Date of Submission

Fall 12-14-2018

Document Type

Manuscript

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Dr. KT Waxman

Second Advisor

Dr. Cynthia Shum

Abstract

At present, professional nursing does not benefit from strong policy development and advocacy influence in the United States. There are 425,000 licensed registered nurses in California, which is nearly twelve percent of the national nursing workforce. Yet only five percent of nurses serve on hospital boards, and legislative efforts to advance full practice authority for advanced practice RNs fail year after year in California and other states. Although nursing ranked most trusted and ethical profession for the past 16 years (Gallup 2017) and enjoys much respect in society, its collective voice is not being heard by decision-makers and legislators. This manuscript reviews the current standing of nurses in the policy arena, highlights importance of nurses’ input in policy development and advocacy, and summarizes ten policy development and advocacy toolkits available on nursing organizations’ websites, which facilitate nurses being heard on vital nursing policies as well as to optimal patient care.

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