What policy issues might drive nurses to lobby Congress and/or get involved in campaign politics? What strategies might nurses use to have their voices heard?

For a number of reasons, nurses may lobby Congress or become active in political campaigns. This could be to advocate for policy changes such as increased funding for healthcare and improved regulations relating to patient care. In addition, nurses can also focus on issues such as nurse staffing or salaries to ensure their profession receives the respect and compensation it deserves. Strategy can be varied depending on what the goal is, but some of the common strategies include writing to or contacting representatives directly, organising protests and raising money.

Recent years have seen an increase in the use of social media by nurses to raise their voice on important issues within the healthcare industry. Ultimately no matter what strategies are employed, it is clear that nurses have the ability to make meaningful change when they work together towards a common goal which makes being politically active essential if we want our profession’s concerns heard by those with decision-making power.