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www.NursingMadeIncrediblyEasy.com January/February 2017 Nursing made Incredibly Easy! 55

Be a legislative advocate
By Lisa Lockhart, MHA, MSN, RN, NE-BC

Q: As nurses, when we feel
strongly about a practice issue,
should we consider lobbying?
A: The American Nurses Association
(ANA) believes that it’s our responsibility

as nursing professionals to be involved in

advocating for patient safety, care stan-

dards, and healthy work environments.

The ANA is a strong voice for America’s

nurses and is among the most powerful

lobbying groups in Washington, D.C. Not

alone in its fi ght for nursing quality and

safety, the ANA is joined and supported

by our professional organizations, state

boards of nursing, and advocacy groups.

These include the American Academy of

Nursing, the American Nurses Credential-

ing Center, and the American Nurses

Foundation.

Participating in your local, specialty,

or state organizations can help you give

voice to your concerns as an engaged pro-

fessional. You have the ability to build,

shape, and alter current laws, effectively

changing legislation by joining forces with

your peers. To simply complain about

staffi ng ratios, the Affordable Care Act,

and unhealthy work environments is just

that—complaining. But by being involved,

we have a large and potentially powerful

voice for safety and quality when you con-

sider that we’re 3.6 million strong!

Our power as an educated workforce

must be harnessed and used purposefully

to effect change. The Institute of Medicine

and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

understood this when they launched The

Future of Nursing report. This doesn’t

necessarily mean that you have to go to

Washington and lobby; it means advocating

at the organizational, state, or federal level.

Stay abreast of what’s going on in your

state and nationally, be an active participant

in professional organizations, vote for legis-

lators who share your healthcare policy and

regulation views, and join internal commit-

tees where nurses at your facility review

policies and procedures. You can make a

difference.

If you decide to give lobbying a try, here

are tips on how to lobby Congress from the

American Academy of Ambulatory Nursing:

“• keep it short and to the point

• don’t forget to say ‘thank you’

• get to know the legislator’s staff (It’s

frequently more productive to speak to

a staff member than the lawmakers

themselves.)

• tell the whole story by acknowledging

when something is diffi cult and when

there’s opposition

• timing is everything (It’s important to

know Congressional procedures, so men-

tion proper deadlines and don’t ask for

requests at the last minute.)

• have a one-page written draft of what

you want available to leave or send to the

legislator

• be professional even when the answer

is ‘no;’ regroup and wait for another

chance.” ■

REFERENCES

American Nurses Associ.

1. ask an expert

www.NursingMadeIncrediblyEasy.com January/February 2017
Nursing made Incredibly Easy! 55

Be a legislative advocate
By Lisa Lockhart, MHA, MSN, RN, NE-BC

Q: As nurses, when we feel
strongly about a practice issue,
should we consider lobbying?
A: The American Nurses Association
(ANA) believes that it’s our responsibility

as nursing professionals to be involved in

advocating for patient safety, care stan-

dards, and healthy work environments.

The ANA is a strong voice for America’s

nurses and is among the most powerful

lobbying groups in Washington, D.C. Not

alone in its fi ght for nursing quality and

safety, the ANA is joined and supported

by our professional organizations, state

2. boards of nursing, and advocacy groups.

These include the American Academy of

Nursing, the American Nurses Credential-

ing Center, and the American Nurses

Foundation.

Participating in your local, specialty,

or state organizations can help you give

voice to your concerns as an engaged pro-

fessional. You have the ability to build,

shape, and alter current laws, effectively

changing legislation by joining forces with

your peers. To simply complain about

staffi ng ratios, the Affordable Care Act,

and unhealthy work environments is just

that—complaining. But by being involved,

we have a large and potentially powerful

voice for safety and quality when you con-

sider that we’re 3.6 million strong!

3. Our power as an educated workforce

must be harnessed and used purposefully

to effect change. The Institute of Medicine

and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

understood this when they launched The

Future of Nursing report. This doesn’t

necessarily mean that you have to go to

Washington and lobby; it means advocating

at the organizational, state, or federal level.

Stay abreast of what’s going on in your

state and nationally, be an active participant

in professional organizations, vote for legis-

lators who share your healthcare policy and

regulation views, and join internal commit-

tees where nurses at your facility review

policies and procedures. You can make a

difference.

If you decide to give lobbying a try, here

4. are tips on how to lobby Congress from the

American Academy of Ambulatory Nursing:

“• keep it short and to the point

• don’t forget to say ‘thank you’

• get to know the legislator’s staff (It’s

frequently more productive to speak to

a staff member than the lawmakers

themselves.)

• tell the whole story by acknowledging

when something is diffi cult and when

there’s opposition

• timing is everything (It’s important to

know Congressional procedures, so men-

tion proper deadlines and don’t ask for

requests at the last minute.)

• have a one-page written draft of what

you want available to leave or send to the

legislator

5. • be professional even when the answer

is ‘no;’ regroup and wait for another

chance.” ■

REFERENCES

American Nurses Association. Policy and advocacy.
www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/Policy-
Advocacy.

The Institute of Medicine. The future of nursing: leading
change, advancing health. www.nationalacademies.org/
hmd/Reports/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing-Leading-
Change-Advancing-Health.aspx.

Phillips RC. The ABCs of lobbying. https://www.aaacn.
org/abcs-lobbying.

Lisa Lockhart is a Nurse Manager at KentuckyOne Health, Saint
Joseph Health System, in Lexington, Ky., and a Nursing made
Incredibly Easy! Editorial Board Member.

The author has disclosed no financial relationships related to
this
article.

DOI-10.1097/01.NME.0000508545.37069.ed

Copyright © 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights
reserved.



Points allocation: Communicating With Your Legislator

6. As part of the class on Health Policy and Politics, students are
required to write a letter to their legislator. The letters to the
legislator will be evaluated for content, form, and clarity. Five
points will be deducted each day the paper is late.
Grading Criteria

Informing the legislator about the constituents who are affected
by the bill; suggest visits to programs in his or her area.
10 points
Clearly identify the bill, using title and number.
5 points
Addressing your letter to the appropriate legislator.
5 points
Identify yourself (occupation, hometown, member of
organization, i.e. ASNA).
5 points
Type the letter using correct grammar, punctuation, and
spelling.
Be courteous, brief, and to the point.
10 points
Provide pertinent reasons for your stand. Be constructive, and
provide expert knowledge when possible. Reasons were
expressed in a clear and organized manner.
25 points
Show your legislator how the issue relates to his or her district.
25 points
Write letters at appropriate times, for example, when a bill is in
committee request action that is appropriate for that stage in the
legislative process.
5 points
Attach a brief summary of the bill along with your letter.
10 points

Letter to the Legislator

Communicating With Your Legislator–

7. As part of the class on Health Policy and Politics, students are
required to write a letter to their legislator. The letters to the
legislator will be evaluated for content, form, and clarity.

This assignment will help the student become an active
participant in the policy-making arena, which directly affects
the nursing profession and our country at large. Included are
suggestions for effective written communication to your
legislator. The importance of letter writing should not be
underestimated as it has been rated by Congress as the number
one means of communicating with the legislator. Letters that are
written to the legislator are usually reviewed by staff and the
various view points are tabulated. Letters with significant
opinions or information are directed to the legislator for
individual consideration. It is important to note that form letters
and post cards receive the least amount of attention from the
legislator. Therefore, it is most appropriate to create a letter
which is thoughtful and reflects an informed opinion.

You (the student) are required to create a letter to the legislator
in your home district related to a current senate/house bill. You
will choose a current health care legislative issue and draft a
well written letter to your legislator discussing your opinion
regarding the bill. Search http://mlis.state.md.us/#bill to find a
health care related bill of interest to you. Attach a brief
summary of the bill along with your letter.

When writing your letter, always refer to the issue by its bill
name and number. You can look up the name and address of
your local legislator at http://mlis.state.md.us. The following
page outlines is a list of specific do's and don'ts that you should
consider when writing to your legislator.

Communicating With Your Legislator

8. As part of the class on Health Policy and Politics, students are
required to write a letter to their legislator. The letters to the
legislator will be evaluated for content, form, and clarity. Five
points will be deducted each day the paper is late.
Grading Criteria

Informing the legislator about the constituents who are affected
by the bill; suggest visits to programs in his or her area.
10 points
Clearly identify the bill, using title and number.
5 points
Addressing your letter to the appropriate legislator.
5 points
Identify yourself (occupation, hometown, member of
organization, i.e. ASNA).
5 points
Type the letter using correct grammar, punctuation, and
spelling.
Be courteous, brief, and to the point.
10 points
Provide pertinent reasons for your stand. Be constructive, and
provide expert knowledge when possible. Reasons were
expressed in a clear and organized manner.
25 points
Show your legislator how the issue relates to his or her district.
25 points
Write letters at appropriate times, for example, when a bill is in
committee request action that is appropriate for that stage in the
legislative process.
5 points
Attach a brief summary of the bill along with your letter.
10 points
***~~ See ‘Be a legislative advocate’, By Lisa Lockhart, MHA,
MSN, RN, NE-BC

January/February 2017 Nursing made Incredibly Easy! 55