Professional Organizations
What were Congress's reasons for forming the Federal Election Campaign Act and, therefore, PACs?
Accountability through reporting Stricter guidelines in reporting donations were important to maintain accountability and ethical contributions. Control of large sum of donations from individuals trying to push agendas During the Nixon-Watergate era, questionable donation practices were in place and Congress felt the need to control how much money can be contributed in an effort to even the playing field. A need for groups to pool money to collectively endorse a candidate so that smaller contributors could participate without being overpowered by larger entities Congress felt there was a need for groups to be able to pool money together to endorse a candidate without one group being overpowered by another.
Which option best describes how nurses, working collaboratively within a professional organization, can influence health care policy?
Advocating for legislation that supports nursing and enhances public health Collectively, nurses are highly influential in changing legislation. Advocating for nursing as a whole, the work environment, and issues regarding the public health is an important way to make change.
Which options are examples of issues supported by the ANA-PAC?
Issues related to health care Issues related to health care, such as quality of care, access to nurses, access to health insurance, and affordable care, are all supported by the ANA-PAC. Nursing workforce-related issues Workforce-related issues, such as staffing, mandatory overtime, and supervision, are issues supported by the ANA-PAC.
Which are ways nurses influence health policy when working with a professional organization?
Lobbying Lobbying is a way nurses can advocate for change in legislation by working to persuade public officials to support specific issues on the organization's agenda. Collaborating Collaborating with other nurses in a professional organization enables carrying a larger voice that has more weight and can make an impactful difference. Partnering Partnering with public officials is a way to promote issues that an organization would like to see on the legislative agenda.
A nurse has just joined the ANA and would like to participate in the scope of practice legislation through the Coalition for Patient's Rights (CPR). When contacting the CPR as a member of the ANA, which examples would be provided as ways the nurse can help support their agenda for policy change?
Lobbying Lobbying the lawmakers by visiting and writing to them is one way that nurses can effectively be involved in policy change. Advocating Advocating for change by speaking at community events and encouraging voting are ways nurses can be involved in policy change. Volunteering Volunteering for campaigns (e.g., by making phone calls) is away for nurses to become involved in policy change.
Which outcome exemplifies how PACs, like the ANA, benefit nursing?
Nurses are able to provide safe care, including addressing staffing, overtime, and supervision issues. Public policy decisions can carry weight on many issues, and the ANA-PAC organization works to support policy that enhances nursing as a whole, including providing safe care in a conducive work environment.
Which is a benefit of working for a professional organization that has a political action committee already in place?
Nurses have a voice when policies are being developed, fought for, and implemented in legislation. The government relations branch of professional nursing organizations focuses on direct care, nursing as a profession, and health policy; therefore, nurses have a direct say on issues when legislation is being considered and lobbied for in senate.
Initiating much of the legislative activity on both state and federal levels as well as raising money for campaigns and lobbying on behalf of others (such as special interest groups, industries, etc.) are activities of which organization?
Political Action Committee PACs are responsible for raising, spending, and allocating funds, and assisting with campaigns and also initiates much of the activity or inactivity on the state and federal levels, lobbies on behalf of special groups, and holds public rallies.
Which options state the goals of political nursing advocacy groups such as ANA-PAC?
Providing access to care Public's access to care is an important issue to nursing advocacy groups to ensure improved quality of life and health for the general population. Determining the scope and practice authority Political nursing advocacy groups play an integral part in determining and defining authority and the scope of practice for nurses by working with various members of the medical field. Monitoring quality and cost of adequate health care Quality and costs of health care are important issues to nursing organizations, so these organizations promote and support public health issues within the communities.
Which statement explains why professional organizations are involved in health policy?
To address the best interest of nursing and to persuade legislators to recommend, pass, or defeat bills on particular issues or to change existing laws Professional organizations are involved in health policy to ensure the best interest of nurses is addressed and to lobby legislation to either support and pass specific bills on issues or change or defeat certain laws.
What is the mission of the ANA?
To advance the nursing profession "to improve health for all" While simple and basic, the mission of the ANA encompasses many factors that support the advancement of nursing in an effort to improve health globally.
Which option describes the importance of being "politically literate"?
To be an effective advocate for change in nursing and health policy To be an effective advocate in positive change for health policy and nursing, nurses must be politically literate to understand how to advocate and what outcomes will be achieved.
Which statement best describes the purpose of Nurses Strategic Action Teams (N-STAT)?
To keep members of Congress informed of patient and nursing issues and concerns The purpose of N-STAT is to create strategic planning in campaigning, and it focuses on keeping members of Congress informed on issues and concerns of patients and nurses in an effort to change legislation, if needed.
What is the purpose of a nursing political action committee (PAC)?
To raise and distribute funds to support candidates who focus on the same issues as the nursing organization The sole purpose of a nursing PAC is to raise, spend, and contribute money to support the election of candidates who are like-minded and support the same issues as the nursing organization.
A new graduate nurse asks her supervisor how to lobby to establish or increase penalties for assault of nurses, which is supported by the ANA. Which options would the supervisor likely suggest?
Visiting legislators Visiting legislators in person is the most influential way to lobby for change in policy. Writing letters and emailing Writing letters and sending emails to legislators are effective ways to lobby lawmakers and allows for concerns and rationales to be put into a clear, concise agenda.
A supervisor in the ICU has been a member of the ANA for several years. One of the new nurse graduates working in ICU approaches the supervisor questioning how a professional organization can help them become more effectively involved in policy decision-making. Which statement best describes the supervisor's explanation?
By providing training on political literacy, thereby allowing nurses to be trained in advocacy and decision-making policies The most effective way to become more involved in policy decision-making is to increase political literacy and training regarding how to effectively approach these issues.
Which options are examples of how nurses, as individuals, can influence change by remaining involved?
Cultivating relationships with key officials and professionals Nurses can influence change by cultivating relationships and collaborating with key officials and other professionals with like-minded values on health policy. Voting in elections and encouraging peers in the community to do the same Registering to vote, voting in elections, and encouraging peers in the community to do the same is crucial to creating change through an organization or committee. Joining a professional organization with a PAC to stay informed of pertinent issues By joining a professional organization that has an established PAC, members can stay informed of pertinent issues and become politically active on those issues.
In which manner does the professional nursing organization protect nurses by influencing health policy?
Defining the scope of practice Professional organizations work with legislators on defining what nurses can and cannot do (scope of practice), which protects them legally from liability and malpractice issues.
Which are important factors in the influence of health policy and legislation that should be considered when choosing to join a professional organization?
Developing leadership skills Leadership skills are important, so this should be a focus of the organization as a whole. Lobbying on behalf of its members The focus of a professional nursing organization should be to lobby on behalf of its members, including work environment, quality of care, and scope of practice. Providing opportunity to be paired with an experienced member (mentor) Pairing less experienced nurses with more experienced mentors is always a positive in any organization, so this should be considered when choosing a professional nursing organization.
Which points are stressed by the ANA-PAC?
Ethics ANA-PAC stresses that its members act in an ethical manner and do not "buy" candidates or votes. Political support The primary focus of ANA-PAC is to financially support political candidates with like-values and the same interests. No legislative involvement The primary focus of the ANA-PAC is to provide financial support to candidates in a legal, moral way; therefore, no legislative involvement is encouraged. Focus on health care only ANA-PAC focuses on health care policy and issues; other issues are not encouraged.
Which issues are supported by Health Care Without Harm?
Healthy and sustainable food Healthy, sustainable food, along with safer chemicals and drinking water, are all issues that Health Care Without Harm focuses on in an effort to improve quality of health. Human rights, including access to health care for all Basic human rights, such as having access to quality health care that is affordable, is a platform of Health Care Without Harm and fits into their mission of transforming health care. Healthy climate with zero waste from the health care sector (including pharmaceuticals) Health Care Without Harm focuses on a healthy climate that is free from waste, especially that which is produced from the health care and pharmaceutical industries.
Which action demonstrates how to effectively communicate concerns and needs when wanting to have input on issues, either at work or in the community?
Put all requests in writing All requests and rationales should be put in writing with multiple copies so that submission to all appropriate officials can be achieved. Follow the chain of command It is important to follow the chain of command when working with any administrator or public official, whether in the hospital/work setting or in the community. State clearly the desired outcome A proposal of concerns with desired outcomes should be clearly defined with any steps needed in the process in order to be effective in communication.
