Health Policy and Advocacy

​ Committee

(Formerly named the Legislation Education Committee)

Educate to Advocate

Stephanie Bell
Director
University of Nevada
​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. 

Stephanie Bell, Director and Chair,
​Health Policy and Advocacy Committee Fall Memo

Greetings to you all, and welcome back to school! Whether you spent your summer continuing your education, engaging in a summer job, traveling the world, or simply getting some well-deserved rest and relaxation, I hope everyone had an enjoyable and productive summer. New classes, fresh clinic experiences, reconnection with old friends, and the promise of meeting new ones always make the beginning of the school year an exciting time. In addition, starting the planning process for the year’s activities in your local NSNA chapters adds to the excitement and sets the stage for a successful year!
 
Keep in mind that it is normal to feel overwhelmed as you assume the responsibilities of your NSNA office. Regardless of your position, the Board of Directors are available to help. Feel free to contact us at any time; we welcome your questions, concerns, and ideas. 

GET OUT THE VOTE
As always, voter registration remains central to our mission. 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 in a lot of places, 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 Health Policy and Advocacy Committee is excited to begin the fall semester and encourages you to start your Get Out the Vote Campaign today! Read More​

Get Out the Vote
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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.
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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...

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
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