Introduction
Professional organizations in the health sector in most jurisdictions perform a vital role in ensuring effective management of health issues. In the US, professional institutions like the American nurses association (ANA) have been instrumental in the development of the new health care policy that was an apolitical issue. The organizations through their experts presented professional input on medical perspectives about the best medical approaches. This paper focuses on the American nurses association (ANA) that operates in the US.
The current political issue is addressed through the organization
As noted, the ANA leaders and members have been contributing immensely to the current political issues that influence operations in the health sector in the US. They have been participating in the formulation of the new health reform policy that has a political background. Its members have also been participating in the development of the new legislation that seeks to address obesity issues that affect most individuals in the US (Kelly, 2012). The association has been credited for championing the rights of nurses and locals.
This was evident during the development of stiff laws to regulate sociological, economic, and political causes of obesity by the political class. The association responded to the issue by affirming that the initiative to avert the effects of obesity was credible. However, its officials were questioning the level of the government and legislature’s involvement in the matter. The association presented its input into the matter by providing professional advice on best practices that are viable in eradicating obesity (Kelly, 2012). They affirmed that developing legislation that appertains to the improvement of the nutritional content of foodstuff and mitigation of treatment cost are the best options.
How professional organizations can facilitate awareness on political actions in the nursing and health care industry
Roussel (2012) noted that professional organizations are settings that represent and advocate for the rights or wellbeing of the members. They ensure that the members operate under effective ethical guidelines and set standards that hold quality ideals. Nurses and other professionals can use their professional bodies to acquire basic information that affects their operations. Indeed, they can adopt conventional communication techniques to receive information on various legislative proposals about issues that affect operations in their sector. In the US, nurses used their professional bodies to acquire basic information on the proposed legislative changes and regulations that were contained in the health policy (Kelly, 2012). This enabled them to stay aware and make credible decisions on the key issues that are of contention.
Imperatively, nurse leaders can employ diverse techniques to ensure that they stay aware of political issues that hold the capacity of influencing operations in the health sector. Firstly, they can achieve this through systematic engagement in policy formulation on health matters. This is through the identification of potential policy areas that require advancement and contribution to health debates. Secondly, they can achieve this by being effective and alive to real issues that are deliberated on by the legislators. This is to; enable them to acquire first-hand information on possible changes or policy proposals on issues that appertain to health care. This is a viable approach since anybody should be acquainted with essential information that emanates from daily activities (Roussel, 2012).
Thirdly, the leaders can also stay aware of various issues through the execution of educative and health sensitization programs. The educative process enables the leaders to acquire and understand developing issues in a specific sector. In the US, the approaches enabled nurses and their leaders to receive clear information on the key legislative issues. For, instance the issues about the insurance and obesity policy proposals through their organization. They also received credible information on the remuneration package and infrastructural development policy proposals. These enabled them to make an effective contribution to the new health policy system that was an apolitical issue.
Conclusion
Indeed, ANA was formed to represent nurses in high-rank deliberations on political issues that influence operations in the health sector. As such, the association has executed its mandate with at most diligence in ensuring that its members receive the best services.
References
Kelly, P. (2012). Nursing leadership & management. Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning.
Roussel, L. (2012). Management and leadership for nurse administrators. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.