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Health Policy and Advocacy

​ Committee

​Empowered to Advocate, Prepared to Lead


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Kyla Mesa
Director
Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville, GA
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Memos
  • Fall 2025 Memo​

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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. 

Hi everyone! My name is Kyla Mesa, and I am thrilled and honored to serve as the Health Policy and Advocacy Committee Chair with Courtney McClure Uche and Anna Scaria by my side as members of the Health Policy and Advocacy Committee! Please check out the committee’s upcoming webinars:
 
NSNA Advocacy Education Day will virtually take place on Friday, September 19th, 2025, at 1PM EST. This is an annual event dedicated to empowering nursing students to become strong, informed advocates for our patients, communities, and profession. On September 19th, you’ll have the opportunity to learn how state and federal legislation impacts your future as a nurse, discover the power of your voice in shaping healthcare policy, hear from experienced nurse advocates and policy leaders, find out how to get involved in your State Nurses Association, and connect with your state and national representatives! Join us as we engage with national leaders in health policy to learn and understand how important nursing students are to shaping healthcare in our nation!

​Read full memo here.

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...

National Voter Day Information

Congress.gov

​​Understanding policy overall is critical to understanding the nuances of healthcare policy.  Members can go to www.congress.gov to 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.
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Image Courtesy of Congress.gov
Health Policy and Advocacy Resources
Health Policy and Advocacy Guidelines
Getting the Pieces to Fit
Request a Field visit
Resolutions
Awards & Honors
How to Write a Policy Brief
Leadership U Summer Summit Presentation
2025 NSNA Advocacy Education Day
Friday, September 19, 2025, 1:00-3:30 pm EDT

Interact and engage with national leaders in health policy to learn and understand how important nursing students are to shaping the landscape of healthcare in our nation.

Speakers:

  • Dr. Rachel Culpepper, Board of Directors – Region 5, American Organization for Nursing Leadership
  • Dr. Alison Hernandez, Senior Policy Advisor, Regulatory and Advocacy, American Nurses Association
  • Tom Harrington, Associate, State Affairs, Government Affairs, National Council of State Boards of Nursing
  • Kyla Mesa, NSNA Director and Chair, Health Policy and Advocacy Committee
  • D. Ryan Barrett, NSNA President

Health Policy and Advocacy Resources

​Click below to learn the basics of Health Policy and Advocacy Activities.
Additional Health Policy & Advocacy Resources
 
​Below are links to useful resources when planning Health Policy and Advocacy education activities:
  • ​American Nurses Association Health Policy
  • ​Campaign for Action: The Future of Nursing Institute of Medicine Report
  • RWJF & IOM Initiative to Expanded Access to Quality Care through Nursing​
  • American Nurses Association: RNAction​
Imprint Articles
  • April/May 2018 - Participating in Shared Governance (Hess/Tebben)
  • November/December 2017 - Raise Your Voices for Healthcare (Sister Rosemary Donley)
  • April/May 2017 - Who Speaks for Nursing? (Rosemary Mortimer)

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  • About NSNA
    • Who We Are
    • Appointed Consultants
    • Foundation of the NSNA
    • NSNA Calendar
    • Press/Media
    • Advertise
    • NSNA/FNSNA Staff
    • Contact Us
  • Committees
    • NSNA President
    • Committees >
      • Breakthrough To Nursing Committee
      • Convention Planning Committee
      • Ethics and Governance Committee
      • Finance Committee
      • Health Policy and Advocacy Committee
      • Image of Nursing Committee
      • Membership Committee
      • Population and Global Health Committee
    • Council of State Presidents
    • Nominating and Elections Committee >
      • How To Run For National Office
    • Resolutions Committee >
      • Resolutions
  • Membership
    • Join/Renew/Gift Card Online
    • Membership Benefits
    • Partnership Program
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    • Publications >
      • Imprint >
        • Imprint Archive >
          • Career Planning Guides
        • Get Published in Imprint
        • Imprint FAQs
      • Getting the Pieces to Fit
      • Guidelines for Planning
    • NSNA Program Awards & Honors
    • Membership Recruitment Resources
    • Association & Chapter Resources
    • Leadership U Honor Society
  • Meetings
    • NSNA Annual Convention
    • NSNA MidYear Conference
    • NSNA Leadership Conference
  • Faculty
    • Sustaining Membership
    • Faculty Resources >
      • Dean's Notes
      • ​Guidelines for State Consultants and School Chapter Advisors
      • Getting the Pieces to Fit
  • Career Center
    • Career Planning Guides
    • Hospitals
  • NSNA Store