I graduated nursing school with an associate degree in 2002. Upon graduation I did what most nurses do, secured a job in the hospital setting and got right to work. At the time, my purpose was to take care of patients and feel empowered to advocate within
my organization for the things that would support my ability as a nurse to take great care of patients’ safely.
When I decided to return to school and obtain my BSN in 2005, I was offered a different perspective. In a course titled “Issues in Nursing,” the professor, Dr. Myrna Armstrong, asked if any of us were members of the Texas Nurses Association and if we
knew about the work they were doing to support Texas nurses. Luckily, I was not the only student who had never heard of TNA and the work they did. Dr. Armstrong gave us homework that day and told us to do our research and join.
She shared with the class that our role in advocacy extends far beyond our patients. That if we wanted to truly own our practice as nurses in Texas, we had a professional duty to use our voices beyond the four walls of our organizations. Dr. Armstrong
went on to tell the class if we do not come together as a profession and use our voices to advocate for ourselves and our patients, someone else will. I left her class that day and immediately did my research and joined TNA. That lecture shaped me
as a professional, and I give Dr. Armstrong credit for paving the path to where I am today.
Why should nurses participate?
Political action is much like what we do every day as nurses. We have the skills necessary to be effective political advocates. Nurses are constantly evaluating, analyzing, planning and implementing things into action. We are great communicators and skilled
at having difficult conversations. These are all the things we need in the political arena too! Who better to speak about nursing and the things we need to provide safe
patient care than nurses?
This year has proven that nurses run towards chaos and danger. We do not shy away from it! In 2020, nurses have never been better positioned in the political arena. COVID-19 has propelled nursing into the spotlight and shined a light on our broken healthcare
system. Nurses will never improve care if we do not amplify our voices through the political and legislative process. Our practice and our profession depend on our advocacy at the highest levels. This is our year!
Ways to Engage
There are various ways to engage in the political process. First and foremost, join your professional organization. This is where your voice is amplified. Second, vote! This does not mean you have to affiliate with a specific party. Vote
for the candidates who will support policies that most closely align with your personal values. Third, engage with your elected officials. All politics are local and local is the individual. Last, build coalitions. As individuals, we seldom have the
resources to affect policy by ourselves. Professional organizations such as TNA cannot effectively affect public policy without the individual member. Successful influence and political advocacy require organizations and individual members to come
together. That is where political power comes from!
Nursing’s Political Power
Texas has approximately 350,000 registered nurses and roughly 16,000 of them are members of Texas Nurses Association. That is 5% of our Texas nursing population. While TNA is not the only professional nursing organization nurses have access to, it is
estimated that less than 10% of nurses are members of a professional organization. Nursing is the most trusted profession, yet many choose not to leverage that level of influence and
engage in the political process.
The Texas Medical Association has approximately 53,000 members that includes physicians, residents and medical students. There are roughly 57,000 actively practicing physicians engaged in patient care for a population of 23 million Texans. TMA is a political powerhouse and has often opposed legislation put forth by TNA and other professional organizations supporting full practice authority and signature authority. How does
TMA have a louder voice than TNA? Because they are ALL in.
Can you imagine the political power Texas nurses could have if we were ALL in?
What if?
What if there were more nurses and educators like Dr. Myrna Armstrong out there influencing nurses to be involved in political advocacy? What if nurses had not been at the Capitol advocating for nurses and nursing practice over the last 100 years? Where
would the profession be today? If we do not bring our voices, our knowledge and our presence to the table who will? Someone will speak on our behalf, but should they? Nurses can change the world and there is no better time than now to get started!
How will you engage in policy and advocate for change?
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