The Role of RN/APRN in Policy Making: Challenges and Recommendations

This report examines the pivotal role of Registered Nurses (RNs) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) in healthcare policy development. It emphasizes their responsibility in addressing public health issues through policy participation. The report identifies key opportunities for nurses, such as participating in decision-making and advocating for improved patient care. It also addresses the challenges nurses face, including skill gaps and lack of resources, and suggests strategies like training and collaboration to overcome these. The report recommends strengthening alliances and engaging in group discussions to enhance nurses' advocacy efforts. Ultimately, the report underscores the value of RNs and APRNs' real-world experience in driving positive changes in healthcare policies, contributing to improved health outcomes for the population. The report references key research in the field to support its findings.

Running head: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY-MAKING
THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY-MAKING
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1THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY-MAKING
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Opportunities for nurses to participate in policy making................................................................2
Challenges and way to overcome it.................................................................................................3
Recommendation.............................................................................................................................3
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................3
Reference.........................................................................................................................................5

2THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY-MAKING
Introduction
RN and APRN are responsible body to provide effective care to their patient by
participating in the policy development. The main aim of the paper is to discuss the role of RN
and APRN in policy making by highlighting the opportunity, challenges and recommendation
related to their participation in policy making.
Opportunities for nurses to participate in policy making
Registered nurse and APRN have the responsibility of addressing the health issue of
common people by taking part in policy development. They are the one who do not realize their
capability of being part of health policy advocacy. There are many opportunity that exist for the
nurse regarding development of health policy. The two opportunity that nurse have are as
follows:
1. Nurse have the opportunity to take part in the decision making process of policy
development. They also have chance to showcase their knowledge, leadership quality and
share their expertise in decision making. In policy development process, there is the need
of the relevant information of current health status of the country which can be provided
by the nursing staffs (Spetz, 2015).
2. Second opportunity that RN and ARPN have to take role in advocating for the patient for
better quality health. They are aware about the health care system and their advocacy role
pose an impact on the policies, rules and regulations. Hence, they have the chance to
educate the other experts and pose an urge to bring changes.

3THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY-MAKING
Challenges and way to overcome it
According to Patton, Zalon and Ludwick (2018) it can be said that nurse face many
barriers to take in policy development as they feel inferior and lack of strength does not make
any difference to health care system. The main challenges that nurse have in participation of
health policy development are related with the insufficient policy development skill, lack of
quality education that make them good leader, lack of supportive organization that does not
allow them to be competent enough to take part in policy making, lack of resource and lack of
efficient involvement.
These challenges can be overcome by getting effective training to develop policy
development skills. They need to develop such skills that will make them eligible to take part in
policy development. They have to give effective care to the patient and should be knowledgeable
about the current health scenario.
Recommendation
The two strategies for better advocacy of above mention opportunity to participate in
policy making:
1. Should develop strong alliance and support of other nursing staffs and encourage them by
educating the importance of their role in policy development.
2. RN and APRN can also get engage in group sessions with in depth discussion of health
care advocacy (Larsen et al., 2018).
Conclusion
Lastly, from the above discussion it can be said that RN and APRN are well accustomed
with current health care system and need for the changes. Therefore, their experience in real

4THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY-MAKING
health scenario are encouraging to take part in advocacy role in order to improve the health status
of people.

5THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY-MAKING
Reference
Larsen, R., Ashley, J., Ellens, T., Frauendienst, R., Jorgensen‐Royce, K., & Zelenak, M. (2018).
Development of a new graduate public health nurse residency program using the core
competencies of public health nursing. Public Health Nursing, 35(6), 606-612.
Patton, R. M., Zalon, M. L., & Ludwick, R. (Eds.). (2018). Nurses making policy: From bedside
to boardroom. Springer Publishing Company.
Spetz, J. (2015). Too many, too few, or just right? Making sense of conflicting RN supply and
demand forecasts. Nursing Economics, 33(3), 176.