Health Policy and Advocacy

​ Committee

Kayla Honeysett
Vice President
University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing
Pittsburgh, PA
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Seasonal Memos​

What is the Role of the Health Policy and Advocacy Committee?

The committee is responsible for engaging members in the implementation of resolutions related to health policy and advocacy. NSNA is not a lobbying organization: NSNA informs and teaches members about health policy and advocacy. 

Kayla Honeysett Vice President and
​Chair, Health Policy and Advocacy Committee, Summer Memo

Hello fellow advocates! My name is Kayla Honeysett and I am honored to be the Vice President of the NSNA Board of Directors and chair of the Health Policy and Advocacy Committee.

The committee theme for the year is “The HEART of Nursing: Healers, Advocates, Educators, Resources, and Trailblazers.” We chose this theme because it encompasses many of the roles that nurses, and nursing students have. I hope that nursing students will embrace all aspects of the HEART in their practice!

There are many goals this committee has in relation to both health policy and patient advocacy. We want to advocate, educate, and provide resources for nursing students in accordance with Resolutions focusing on increasing mental health first aid training, promoting the role of professional nursing organizations in health policy and advocacy, and providing education and awareness on the care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In order to achieve our goals, we plan to publish work in Imprint, post information on social media, and communicate with state Presidents and Health Policy/Legislative Chairs.

Our voices as students and future nurses are so powerful! I encourage chapters and their members to attend an American Nurses Association State Constituent Nurses Day at the Statehouse or Capitol Hill Days hosted by their State Nursing Student Association chapters, and NSNA’s Annual Advocacy Education Day.

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NSNA Advocacy Education Day

NSNA’s Advocacy Education Day is designed for student nurses interested in learning more about legislative advocacy.
 
Students have the power to make change happen. NSNA believes it is vital to involve all student nurses in advocacy. Each student nurse can positively impact the profession through public policy advocacy for patients, nurses, and the nursing profession.
 
This Advocacy Education Day will teach participants to utilize their leadership abilities in the political world. Nurses continue to be the most trusted profession, and policymakers listen when nurses and student nurses speak!

Get Out the Vote

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The nursing profession has developed into politically savvy group, and legislators listen to us. An excellent way to cultivate political awareness is participating in the electoral process. Legislators will pay closer attention to us when we can demonstrate that nurses and nursing students are showing up at the polls. It is our duty and right as United States citizens to vote and our obligation as future professionals to monitor health and public assistance programs, funding for nursing education, and equal rights for all citizens of the United States.
 
Voter registration opportunities expanded significantly with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. This Act also called the "Motor Voter," allows people to register to vote when they apply for or renew a driver's license. Also, the Act requires states to offer voter registration to citizens at state‐funded service agencies (i.e., Food Stamps and Medicaid offices), unemployment compensation offices, public schools, and public libraries. All states must also accept and use the mail‐in voter registration forms. Go to https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-national-voter-registration-act for more information on the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. Read More...
Additional Resources

Congress.gov
​​Understanding policy overall is critical to understanding the nuances of healthcare policy.  Members can go to www.congress.govto look up bills in the House of Representatives and Senate.  On Congress.gov members can review current legislative activities and complete congressional records. Those interested can also learn about bill sponsors, the status of a bill, and obtain full content of a bill. For more information please visit www.congress.gov.
Image Courtesy of Congress.gov
Health Policy and Advocacy Resources
A Hot Topic: Climate and Nursing
Dr. Barbara Sattler, Professor
University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California
Plenary Session - April 6, 2018
66th Annual Convention - Nashville, Tennessee

Health Policy and Advocacy Resources

​Click below to learn the basics of Health Policy and Advocacy Activities.
 
​Below are links to useful resources when planning Health Policy and Advocacy education activities:
Imprint Articles