To Be or Not To Be Politically Active

Hello Class!

Now that we have had an introduction to the 4 spheres of political action in nursing, we need to consider factors which contribute to nurses taking a politically active role, not taking a politically active role, and how professional nursing organizations can help our voice be heard. I will make three posts this week each focusing on one of these areas. This post will look at reasons why nurses become politically active.

One thing nursing students learn very early in their education is nurses are to be the patient and family advocate. All too often this advocacy stops at the bedside. Many practicing nurses do not understand the importance of advocating for patients on a larger scale. One reason to take a politically active role as a nurse is to support policies which seek to improve the lives of patients and the quality of care they receive. Take a look at this video of nurses doing their part to advocate for patient care issues.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd9OjW40EkY

Write a few sentences of your thoughts after watching the video. Some things to reflect on when formulating your response include do you think it is important for nurses to unite on issues affecting our practice, and when voting for politicians to represent your ideas, are nursing issues something you consider? Share 1 reason not already discussed as to why you think nurses become politically active.