What is advocacy and health policy and how are they interrelated? World Health Organization defines health policy as “referring to decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve specific health care goals within a society. An explicit health policy can achieve several things: it defines a vision for the future which in turn helps to establish targets and points of reference for the short and medium term. It outlines priorities and the expected roles of different groups; and it builds consensus and informs people.” The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines nursing as “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.” Nurses play a vital role in the patient's well being and advocating for them is very important. …show more content…
An article by Mary A. Maryland and Rose Iris Gonzalez, PhD, RN gave examples on how nurses can use their skills to advocate in the community and also influence lawmakers and other individuals with position of power to meet the needs of the patients and also their families. They focused on the healthcare system, economic matters and the education system. The high cost of healthcare can prevent some patients in getting the care that they need. Not receiving treatment because of the high cost is a burden a patient my express to their nurse. For example cancer care services, typically the cost of cancer treatments are high and can be very difficult on the patient especially when having other bills and responsibilities to take care of. Nurses can help advocate by “sharing with elected officials and other gatekeepers the high cost of some cancer treatments, the burden this cost places on patients and families, and the need to relieve some of this cost