Emergency Nurses Association

Sample Solution

The Emergency Nurses Association: Advocating for Emergency Care

The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) is a professional organization representing over 100,000 emergency nurses across the United States. They actively lobby policymakers to improve working conditions for emergency nurses, ensure quality patient care in emergency departments, and advocate for public health initiatives.

Mechanisms for Influencing Policymakers

The ENA uses a multi-pronged approach to influence policymakers:

• Grassroots Advocacy: The EN411 Action Network mobilizes ENA members to contact their elected officials on key issues through emails, phone calls, and social media campaigns (ENA, n.d.).
• Lobbying: ENA employs a team of lobbyists who meet with legislators, testify at hearings, and propose legislation to advance their agenda (OpenSecrets.org, 2023).
• Research and Reports: ENA conducts research and publishes reports on critical issues affecting emergency nursing, providing policymakers with data-driven evidence to support their policy positions (ENA, n.d.).
• Coalitions: ENA works with other healthcare organizations and patient advocacy groups to build consensus and amplify their collective voice (American Nurses Association & Emergency Nurses Association, 2020).

Key Obstacles

ENA faces several challenges in its lobbying efforts:

• Competing Interests: Other healthcare organizations and special interest groups may have conflicting priorities regarding emergency care funding and policies.
• Political Gridlock: Partisan divides in Congress can make it difficult to pass legislation supported by ENA.
• Public Perception: ENA needs to effectively communicate the value of emergency nurses and the importance of robust emergency care systems to garner public support for their agenda (Stahl et al., 2018).

Full Answer Section

Spending on Lobbying

According to OpenSecrets.org (2023), ENA reported spending $88,579 on federal lobbying activities in 2022. While this is a relatively modest amount compared to other healthcare lobbying groups, it demonstrates ENA's commitment to influencing policy at the federal level.

ENA's Advocacy Efforts: A Closer Look

Reviewing ENA's website (ENA, n.d.) reveals their position statements on various topics including:

• Nurse Staffing: ENA advocates for safe nurse staffing ratios in emergency departments to ensure patient safety and quality care (ENA, n.d.).
• Workplace Violence: ENA lobbies for legislation to protect emergency nurses from violence and aggression in the workplace (Stahl et al., 2018).
• Public Health Preparedness: ENA promotes resources and training programs to enhance emergency departments' ability to respond to public health emergencies and disasters (American Nurses Association & Emergency Nurses Association, 2020).

Furthermore, media reports indicate ENA's active role in policy discussions. A 2023 article in the Journal of Emergency Nursing (Jehn et al., 2023) highlights ENA's advocacy efforts for increased funding for nursing education and training to address the national nursing shortage.

Additionally, ENA's testimony before Congressional committees regarding topics like Medicare payment reform and telehealth expansion demonstrates their commitment to shaping healthcare policy (ENA, n.d.).

These resources paint a clear picture of ENA's multifaceted approach to advocacy and their focus on improving the emergency care system for both patients and nurses.

Please note: This information is intended for a written report. To adapt it for a PowerPoint presentation, you can create the following slides:

• Slide 1: Title Slide (Include ENA logo, presentation title, your name, and date)
• Slide 2: Emergency Nurses Association (Brief overview of ENA's mission and membership)
• Slide 3: ENA's Advocacy Efforts (Highlight key mechanisms used for lobbying)
• Slide 4: Obstacles (Discuss challenges faced by ENA)
• Slide 5: Advocacy in Action (Examples of ENA's policy positions on specific issues)
• Slide 6: Conclusion (Summarize ENA's impact and importance)
• Slide 7: References (List all sources used in APA format)
• Slide 8 (Optional): Speaker Notes (Expand on content presented on each slide)

Remember to use visuals and concise text to keep your presentation clear and engaging.

References

American Nurses Association & Emergency Nurses Association. (2020, June 18). Joint statement on COVID-19 preparedness and response. American Nurses Association. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/work-environment/health-safety/disaster-preparedness/coronavirus/ana-response-to-coronavirus-disease-covid-19/  

ENA. (n.d.). Government Relations. Emergency Nurses Association.