Participate in Health Policy and Advocacy Projects

Advocacy is an essential element of professional identity in nursing.  Patients depend on the nursing profession to take action that ensures a high standard of nursing care for all patients. Although NSNA is not a lobbying organization. members develop policies as part of the resolutions process. These policies serve to educate nursing students about public health actions needed at the local, state and national levels of government. As NSNA Leaders, students learn to practice essential leadership skills by participating in the NSNA Health Policy and Advocacy program. 

Health Policy and Advocacy Project Activities

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  • Establish a Health Policy and Advocacy Committee, or;
  • Serve as a member of the school chapter or state Health Policy and Advocacy Leadership Team (i.e., Committee; Board of Directors/Executive Board).
  • Accomplish the goals and objectives of the Health Policy and Advocacy Committee.
  • Incorporate the 4 signposts of Professional Identity  in Nursing into your leadership formation.
    1. The Value and Ethics guide our conduct as students and professional nurses.
    2. The Knowledge of Core Values plus the Code of Ethics guides us to analyze and apply critical reflection of our experiences based on scientific evidence.
    3. Leadership inspires us as leaders to motivate others to learn about and practice the Core Values and Code of Ethics as we form our professional identity in nursing.
    4. Professional Comportment – as nursing students we learn how to think, act and feel like a nurse, we demonstrate and apply Core Values and Ethics in our evolving professional identity.

By participating in this activity, you will be able to:

  • Incorporate the conceptual model of professional identity in nursing by recognizing how values and ethics, leadership, knowledge, and professional comportment contribute to thinking, acting, and feeling like a professional nurse. 
  • Identify your personal and professional leadership attributes;
  • Create a personal vision for your role as an advocate for patients, the nursing profession, and addressing healthcare disparities and social determinants of health.
  • Explain the complex role organizations play in the profession and society;
  • Define the role of the volunteer within the team structure.
Haley Ann Donnerstag, NSNA 2022-2023 Director and Chair, Health Policy and Advocacy Committee speaks on "We Are the Future" during the 2022 NSNA Leadership U Summer Summit.

Health Policy & Advocacy Projects Learning Objectives:

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Nursing students attend the Naloxone training at the NSNA Annual Convention.
  • Plan and implement a Health Policy and Advocacy project;
  • Determine/select one or two relevant health policy and advocacy issues related to NSNA resolutions to address;
  • Utilize the NSNA Guidelines for Planning Health Policy and Advocacy to plan projects;
  • Learn about the topics and explore how other student and nursing organizations that are addressing these issues;
  • Articulate the outcomes expected and evaluate the project to determine if outcomes were accomplished; 
  • Explain current issues related to healthcare disparities and social determinants of health;
  • ​Prepare an agenda and run a committee meeting (or participate in a committee meeting);
  • Present written and verbal reports of progress made toward reaching committee's goals;
  • Articulate the outcomes expected and evaluate the project to determine if outcomes were accomplished; 
  • Practice collaboration among peers, faculty, and community leaders.

Health Policy and Advocacy Projects Committee Responsibilities*

  1. Evaluate the effectiveness of the recent past health policy and advocacy activities, e.g., voter registration drives and the importance of political involvement for nurses and nursing students.
  2. Review resolutions relevant to health policy and advocacy that were passed at the school, at your state convention, and NSNA's Annual Convention.
  3. Identify two or three goals and a theme for the year.
  4. Become familiar with NSNA and state contests and applications.
  5. Read NSNA's Health Policy and Advocacy Guidelines.
  6. Determine one or two topics related to health policy and advocacy to address for the semester or academic year; resolutions passed at the state and NSNA Annual Conventions are excellent reference sources.
  7. Plan a Health Policy and Advocacy project based on the topics selected. 
  8. Collaborate with other campus groups and community groups that are working on the same or similar issues.
  9. Communicate with state or school Health Policy and Advocacy committee chairs.
  10. Publicize health policy and advocacy activities by providing news items for your school and state newsletters, post them on your school and state website.
  11. Implement the project.
  12. Evaluate the effectiveness of the project.
  13. Submit a project for the NSNA Health Policy and Advocacy Award
*See your chapter bylaws for the Health Policy & Advocacy Committee (formerly the Legislation Education Committee) role and responsibilities specific to your school or state chapter.
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NSNA collaborates with pharmacy students for Naloxone training at NSNA meetings.
For a list of attributes and competencies for future nurse leaders and managers, click here.
For a FREE version of the Leadership Assessment for Student Nurses, click here.