ANA/C 2018 General Assembly
Standing Together :
Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Advocating for Our Professional Role
Maria Williams O’Rourke RN PhD FAAN
Looking Back to See the Future
“There are many gifts that are unique in man; but at the center of them all, the root from which all knowledge grows, lies the ability to draw conclusions from what we see to what we do not see, to move our minds through space and time, and to recognize ourselves in the past on the steps to the present.
Jacob Bronowski, The Ascent of Man 1973
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Words Matter!
Standing … you are on your feet …. Engaged, ready for action
Together… you are acting jointly, mutually, collectively, in sync
Advocacy… means
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Advocacy … A Driving Desire
“an act of publicly representing an individual, organization, or idea”
Ensure people, particularly the most vulnerable in society, are able to:
Have their voice heard on issues that are important to them.
Defend and safeguard their rights.
Have their views and wishes genuinely considered when decisions are being made about their lives.
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Advocacy Starts Early:
Good Citizenship, Governance and Leadership
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
What lit my Advocacy fire?
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Injustice
My Story: Injustice in the early years
Stereotypes about girls and women – what was defined
pretty!
Access to career opportunities- shut out of classes!
Weaker gender due to our biology- female sports were
modified!
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
A Sign of the Times –
Social moments had an impact on advocating for our
professional role and advancing the future of nursing
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Advocacy and Social Movements
1960
Civil Rights
Vietnam - Women Against War
Women’s Rights- Liberation
Labor/Worker’s rights/Farm workers
Second Vatican Council- women in the church
Anti nuclear Movement
Hippie Movement – love and drugs
Nurse’s Protest across the nation about control of practice and work place issues - PPC came into effect.
1970
Roe vs Wade
marginalized people continued fight for equality
many Americans join protest against the ongoing war in Vietnam.
LGBT rights
Right to Life-Pro Choice-Conscientious Objection
Men's’ rights
Paternalism - Women's Professions -not at the table
Recognition that practice had outpaced the legal framework -Legislative advocacy increases
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Injustice in Nursing in the 60’s and 70’s
Professional Role UN- Clarity
Normative Factor:
No question of our service orientation- patient always first
Service vs Servitude – Dependent practice
Pay not value based
Cognitive Factor:
Underdeveloped scientific base for our practice- tradition oriented
Women did not need to be smart
Fight over the need for higher education for nursing
Evaluative Factor:
Autonomy and Control of practice
Men in control of decision making
Independent vs dependent practice
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Activism
“a policy of taking direct action to achieve a political or social goal”
implies a direct action or intervention such as a protest in favor of change.
part of the advocacy process or the action(s) such as organize a deliberate and direct
protest, to increase awareness and attempt to influence the political process
Lobbying – education – litigation - organizing
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Success = Advocacy and Activism
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Valuing Your Worth
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
$87.00 per week
$3.60 eves
$1.80 nights
Blue Cross
When rotate: Function in other areas
Advocacy and Activism
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
1974 –Advocacy for Health
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
1974 New Definition of Nursing
Professional Role clarity
Section 2725 Scope of Practice definition
Independent-Dependent
Inter- dependent Practice
Indirect and direct practice
Decision making authority
Expanded practice mechanism
Collaboration
Across settings
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Advocacy and Social Movements:
80’s, 90’s, 2000 plus.
1980
Mount St. Helens erupts- natural disaster
Strategic Defense Initiative- Star Wars
Iran Iraq War
Anti labor government
ERA Debate
anti-globalization corporate movement
Gun control
Environments regulations
Medical establishment opposition to Nurse Practitioner
1990
Planet in trouble - Timber Wars
Political activism on the Right
Occupy Wall Street starts
IOM study on medical error
De-professionalization of the Nursing Workforce
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Advocacy and Social Movements:
80’s, 90’s, 2000 plus.
2000
Iraq Was protests
Immigrants march
Technology Revolution
Social media for social change
Work Force environment issues
Population health emerges
Public health crisis
Social determinants of health
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Advocacy and Activism
Vulnerable Populations: The poor
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Vulnerable Population: Stop Blaming the
Sexual Assault Victims
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Vulnerable Population: Children and families
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
What is Your Driving Force
Your core
what is the issue that will drive your effort to advocate for our professional role?
what will you do to make the change happen
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Today- Advocacy and Activism
Link quality patient care, practice excellence, patient safety
………to how Professional Nursing care is key to achieving positive
outcomes for patient families and the community
Then do something to make it happen!
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing
Thank you
Standing Together : Advocating for the Future of Nursing