Nurses’ Participation in Legislation and Policy Amendment

It should be stressed that nurses should participate in healthcare legislation and policy amendment actively because, this way, they will be advocating for their clients. To effect change at the state level, nurses need to collaborate with other professionals since, first, they need to get experienced in interdisciplinary cooperation, informatics, and technology. In addition, they should consider joining professional nursing organizations to partner with leaders who can lobby their interests. At a national level, nurses could reach out to representatives and take an internship with officials. This will allow them to work personally on the issues, which require healthcare providers’ opinions and experience to be resolved.

It is important that nurses are state-licensed since each state has its individual requirements. Although licensing implies that nurses understand and abide by universal guidelines and postulates, every state needs to make sure their healthcare professionals are aware of the needs of their state. However, it is possible to assume that federal licensing may be a solution for travel nurses who are not attached to a specific area. It is also not easy to state whether there should be a single entry-level of education because this depends on the setting in which the nurse will be functioning. For instance, if a nurse has an Associate’s Degree in Nursing, they will need to make efforts to advance to managerial positions. Therefore, the requirements for the educational level often depend on the environment in which the nurse will operate. Importantly, the nursing shortage remains a pressing issue due to a number of reasons. The core of the problem does not lie in the insufficient supply of nurses, but in so that staffing ratios are often inadequate, placement programs are ineffective, and employees are not retained.