Conclusion
Nurses have the knowledge, experience, and skills to be excellent advocates. This article has provided examples demonstrating how a nurse can create change by engaging in the advocacy process in the community to impact healthcare access, cost, and quality.It has also provided an overview of a state legislative process, offering specific advocacy strategies to enable readers to become effective advocates in legislative arenas. The skills nurses need to become successful advocates include the ability to develop a clear and broad understanding of the issues, to know the players, and to know how their proposed solution will impact the problem being addressed. As noted above, nursing is the most trusted profession. Yet nurses need to earn this position of honor, respect, and trust every day. Similarly in the policy-making arena, trust is of paramount importance and needs to be earned.
As authors we hope this information has been sufficient to entice you to get involved and become an advocate for your patients both in your community and in the broader legislative arena. Nurses have much to offer: their knowledge, tenacity, public support, and the courage of their convictions. Our perspectives as nurses, our experience in patient care, and our passion for quality care are valuable tools for creating change. Now is the time to move forward and advocate for patients in these various arenas. The public needs our voice!