Week 1: Discussion 1: The Four Spheres of Political Action in
Nursing
Nursing should not only focus to one specific task in providing effective nursing care,
perhaps, nursing today is shown to be multidimensional that provides advanced holistic care and
interdisciplinary team approach. The multidimensional aspect of nursing includes the promotion
of health, safety, disease and illness prevention for patient, families, or within the communities.
Because of this, nursing professionals largely influenced the political actions in healthcare by
creating a change in improving the level of care as well as promotes effective rules and
regulations and work safety. In this week’s lesson is about the review of values in politics and
the Four Spheres of Political Action in Nursing (CCN, lesson 1, 2019).
According to Manton (2016), the four spheres of political action in nursing includes
government, professional organization, workplace or workforce, and community. The function of
each spheres is relatively unique from each other, but it is more effective when both spheres are
used to create a change. The sphere of workforce or workplace such as nursing home,
acute/primary care, home care, school-based clinics, or physician office etc. focuses on the
importance of effective policies and procedure that will impact and improve the patient care. The
sphere of government is focused on the laws and regulations of clinical or nursing practice
within the state or within the united states (US). For example, the government created a law that
requires health care or hospitals to keep records of immunizations, birth records, provides
protection of patient information and medical records, and also, they provide legal age limit for
drinking alcohol. In addition, the government provides vital role in the nursing industry because
it largely impacts the nursing services and impact the healthcare system (provides laws on health
, care coverage and drug price transparency). The sphere of professional organization is focused
on different areas in nursing such as American Nurses Association (ANA), nursing credentialing
system and nursing standard of practice that will help shape and strengthen the clinical practice
and the profession of nursing. In addition, professional organization is vital in the creation of
safe and high standard work environment for nurses, effective policies and procedure that will
aid in providing advanced nursing practice and effective nursing services in the community. For
example, American Nurses Association (ANA) is nationally recognized professional
organization which promotes leadership, fosters high standards of nursing care, promotes safety
and ethical work environment, and advocates for the nurses and public in regard to healthcare
issues (ANA, n.d.). Lastly, the sphere of community addresses activities that leads to the
community’s health issues. For example, improper waste disposal, and low socioeconomic are
detrimental to the people’s health in the community. Although there are special organization that
are available to help the community such as food banks, community organizations, and habitat
for humanity. The role of the nurse in the community is to promote healthy food selections,
proper waste disposal to create safe and clean environment that will aid in the disease and illness
prevention (Manton, 2016).
Nurses largely influence the creation of policies and procedure that will help improve
health care system and the quality of patient care (hospital or community). According to
Cameron, Ceci, & Salas, (2011) nurses often view themselves as individual with no power when
it comes to policy making in healthcare. Also, nurses see their profession as a normal part of
healthcare and not political opportunity to help develop change, but what nurses don’t realize is
that being a nurse makes it more involved in healthcare politics.
Nursing
Nursing should not only focus to one specific task in providing effective nursing care,
perhaps, nursing today is shown to be multidimensional that provides advanced holistic care and
interdisciplinary team approach. The multidimensional aspect of nursing includes the promotion
of health, safety, disease and illness prevention for patient, families, or within the communities.
Because of this, nursing professionals largely influenced the political actions in healthcare by
creating a change in improving the level of care as well as promotes effective rules and
regulations and work safety. In this week’s lesson is about the review of values in politics and
the Four Spheres of Political Action in Nursing (CCN, lesson 1, 2019).
According to Manton (2016), the four spheres of political action in nursing includes
government, professional organization, workplace or workforce, and community. The function of
each spheres is relatively unique from each other, but it is more effective when both spheres are
used to create a change. The sphere of workforce or workplace such as nursing home,
acute/primary care, home care, school-based clinics, or physician office etc. focuses on the
importance of effective policies and procedure that will impact and improve the patient care. The
sphere of government is focused on the laws and regulations of clinical or nursing practice
within the state or within the united states (US). For example, the government created a law that
requires health care or hospitals to keep records of immunizations, birth records, provides
protection of patient information and medical records, and also, they provide legal age limit for
drinking alcohol. In addition, the government provides vital role in the nursing industry because
it largely impacts the nursing services and impact the healthcare system (provides laws on health
, care coverage and drug price transparency). The sphere of professional organization is focused
on different areas in nursing such as American Nurses Association (ANA), nursing credentialing
system and nursing standard of practice that will help shape and strengthen the clinical practice
and the profession of nursing. In addition, professional organization is vital in the creation of
safe and high standard work environment for nurses, effective policies and procedure that will
aid in providing advanced nursing practice and effective nursing services in the community. For
example, American Nurses Association (ANA) is nationally recognized professional
organization which promotes leadership, fosters high standards of nursing care, promotes safety
and ethical work environment, and advocates for the nurses and public in regard to healthcare
issues (ANA, n.d.). Lastly, the sphere of community addresses activities that leads to the
community’s health issues. For example, improper waste disposal, and low socioeconomic are
detrimental to the people’s health in the community. Although there are special organization that
are available to help the community such as food banks, community organizations, and habitat
for humanity. The role of the nurse in the community is to promote healthy food selections,
proper waste disposal to create safe and clean environment that will aid in the disease and illness
prevention (Manton, 2016).
Nurses largely influence the creation of policies and procedure that will help improve
health care system and the quality of patient care (hospital or community). According to
Cameron, Ceci, & Salas, (2011) nurses often view themselves as individual with no power when
it comes to policy making in healthcare. Also, nurses see their profession as a normal part of
healthcare and not political opportunity to help develop change, but what nurses don’t realize is
that being a nurse makes it more involved in healthcare politics.
