State Action

In the United States, healthcare policies written and enacted at the state level define the scope of nursing practice and impact reimbursement and other key aspects of nursing practice, ultimately shaping how patients receive care. The future of the nursing profession depends on the active participation of nurses at the state level, to ensure that policies that promote nursing goals are developed, refined, and advocated for by political leaders in that state. Every nurse should understand how policies are shaped and made within the state political structure, who participates and influences nursing policies, and what factors have the power to turn agendas into law or into dust. Ultimately, the goal of this chapter is to help nurses think about how important it is to be involved in shaping policy at the state level in their own interests and as champions for quality healthcare for all.