Nursing Political Force

Issues central to the development of nursing in the future are best defined in an article by Barbara Ehrenreich (1979) entitled “The Emergence of Nursing as a Political Force” in Policy & politics in nursing and health care by By Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee. This article was very informative in describing our current healthcare system and the role nurses play as advocates of social and political change. As stated by the ANA in a letter to President Trump in 2016, “as the largest group of healthcare professionals and the nations most trusted profession, nurses are a valuable resource for improving the nation’s healthcare delivery system.” Additionally, the ANA stated that healthcare reform was imperative in this country and should focus on providing

There is a need for affordable healthcare for both the poor and middle class who often go uninsured and therefore unable to receive medical care (Ehrenreich, 1979; Mason et al., 2002, p. 35). For nurses it is important to take on leadership roles, so nurses can influence change by entering social, political, and economic arenas (Kleffel, 2006). To start, “nursing education should include subjects like political economy of health systems, environmental hazards, women’s studies, the history of social movements, and techniques and strategies of political organizing (Ehrenreich, 1979; Mason et al., 2002, p. 36). With proper education nurses can start to understand that they can bring about change and redefine the role of a nurse as an activist as well as an advocate (Ehrenreich, 1979; Mason et al., 2002, p.

Patients with untreated chronic illnesses would only be treated when their symptoms were severe enough to require emergent care due to lack of insurance. Exorbitant hospital charges would be given to patients who were insured but had a $1000 deductible to be seen in an emergency room. As a nurse it is my job to protect and advocate for theses patients. Even on a personal level, I have been treated in a hospital with insurance and have been billed $15,000 for a procedure that the insurance company refused to pay. Although preventative care and educating my patients has always been the focus in my practice, As a seasoned nurse and future APRN, I plan on taking a more active role as an activist and advocate for universal healthcare for all residents of this