Mn 501 Unit 8 Discussion Topic: Political Competence

MN 501 unit 8 discussion Topic: Political CompetenceAdvanced practice nurses have an important role in advocating for healthcare policy. This is because they have clinical and educational knowledge from treating multiple patients in the frontlines of primary care. They can relate their experience to how healthcare policies will affect patients and that is why they have an important role in the formulation of policies (Chilton, 2015). Policies facilitate a movement in progress within nursing practice by providing methodologies that can be used in evidence-based practice. However, many healthcare practitioners are not involved or concerned with how healthcare policies work. In order to be effective advocates for their patients, all practitioners have to use healthcare policies as tools that can improve their practice and meet patient needs. Advanced nurses need to recognize policy as an important part of their professional practice (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2014, p.3). As leaders in the healthcare setting, advanced nurses have to be involved in healthcare policy (Chilton, 2015). One way they can do this is acquiring knowledge on current legislation. Many nursing organizations have annual legislative days where nurses can learn about current policies and healthcare issues affecting their areas of practice. These same organizations