A discussion regarding the health care reform or even health care in general can be somewhat controversial. The definition of health is drastically different depending on whom you speak to. Many would define health as ” a person’s absence of disease, others would describe good health based on the status of mind, body & social well-being” (GCU Lecture, module 2, 2012). According to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, health is defined as “The overall condition of an organism at a given time”.
An individual’s overall health affects the nation, this is where stakeholders come into value. According to Keele, Buckner & Bushnell a stakeholder is either an individual or an organization that either invest time and money into another health care organization that helps implements health care strategic plans. This also causes stakeholders to be affected or be affecting the nation’s health. As many are unaware, “stakeholders play a key role within the health care system” (Keele, Buckner & Bushnell, 1987).
The American Nurses Association (ANA) also plays an important role within the health care reform enacted by President Barrack Obama. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) “the nursing profession advances by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public”. In 1911 the ANA became a renowned health organization.
Starting off with 20 members the ANA still holds strong to its code of professional nursing. Including ” it’s is continuously working towards creating a positive insight on the nursing vocation and recognizing registered nurses, who deserves credibility for the work they do” (Glazer, 1999). The ANA plays its role as a stakeholder by implementing a policy that will continuously raise the prospect of registered nurses all over the nation. An individual can obtain a basic nursing degree by ways of an Associate, Diploma or as an Licensed Practical Nurse.
However, stakeholders like the ANA and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) continuously demand higher education for health care professionals to meet the high demand and the complexity of our health care system today. For an example; the ANA highly encourages for all registered nurses to achieve a bachelor’s degree. With the ANA support in March of 2010 President Obama proposed the Health Care Reform Act to help assure individuals better, high-quality, and affordable health care insurance coverage. “Health care reform in the United States”, 2010, p. 1). “The health care is a human right, and will continue to fight on behalf of nurses and their patients to ensure that this is achieved” (Ana: Ensuring nurses, paragraph, 1). By attending and speaking at public health care events, being involved with other stakeholders like; Health Reform Dialogue (HRD) group, and along with staying up to date and in contact with the Congress and Capitol Hill the ANA shows it’s involvement to achieving the goal that the health care reform act insures.
Stakeholders and other health care professional organizations gather to speak about ” health coverage, disease prevention, and increasing funds for education. These ideas are now being projected to the media and Congress (Ana: Ensuring nurses). It has been proven that stakeholders, either an individual or an health care organization play a key role within strategic implementations and policy developments within the health care system. As a stakeholder, the ANA has proven their loyalty and support for the new health care reform act.
Their goal is to ” continuously strive for outstanding quality care and feel as if the health care reform is contributing to that goal” (Ana: Ensuring nurses, paragraph, 1). It is clear that this relationship with the health care reform act allows for nurses within the United States to provide quality care for those individuals who cannot receive much needed care for being uninsured. Noticed nationally, it has become apparent that the ANA proudly protects and promotes the health care reform act which also supports their mission that was enacted by President Barrack Obama.
References
ANA. (2011). The american nurses association. Retrieved on January 11, 2013 from http://www.nursingworld.org/FunctionalMenuCategories/AboutANA Ana: Ensuring nurses are at the table on health care reform. (n.d.). Retrieved on January 11, 2013 from http://www.rnaction.org/site/PageServer?pagename=CUP_04_09_LEAD_EnsuringNursesareatthetableonHC&ct=1 Glazer, G. (1999). Legislative: The policy and politics of continued competence. Retrieved on January 11, 2013 from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories Grand Canyon University, Module 2 Lecture. Retrieved on January 11, 2013 from
http://angel05.gcu.edu/section/default.asp?id=684316 health. (n.d.) The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. (2003). Retrieved on January 11 2013 from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/health Keele, R. L., Buckner, K., & Bushnell, S. (1987). Identifying health care stakeholders: a key to strategic implementation. Retrieved on January 11, 2013 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10301950
