gov. https://www.congress.gov/member/eddie-johnson/J000126

Propublica. (2022). Congress Bills by Eddie Johnso. https://projects.propublica.org/represent/members/J000126/bills-sponsored/115

Wallis, L. (2015). In a U-Turn, the ANA Supports the National Nurse Act. AJN The American Journal of Nursing, 115(8), 16.

DQ 2

Research legislation that has occurred within the last 5 years at the state or federal level as a result of nurse advocacy. Describe the legislation and what was accomplished. What additional steps need to be taken to continue advocacy for this issue?

Legislation As a Result of Nursing Advocacy

Health Policy: H.R. 1667: Dr Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act

One of the legislations that has occurred due to nurse advocacy is the H.R.1667 – Dr Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. Presented by Dr Lora Breen, the Act ensured that nurses get enough mental support when carrying out their daily activities (Library of the Congress 2021). There will be activities and grants given to nurses through the Act to prevent burnout amongst healthcare practitioners. Additionally, focusing on COVID-19, the Act ensures that all nurses experiencing mental health issues have a chance to take a break and seek help. 

ANA has been advocating for the issue, explaining that many nurses are at the frontline of fighting the pandemic, and they are constantly experiencing burnout because of a lack of proper care for the nurses (ANA 2022). As a result, some of them prefer to quit, which has further affected staffing. Through advocacy, there has been extensive research on how nurses can be helped and the closest bill there is to covering their issues is the Act. As a result of the Act, nurses and other medical practitioners will enjoy quality work life as they can take care of their mental health. 

Moreover, the Act recognizes the importance of good health among nurses to patients. When nurses are experiencing burnout, they are at higher risk of committing medical errors that can be fatal to the patients. Additionally, they are likely to offer little attention to the patients, even refusing to attend to their needs (Prasad et al. 2021). However, through advocacy, it is possible to understand nurse issues and ensure that they do not get in the way of their practice. 

References

ANA. (2022). ANA Applauds Signing of Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act by President Biden https://www.nursingworld.org/news/news-releases/2022-news-releases/ana-applauds-signing-of-lorna-breen-health-care-provider-protection-act-by-president-biden/

Library of the Congress (2021). Summary of H.R. 1667: Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act – GovTrack.us. Retrieved 11 January 2022, from https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/hr1667/summary

Prasad, K., McLoughlin, C., Stillman, M., Poplau, S., Goelz, E., Taylor, S., … & Sinsky, C. A. (2021). Prevalence and correlates of stress and burnout among US healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A national cross-sectional survey study. EClinicalMedicine, 35, 100879.

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The Critical Importance of Nurse Legislators in Shaping Healthcare Policy

Healthcare policy decisions affect millions of Americans daily, from patient safety standards to healthcare access and nursing workforce development. Yet the voices making these crucial decisions often lack direct healthcare experience. This is why nurse legislators play such a vital role in government—they bring frontline healthcare expertise directly to the legislative process, ensuring that policy decisions are informed by real-world clinical experience and patient care understanding.

The Current Landscape of Nurses in Government

The representation of nurses in government remains critically low despite nursing being the largest healthcare profession in the United States. Research shows that the number of nurse legislators has actually declined over the past decade, with 97 nurse legislators serving in 39 states in 2013 compared to fewer today. This decline is concerning given the increasing complexity of healthcare challenges facing our nation.

Currently, several nurses serve in the U.S. Congress, including Sheri Biggs, who was elected in 2024 and is serving her first term representing South Carolina’s Third District. Other notable nurse legislators include Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02), who serve as vice-chairs of the recently relaunched Congressional Nursing Caucus.

Why Nurse Legislators Matter: Unique Perspectives and Expertise

Nurse legislators bring irreplaceable value to the political process through their comprehensive understanding of healthcare systems, patient advocacy experience, and evidence-based decision-making skills. Their clinical background provides them with firsthand knowledge of how policy decisions translate into real-world patient outcomes.

Direct Patient Care Experience

Nurses understand healthcare delivery from the ground up. They’ve witnessed how policy decisions affect patient care quality, safety, and access. This perspective is invaluable when crafting legislation related to healthcare staffing, patient safety standards, and healthcare facility regulations. For example, recent federal legislation like the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act directly addresses issues that nurses encounter daily in their practice.

Advocacy Skills and Patient-Centered Focus

Nursing education and practice emphasize advocacy as a core professional responsibility. Nurses are trained to speak up for patients who cannot advocate for themselves, making them natural champions for vulnerable populations in the legislative arena. This advocacy mindset translates directly into effective political representation and policy development that prioritizes public health and patient welfare.

Evidence-Based Decision Making

Nurses are educated to make decisions based on scientific evidence and best practices. This approach to problem-solving is crucial in political environments where emotional rhetoric often overshadows factual analysis. Nurse legislators consistently bring research-backed perspectives to policy discussions, helping ensure that healthcare legislation is grounded in proven outcomes rather than political ideology.

Current Legislative Impact and Initiatives

Nurse legislators are actively working on bipartisan healthcare initiatives, such as the Improving Care and Access to Nurses (I CAN) Act, which aims to address nursing workforce challenges. The Congressional Nursing Caucus serves as a bipartisan forum for advancing nursing and healthcare priorities at the federal level.

These legislative efforts address critical healthcare challenges including nurse staffing shortages, educational funding for nursing programs, and improved patient safety standards. Nurse legislators also champion recognition of the nursing profession, as evidenced by bipartisan resolutions celebrating National Nurses Week.

The Broader Impact on Healthcare Policy

When nurses participate in electoral politics and serve as legislators, they help bridge the gap between healthcare policy and practice. State legislatures play key roles in funding and regulating health policy, making nurse representation at the state level particularly crucial for healthcare system improvement.

Nurse legislators influence policy areas far beyond traditional healthcare legislation. They bring healthcare perspectives to discussions about education, social services, environmental health, and economic policy—all areas that significantly impact public health outcomes.

Challenges and Barriers to Nurse Political Participation

Despite their valuable contributions, nurses face several barriers to political participation. Many nurses don’t view political engagement as part of their professional role, focusing instead on direct patient care. As one expert noted, “They may not necessarily see that being politically active is part of being a nurse”.

Time constraints, competing professional demands, and lack of political experience can also deter nurses from seeking elected office. Additionally, the financial requirements of political campaigns can be prohibitive for healthcare professionals who may not have the same financial resources as candidates from business or legal backgrounds.

The Path Forward: Encouraging Nurse Political Engagement

To address these challenges and increase nurse representation in government, the nursing profession must actively encourage political participation at all levels. This includes:

Education and Awareness

Nursing education programs should emphasize political advocacy as a professional responsibility and provide training on civic engagement. Whether through running for office, contacting representatives, or regular voting, nurses should understand that political participation is essential to advancing healthcare and nursing interests.

Mentorship and Support Systems

Experienced nurse legislators can mentor other nurses interested in political careers, providing guidance on campaign strategies, policy development, and navigating political systems. Professional nursing organizations play a crucial role in providing this support infrastructure.

Financial and Organizational Support

Nursing organizations and healthcare groups should provide financial and logistical support for nurse candidates, helping level the playing field with candidates from other professional backgrounds.

The Future of Healthcare Depends on Nurse Leadership

As healthcare challenges become more complex—from aging populations and chronic disease management to healthcare technology integration and global health threats—the need for nurse legislators becomes more urgent. Nurses possess the clinical expertise, advocacy skills, and patient-centered perspective necessary to craft effective healthcare policy.

The declining number of nurse legislators represents not just a loss for the nursing profession, but a loss for all Americans who depend on effective healthcare policy. With the majority of current nurse legislators up for re-election in recent cycles, now is the time to encourage more nurses to consider political careers and for voters to recognize the unique value that nurse legislators bring to government.

Healthcare policy affects every American, and those policies should be informed by healthcare professionals who understand their real-world implications. Nurse legislators provide this essential link between healthcare practice and policy, ensuring that legislative decisions are grounded in clinical expertise and patient advocacy.

The future of American healthcare depends on having voices in government who truly understand healthcare delivery, patient needs, and system challenges. Nurse legislators provide these voices, and their increased participation in politics at all levels—local, state, and federal—is essential for creating effective, patient-centered healthcare policy that serves all Americans.

By supporting and electing nurse legislators, we invest in healthcare policy that is both clinically sound and deeply informed by the profession dedicated to patient care and advocacy. The importance of nurse legislators cannot be overstated—they are essential partners in building a healthier future for our nation.