North Dakota Nurse - April 2021

April, May, June 2021 The North Dakota Nurse Page 3
Nurses in Public Policy
Beth Sanford, MSN, RN, ACN, CLC
From the days of the first community/public health
nurses in the late 19th century in England and the
United States, nurses have been on the front lines
of addressing the needs of the community, such
as poor nutrition and sanitation, transportation,
truancy, health education for patients, families,
and communities, guiding patients to community
resources, as well as direct patient care focused
on alleviating suffering. Florence Nightingale was
quoted as saying, "The work we are speaking of has
to do with maintaining health by removing things
Beth Sanford
which disturb it…dirt, drink, diet, damp, and drains."
An extension of community/public health nursing that affects
population health is the nurse's role as a legislator. Nurse Legislators may
not be giving direct patient care, but they advocate for patients and
communities and represent patients, healthcare workers, and agencies
in health care policy development.
As a result of the nurse's relationship with the community, public trust
in nurses is high. The 2020 Gallup poll ranked nurses as the number one
ranking profession for honesty and ethical standards for the 19th year in
a row (Gallup, 2021). Therefore, nurses engaging in politics seems like it
should be a natural avenue to utilize nursing leadership skills. From years
of higher education, nurses are well-equipped to be a legislator as they
bring a full toolbelt to the table that includes transferable skills, or soft
skills, applicable to the legislative role, including:
• Therapeutic Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Critical Thinking
• Digital Fluency
• Diversity and Teamwork
• Ethics & Professional Responsibility
• Information literacy
In addition to transferable skills, nurses are
skilled at making tough decisions in times of crisis.
Nurses are deeply committed to their patients
and communities. They are experienced people
managers, able to calm the hearts of patients and
families and collaborate with the interdisciplinary
team. Nurses strive to interact with all people with
integrity and discernment while demonstrating
compassion, respect, humility, and love for humanity.
Indeed, nurses have a lot to offer in the political
arena. Although statistically low numbers of nurses
are involved in politics, the NDNA would like to see
that number grow.
We are proud of our ND nurse legislators – Senator Kristin Roers
Kristin Roers, and Representative Karen M. Rohr.
Senator Roers is a Nursing Practice Specialist with
a BS in Business Economics, SDSU, a BS in Nursing,
SDSU, and an MS, Nursing and Healthcare Systems
Administration, U of Minnesota. She has been in the
Senate since 2019.
Representative Karen M. Rohr is from Mandan,
and holds a PhD in Nursing Research, an MSN in
Nursing Administration, and is a Board-Certified Nurse
Practitioner. She has been in the House since 2011.
These leaders will be featured in the upcoming
May issue of the NDNA eNews. Watch for this!
We admire and maybe even aspire to attain the
advocacy stature of both of these nurses. Here are
ways you can use your nursing voice to make a Karen M. Rohr
difference by getting involved in local and state governance:
- NDNA
o Provide testimony for bills
o Lobby on behalf of the profession of nursing in the state of North
Dakota
Visit nursingALD.com today!
o Become a member of the NDNA if you are not already and get
involved
o Attend weekly legislative calls hosted by the North Dakota Center
for Nursing
o Run for a board position
o Attend annual meetings and conferences to network with other
nurses in the state
o Write an article for the quarterly publication that you are reading
right now – The North Dakota Nurse
-Vote!!
-Run for office
o Schoolboard
o City council
o County commission
o State Representative or Senator
-Participate in local politics
o Get to know your district Representatives and Senator
o Participate in your local legislative district meeting
-Get involved in state health policy and advocacy
o Initiate a bill
o Support a bill with testimony or lobbying efforts
During the 2021 session, the NDNA and the ND Center for Nursing
monitored several bills initiated or supported by nurses including:
• SB 2268 Assault on a Health Care Facility Provider,
• SB 2145 Essential Caregivers for Long Term Care Residents,
• HB 1044 APRN Nurse Licensure Compact,
• HB 1328 Insurance Reimbursement for Vitamin D Screening,
• SB 2226 Licensure of Residential Hospice Facilities, and
• SB 2198 ND Center for Nursing Funding.
Search job listings
in all 50 states, and filter by
location and credentials.
Browse our online database
of articles and content.
Find events
for nursing professionals in your area.
Your always-on resource for
nursing jobs, research, and events.