Your Association in Action

NANN has identified advocacy as one of four major goals for the association. In order to make an impact on neonatal nursing practice regulation and policy, NANN will increase opportunities to work in coalition with other healthcare related groups that impact neonatal practice. Read about the following alliances that NANN has forged in this area, and the initiatives that have an impact on you as a nurse.

Legislative Affairs

• NANN/NANNP's Health Policy Agenda: 2009-2010 addresses laws and regulations governing neonatal nursing and advanced practice nursing clinical practice, workplace safety, safe staffing, nursing education, nursing research, and disaster preparedness and response.
• 2009-2010 Issues and Priorities
• Health Policy & Advocacy Toolkit provides an introduction to the legislative process and how you can get involved. Below are handy reference guides to help you navigate the legislative landscape:
  • Getting Involved in Health Policy and Advocacy
  • U.S. Government 101 -- A Refresher Course
  • Who's Who in a Congressional Office
  • Key Congressional Committees for Nurses and Healthcare Issues
  • Glossary and Terms
  • The 111th Congress
  • NANN Fact Sheet - For use by any NANN member who is involved in advocacy issues.

 
Alliances

• The Nursing Organizations Alliance was formed when two long-standing coalitions of nursing organizations united to create a stronger voice for nurses. The vote to create The Alliance occurred on Nov. 17, 2001, at a special meeting National Federation for Specialty Nursing Organizations (NFSNO) and the Nursing Organizations Liaison Forum (NOLF) member organizations in Salt Lake City, UT. The mission of the new organization is "to increase nursing's visibility and impact on health through communication, collaboration and advocacy." NANN is a member of NOA.
• Nurse in Washington Internship (NIWI)The Nurse in Washington Internship Program provides nurses the opportunity to learn how to influence health care through the legislative and regulatory processes. Participants learn from health policy experts and government officials, network with other nurses, and visit members of Congress. NANN plans to send two Health Policy and Advocacy Committee members to NIWI each year.
• The American Nurses Association (ANA) represents nursing to government both on federal and state levels on issues such as staffing, workplace safety and numerous advocacy issues. By becoming an organizational affiliate of ANA, NANN has increased its visibility exponentially, and joined a network of nursing organizations who work together, using their influence to support important nursing issues.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) addresses a wide variety of children’s issues on the state and national level. Some of those issues include children's health care coverage, immunizations, pediatric drugs and devices, and disaster preparedness. NANN has active liaisons to the Committee on Fetus and Newborn,  Neonatal Resuscitation Program, Perinatal Section, Home Health Care Section, Perinatal Pediatrics Early Hearing Screening and Intervention Project (EHDI), and Section on Transport Medicine.
  
  

Contact the Health Policy and Advocacy Committee with your comments or questions.