ESInserto

"I decided to run for office because as a practicing nurse, I was frequently saying, 'There needs to be a law against this,' and 'This patient shouldn't have to go through that,' " she says.
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, RN, BSN, MAS

"Healthcare decisions in government are usually not made by people who are healthcare professionals, but [my fellow legislators] know that I have experiences to draw back on when making these decisions," she says. "As nurses, we know how to make decisions that impact people's lives, from birth to death."

"More nurses should run for office because we can make a difference," she says. "There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The fact that I am an RN moves me to champion for healthcare causes. nurses have the answers to many of the nation's healthcare dilemmas, and it is vital that more nurses get involved in politics, beginning at the grass-roots level. She recommends nurses get their feet wet by volunteering at a political party's local office or a parent-teacher organization, or by working on a fund-raiser for a nonprofit group. Another step can include running for a city council seat or getting involved in the local chapter of a professional organization.

Reaction

Politics is a field in the past not noted to be a nurses field, although taught the basics of leadership and management laws applicable outside the limits of nursing are not included. However with the increasing diversity of tasks geared by nurses, we slowly venture out to the field of politics. Many leaders of nursing combat the field once dominate by lawyers, businessmen, doctors, and the like. It is most observable that the agenda in nurse politicians mind is that of issues on health care.

One can ask what are the advantages of a nurse-politician? Well for one thing nurses know their public; inherent to all nurses is the ability to listen. There are no bodyguards or secretaries who border the nurse and the people. This ability to listen enables the nurse to know the people needs and address them. Nurses see not the big picture but every aspect of it, in every angle. Slowly because of the changing roles, we see colleagues venture into new fields, fields new to our profession. But because we, nurses are adaptive to the demands of change.