Health Policy and Advocacy

​ Committee

(Formerly named the Legislation Education Committee)

"Supporting. Leading. Engaging."

Nikule Abel
Director
University of Nevada Las Vegas
​Las Vegas, NV
Connect on Social Media
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. 

Nikule Abel, Director and Chair,
​Health Policy and Advocacy Committee Fall Memo

Hello NSNA Members and Health Policy and Advocacy Directors! I hope your fall semester started well. As we get started with the school year, I’d like to share some of the progress we’ve made since the summer and some ideas for you to get involved with Health Policy and Advocacy.
​
We’ve hit the ground running to “Supporting. Leading. Engaging.” We’re asking NSNA members to go to vote.org and make sure they’re registered. Every four years, we hear about how important voting is, but voting happens every year. Your city council, your mayor, your county judges are usually elected in those “non-election years”; this year is no exception!
 
The work done in Congress and the White House is indeed incredibly important. But I’ve always believed that local government has the single most significant impact on our daily lives. Your state’s governor plays a major role in our practice as registered nurses and nursing students, too, because in most states, the governor appoints the Board of Nursing. It is at the state government level that nursing practice is regulated.
 
NSNA has over 60,000 members who care deeply about our patients, our practice, and our profession. We have a real stake in elections, regardless of our political views. I call on every NSNA member to get out and vote on November 3, 2020.
 
How can you get involved?

​Read More

Nikule Abel, 2020-2021 Director and Chair, Health Policy and Advocacy Committee Speaks on "Supporting. Leading. Engaging."

Nikule Abel, NSNA 2020-2021 Director and Chair, Health Policy and Advocacy Committee speaks on "Supporting. Leading. Engaging" during the 2020 Summer Leadership U Conference.

Get Out the Vote
​

Picture
It is our duty and right as United States citizens to vote, and it is 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. An excellent way to begin cultivating political awareness is by participating in the electoral process. The nursing profession has developed political savvy, and legislators listen to us. Legislators will pay closer attention to us when we can demonstrate that nurses and nursing students are showing up at the polls.
​
Voter registration opportunities expanded significantly with thepassage of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. This act also referred to as 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 stamp 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.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.
Picture
Image Courtesy of Congress.gov
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

In this video Adam Halvorsen, former NSNA Director, urges all nursing students to get out and vote.
​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