Involvement of Nurses in Influencing Patient Safety Health Policy
Patient safety can significantly be enhanced through the proper participation of the nurses in several ways. Involvement can be done through initiating policy proposals and influence the process of implementation (Myers, 2012). One of the major roles played by the nurses includes health care planning and management of health policy related to patient safety. The involvement of the nurses on patient safety health policy issues stands at 51% (Walshe & Boaden, 2012). It is, therefore, important for nurses to influence health policies formulation rather than the implementation process.
For successful advocacy of a policy, the nurses need the will, power, energy and time to push for a matter (Healy & Dugdale, 2013). The nurse leaders should start by acquiring relevant policy-making skills, which will be critical in addressing patient safety challenge. Moreover, they should be able to identify patient safety issues and work with the other decision makers to advance policies related to patient safety in health care.
Entering into the legislative arena where nurses can advocate for patient safety measures is an important thing (Myers, 2012). This is where the public and the professional meet their legislators and brings forth points they need to be addressed. This is the initial step of bringing changes in the policies. Also, nurse’s roles can be through understanding the steps in the process. In this, the nurses can be involved in designing policies that ensure positive impacts on the health of patients.
Understanding the role of the power players is also an important role. This includes identifying the key players in the legislative arena with the capability of impacting proposed legislation on patient safety. It is important to note that the nurses have considerable power of influencing policies when nursing has a cohesive and firm preference on a certain issue.
Nurses should also be in a position to identify committees who are mostly at the center of policy-making in both the federal and state governments. This can help them discussion of conflicting views are discussed and acted upon accordingly.
