Praise for the First Edition:

“There is a plethora of policy books on the market, but none illustrate the steps in the policy process better than this one. The high caliber editors and contributors, all of whom have been involved in policy work, bring years of experience to illustrate the key points…This outstanding resource will help motivate many more nurses to get involved in the policy process”…Score: 93 – 4 Stars!

–Doody’s Medical Reviews

Written by distinguished nurse leaders with expertise in policy, practice, education, and research, this book is a practical “how-to” guide written to help advanced students and nurse leaders develop health policy competencies to advocate for patients from the bedside to the larger political arena. Co-published with the American Nurses Association, the book examines the pivotal role of nurses involved in health policy, making it an essential resource for nurses pursuing advanced education and desiring to enhance their expertise in making policy and facilitating its change. The book addresses recent changes impacting healthcare and many other topics including information on the increased need for primary care providers, how full practice authority has been implemented in different states, the need for an enhanced RN role in ambulatory care, and ongoing changes to the Affordable Care Act. This edition describes the distinct role of nurses impacting policies on the front lines of healthcare. Current issues with detailed examples of how nurses can exert influence at local, state, national, and global levels at each step of the policymaking process are presented.

This second edition emphasizes collaboration within healthcare institutions, professional organizations, and government for the development of policies from bedside to boardroom. Using descriptive cases, the book delves into the growing role of nurses in elected and appointed office. The book clarifies the process of identifying issues that need a policy solution. A timely contribution focuses on evaluating policy sources, such as “Fake News.” It stresses how evidence must be used to strengthen policy initiatives. Woven throughout are essential themes basic to healthcare: ethics, leadership, safety, care access, and quality of care.

New to the Second Edition:

• Revised chapters featuring inspirational, motivational, and practical stories representing different steps of the policy process
• A new chapter, “Valuing Global Realities for Health Policy,” emphasizing issues that unite nurses globally and the role of nurses as global citizens
• Expanded content on steps of policy analysis and evaluating evidence to support policy
• An appraisal and evaluation of converged media, including “Fake News”
• Guidance on working with the ongoing evolution of the Affordable Care Act
• An examination of health in all policies to improve community and population health
• Added focus on work environments as part of achieving the Quadruple Aim of healthcare
• The latest developments in advanced practice registered nurse regulation

Key Features:

• Delineates the steps, strategies, and competencies needed for health policy advocacy in organizational, educational, and political settings
• Provides perspective relevant to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing doctor of nursing practice (DNP) Essentials
• Includes real world examples of policymaking on the frontlines of clinical practice
• Provides exemplars from high profile national and international nursing policy leaders
• Examines how nurses are leaders in a variety of policy arenas
• Illustrates policies to address social and economic inequities impacting health
• Describes how evidence is used to advance policy