Hearth policy is for ever changing as new systems are developed, new facilities are commissioned and...

1. Influencing health policy: nurses can play an effective part
in influencing health policy, if they develop the necessary
skills and the confidence to use them.
Hearth policy is for ever changing as new systems are developed, new facilities are commissioned
and new technology is introduced.
Nurses have a responsibility to become politically aware and be involved in all levels of policy
development, whether at an organisational level, developing operational policies for services, or in
response to nationwide policy changes that wilt affect the health and well-being of New Zealanders.
Nurses need to be actively involved and play a strong and constructive role in the development and
changes in health and disability policy.
Health policy affects the daily working Lives of nurses and of the people they care for and nurses
need to be at the decision-making table to make sure policy enhances good health care. (1)
To influence policy, nurses need to move from being reactive to policy changes to having a planned,
strategic approach. Being strategic requires a good understanding of the issues, knowing who to
influence, how to influence and the appropriate timing to initiate Lobbying the right people.
There are many barriers to nurses becoming politically active. Nurses are busy people; they don't
just have nursing career responsibilities but aLso juggle the responsibilities of family, homes,
children and/or elderly parents. Time for political activities is Limited and for some nurses this may
not be an activity they can give a great deal of time to. However, inactivity may result in the nurse's
practice being changed in a way that is not in the best interest of the nurse or the health consumer.
Being politically aware does not require each individual nurse to always take the initiative; it
requires a network that advises nurses when issues need a response and Leadership to drive a
strategic, timely response. (2) NZNO provides this information through its website, Kai Tiaki
Nursing New Zealand and industrial and professional advisers. The challenge is to know how to
make an appropriate response to political change at the right time.
Nurses often need to form strategic alliances with other organisations with similar interests and
issues. These alliances provide a coordinated and united approach that can have more impact than
each organisation acting individually and give nurses a stronger voice. (2)
Nurses need to be aware of how the political process works in order to influence new legislation and
changes in Legislation. Developing new Legislation is a Lengthy process and there are strategic
points where it can be challenged. One of the most important points for challenging and changing
the direction of Legislation is when a Bill goes out for consultation. (3) Nurses need to take
advantage of the consultation process that precedes a Bill being passed into law. This provides an
opportunity to influence the direction of health and social policy.
Nurses should not assume legislators or the health sector will automatically consult them or
consider the impacts of Legislative changes on nursing practice and consumers.

2. Nurses are frequently aware of the issues affecting health consumers. They are aLso in a good
position to have an influence in situations where changes to legislation will affect consumers' access
to health care.
To influence policy nurses need to keep abreast of possible policy changes, whether at a Local or
national level. This involves being in positions where they are consulted on changes in policy or
being proactive and watching for pending issues. This can be through keeping up to date on political
issues, reading news items, watching health and select committee websites for consultation papers,
and becoming respected in political circles as people who can provide an informed comment on
issues.
The media provides a powerful way to communicate on health policy issues and nurses need to
become confident at using this form of communication. For too long, nurses have relied on others to
speak for them in media forums. We need more nurses who can speak on nursing and health issues
and who become respected spokespersons.
The challenge is to change our approach to policy issues, take each issue as an opportunity to be
heard, and take action. You can make a difference and influence health policy. (4)
Every time you catch yourself thinking "someone should do something about that", why not change
your approach to "I will do something about it"?
Health policy workshops
NZNO has developed Learning modules on influencing health policy to be run as one-day workshops
in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch next month:
* October 7--Auckland
* October 14--Christchurch
* October 21--Wellington
These workshops aim to increase nurses' understanding of why policies are made, how they are
formed and changed at both an organisational and government level, and encourage nurses to
engage in influencing policy makers. The workshops took at choosing the right time to influence
policy, planning the strategy, getting the key messages across, selecting the right tool for getting
maximum impact and getting involved. (3)
The workshops will be interactive, using questions and scenarios, and participants will have an
opportunity to develop different ways of Looking at and influencing policy.
If you are interested in attending one of these workshops, please email Betty Ng on bettyn@
nzno.org.nz. For further details, see last month's Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand, p10.
By competency adviser Pauline Cook
References
(1) Hughes, F (2001) Influencing health policy. Nursing New Zealand Centenary Souvenir 1901-
2001. Wellington: Nursing Council of New

3. https://www.kiwibox.com/voraciousf280/blog/entry/116977505/blogging-alone/ Zealand.
(2) NZNO (2007) NZNO college and section committee handbook. Wellington: NZNO.
(3) Barnett, T. (2008) Political lobbying www.timbarnett.org.nz. Retrieved 13/08/08.
(4) Calder, S. Hughes, F. (2007) Have your say: Influencing Public Policy in Hew Zealand. Dunmore
Publishing Limited, Wellington.
COPYRIGHT 2008 New Zealand Nurses' Organisation
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the
copyright holder.
Copyright 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.