201 8.1.4 Informing NP Policy Development

NPs must continue to advocate and become involved to inform practice and support policy development. In advocating, NPs need to:

• Understand their scope of practice/practice authority
• Be aware of community needs
• Determine how NPs can meet community needs & fill necessary gaps
• Remain educated: clinical skills, leadership skills & health policy
• Be involved in nursing organizations (local to international)

There are a number of nursing organizations for NPs to belong to including provincial/territorial, national & international. All of these organizations will support NP advocacy and membership and involvement is encouraged^[1].

NPs play an important and significant role in developing health policies. NPs support policy development including policies involving:

• Health care access
• Health care equality
• Quality of care
• NP scope of practice
• Public health crises
• Health care legislation^[2]

NPs not only inform health policies but they support with educating the public and applying policies into practice^[3].