Researchers have found a certain relationship between a nurse’s educational level and their particular interest and participation in policy making. There are several entry points for nurses to start their professional career, which are associated with participating in the Licensed Practical Nurse Program, Registered Nurse Program, Associate Degree Program, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program (Gunn et al., 2019). It is also reported that nurses with a Bachelor’s Degree are more interested and involved in policy making at different levels, including local and state ones. From this perspective, nurses’ educational level can influence their professional or practical competence, as well as their role in a variety of policy making processes.
It is critical for nurses to be able to have an impact on the regulatory process because they can influence their daily activities and responsibilities in such a way. It is important to guarantee that all the policies adopted at different levels can be easily applied in healthcare organizations to improve nurses’ services instead of creating barriers and challenges (Austin & Wetle, 2017). Nurses’ perspectives are essential to be followed in this case. However, not all nurses can be involved in policy making, depending on their leadership positions and achieved educational degrees (Gunn et al., 2019). Thus, it is possible to state that licensed practical nurses rarely join groups for developing plans of actions and policies. Registered nurses and nurses with an Associate Degree can be invited to these groups to provide their views on practical issues (Austin & Wetle, 2017). Still, in most cases, the involvement of nurses with a Bachelor’s Degree is more typical because of their leading positions in healthcare organizations and hospitals.
References
Austin, A., & Wetle, V. (2017). The United States health care system: Combining business, health, and delivery (3rd ed.). Pearson Education.
Gunn, V., Muntaner, C., Villeneuve, M., Chung, H., & Gea‐Sanchez, M. (2019). Nursing professionalization and welfare state policies: A critical review of structural factors influencing the development of nursing and the nursing workforce. Nursing Inquiry, 26(1), e12263.