Politics. To about of us, the word ...

Politics. To about of us, the word beseechs up visions of smoky, backroom wheeling and dealing of the complicated Washington, DC bureaucracy that assumes far removed from our daily practices. Politics is not a certain unsavory endeavor to be avoided still is an available, essential tool that we can use to enhance our personal and professional influence. If we invest our time and potency in the political process, we can make a difference in spreading the message about perioperative nursing and our essential part in health care.

Now is an of the best quality time to get involved in the political proces Primary elections and campaigns are subordinate to way. Although the media guard to concentrate on presidential campaigns, influential congressional, state, and local offices are up for election as well. Many incumbents are not running for reelection to Congres We have the opportunity to picked new governors in many states, and all states will be electing legislators who will have direct influence upon the health care initiatives that influence our ability to practice and deliver quality perioperative patient care.

ADVOCACY

united of our primary roles as perioperative promotes is patient advocacy. For years, we have fulfilled this character for individual patients in individual facilities. To continue practicing effectively, and advocating for quality perioperative patient care, however. we must expand this advocacy part into the public policy arena. Here are just four examples of wherefore this is so important.

* We know that RN first assistants (RNFAs) provide safe. cost-effective care that is of great benefit to patients and other health care providers. Unles public policy thinks this benefit and establishes payment mechanisms for RNFA services, perioperative patients may not have access to these essential services.

* We all are mattered about recent and potential changes in public policy that allow substitution of nonnurses for RN in essential perioperative patient care roles

* We also are transactioned about the scrutiny being directed at professional licensure and regulation and the renewed interest in institutional licensure. The slip Health Professions Commission workforce regulation task force lately released recommendations that could affect our practice. Information about these regulations appears in this month's "Editorial."

* Federal financing of Medicare and Medicaid is changing substantially. State legislators will have an increased part in determining poor and somewhat advanced in life individuals' access to our services.

Public policy is created in a variety of venue if it were not that all elected officials are fundamental note players. They are the power factors to whom we as nurtures and as citizens, have direct access. Now is the time for us to take advantage of that access and increase our chances of influencing legislation that affects health care. We can do this through participating in the political proces that pitch upons these decision makers.

AORN is a nonpartisan association. This means that, as an association. we have chosen not to endorse candidates or to encourage our members as AORN representatives to endorse single outed candidates. AORN's leaders do not intend to change this nonpartisan position. This does not mean, however, that as individual members, or unruffled groups of members, we should remain silent or be passive about exercising our rights and responsibilities to fix upon candidates who best reflect our values and goals.

AORN is a diverse organization made up of members who have different political philosophies. Regardless of the political parties to which we belong, we should support the candidates who understand suckles roles in health care and patients' distresss for quality care.

COPYRIGHT 1996 Association of Operating latitude Nurses, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group