Virginia Nurses Today - August 2020
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www.<strong>Virginia</strong><strong>Nurses</strong>.com | <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Nurses</strong> <strong>Today</strong> <strong>August</strong>, September, October <strong>2020</strong> | Page 15<br />
Reflections on the Loss of a Civil Rights Icon continued<br />
from page 1<br />
PRROGGRRAAAM AAAGGENDAAA<br />
John Lewis recount that day personally, was<br />
my greatest and most memorable experience.<br />
I have had the pleasure of being in his<br />
company and listening to him share stories<br />
about his imprisonments (40 at last count), his<br />
sit-ins including one on the floor of Congress<br />
for gun control, and his Boy from Troy (a name<br />
bestowed on him by Dr. Martin Luther King)<br />
adventures. The man who was often late to<br />
his appointments, because he would stop to<br />
give a hug, take a picture, or to acknowledge<br />
an ordinary person, will be missed, but he will<br />
always be remembered for his extraordinary<br />
and selfless acts to ensure diversity, equity,<br />
and inclusivity.<br />
As nurses and as citizens, we can all honor<br />
the work and legacy of Congressman Lewis by<br />
exercising our right to vote in each and every<br />
election. Please take a moment to read our<br />
interview and after you're finished, check to<br />
make sure you're registered to vote at https://<br />
www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/ before<br />
the upcoming November election.<br />
Remember, 1 in 80 <strong>Virginia</strong>ns is a registered<br />
nurse, and we have a powerful voice as nurses<br />
in the voting booth!<br />
Dr. McDaniel, and cousin, Paulette Rush after<br />
the 116th Swearing in Ceremony chatting<br />
with Congressman Lewis about his connection<br />
to our family<br />
Why We Need <strong>Nurses</strong> in<br />
Elected Office<br />
As a nurse, you have an incredible opportunity<br />
to influence the future of your profession in <strong>Virginia</strong><br />
through legislative advocacy. In a recent survey<br />
of members, legislative advocacy was identified<br />
as one of the top benefits of membership, and yet<br />
there are only two nurses currently serving in the<br />
<strong>Virginia</strong> General Assembly!! <strong>Nurses</strong> are the largest<br />
healthcare profession in the world and for 18 years<br />
in a row, they have also been voted the most trusted<br />
profession. There are more than 110,000 nurses in<br />
the Commonwealth of <strong>Virginia</strong>, making about 1 in<br />
80 <strong>Virginia</strong>ns a registered nurse!<br />
<strong>Nurses</strong> need to lean on years of the public’s trust<br />
and become involved in health and healthcare policy<br />
making decisions on the local, state, and national<br />
level. There is no one better than a nurse to ensure<br />
the best interests of patients and that our profession<br />
is represented in policy development. <strong>Nurses</strong> have<br />
already mastered the valuable skill of connecting<br />
with people from every walk of life during difficult<br />
times, and running for office is the next logical step.<br />
Any frustrations nurses feel with the profession<br />
and the healthcare industry can be channeled into<br />
advocating for positive change.<br />
The lack of knowledge that policymakers and<br />
politicians have directly affects patients, nurses,<br />
the healthcare environment, and legislation that is<br />
passed. If nurses are not part of the conversation<br />
and continue to have others speak for them, they<br />
are ultimately going to be left behind in a field where<br />
they should be front and center. 1<br />
There are 110,000 reasons to become involved<br />
with <strong>Virginia</strong> legislative advocacy and we’re here to<br />
help. If you are interested in running for office, visit<br />
https://www.elections.virginia.gov/candidatepacinfo/.<br />
To start your advocacy journey, or if you have<br />
advocacy related questions, visit our website, www.<br />
virginianurses.com. If you are unable to run for<br />
office but would still like to be an advocate for the<br />
nursing profession, make sure you are registered to<br />
vote. You can check your voter registration status at<br />
https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation.<br />
You can also join VNA at the General Assembly<br />
session every year to help us represent nurses and<br />
the nursing profession! Learn more about our VNA<br />
Lobby Days at https://virginianurses.com/page/<br />
LobbyDays. You can also sign up for VNA Action<br />
Alerts by texting TAKEACTION 84483 to receive text<br />
and email alerts on <strong>Virginia</strong> politics and legislation<br />
related to nursing.<br />
Let your voice be heard!<br />
References<br />
¹ How Can We Be Prepared for the Next Healthcare<br />
Crisis?. Sharon Pearce, MSN, CRNA. <strong>2020</strong>.<br />
John Lewis (far left front row kneeling) and<br />
Rev. Curtis Harris (far right standing) in 1965 two<br />
weeks after Bloody Sunday<br />
Photo Courtesy of Rev. Curtis Harris