Building Health Policy Advocacy Expertise in Pediatric Nurse Practitioners Through Civic-Based Experiential Learning

Abstract

Background: Many nurses work largely as policy implementers rather than policy developers. The literature posits several multifaceted reasons for this lack of policy acumen including interprofessional power dynamics, marginalization of nurses in policy making, and lack of formal training in public policy advocacy.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a targeted teaching strategy on increasing political astuteness, perceived skill, and comfort in health policy advocacy among a cohort of acute care pediatric nurse practitioner students.

Methods: Curriculum assessment data were collected using the Political Astuteness Inventory, pre- and postclass discussions, and written reflections.

Results: This curriculum evaluation suggests that specific policy and advocacy training coupled with civic-based experiential learning increased graduate nursing students' political astuteness as well as increased their perceived skill and comfort with health policy advocacy.

Conclusions: Targeted training is an important step in giving nurses the needed tools to work for equitable health care policies.