Question 1. What parts of the lawmaking process does a nurse have an opportunity to influence the final bill passage?
Nurses can have an opportunity to influence the passage of the final bill at the hearings stage and during conference action in which both houses meet and compromise to make the final bill. During the hearing stage, nurses can get the opportunity to give their input to the content of the proposed bill. In conference action stage, nurses can influence the members of the Congress through letters and visits.
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Question 2. List at least two ways that this influence can take place. In your opinion, would one be preferable over the other?
Nurses can call for action if there is pending legislation regarding healthcare. Also, calling for action can help to keep abreast the congressman or the House committee responsible for health care so that they take into considerations the sentiments and views of nurses while making their laws. Another way through which nurses can influence the passage of a bill is through lobbying of different groups to help in pushing their agenda. In my view, both the mentioned ways are appropriate depending on the situation. Nurses should have a clear understanding of laws regarding health and when to act to push the necessary bills.
Question 3. Reviewing the social determinants of health, select one to respond to this question: What role can nurses play in promoting health status through policy changes directly affecting this social determinant?
I have chosen access to health care services as the social determinant. Nurses can embark on different initiatives with an aim of improving the health status of people. These initiatives can be directed towards changing individual's behavior by providing information and opportunities which can enable people to stop smoking, engage in physical exercise, go for screening for different diseases and choose healthy diets for their families. Nurses play a role in providing information needed by the policymakers to formulate rules which would directly improve the health status of the citizens. The nurses can achieve this by developing partnerships with different sectors with a common goal. Partnerships are important to help address the poor living conditions and lifestyle issues since one group cannot successfully accomplish the job of changing people's culture, environmental and economic conditions without collaboration with other groups. Again, it is important for the nurses to understand their communities with their cultures and common practices.
