The power of one vote, your vote, cannot be underestimated. I received more comments about my voting pin than any other pin on my lanyard during our recent NASN conference. Our country is facing the most challenging crises that I can remember in my six decades of life. One way to reverse course is by exercising the strength of our vote. We can not only vote, we can run for office too. I know that sounds ambitious, but as Glennon Doyle says, “We can do hard things.” In fact, we must do hard things because there is no other choice.
As we enjoy a long holiday weekend, I am feeling the strain of a divided nation. We have all lived through 28 months of a pandemic that sent us all reeling as we maneuvered the mitigation steps necessary to care for our school communities. It has been a rough time, but this most welcome summer break also leaves space for deep reflection on how to move forward. One of the things I most enjoyed about the NASN 2022 conference was disengaging from the barrage of bad news. But I am home now and catching up on all that I missed over the past week.
What is present for me at this moment is the shock of recent Supreme Court rulings. The reversal of long-standing rights and questioning what could possibly be lost next is a violation of what we hold most dear in this county, freedom, and choice. Those concepts have been corrupted and have created a deep, Grand Canyon wide division that continues to eat away at any common ground that once stood firm.
Voting is fulfilling a civic duty that we cannot take for granted. We play an important role in shaping the government, whether it is local, state or national, through voting. Policy, including health policy, is shaped by our elected officials.
Mid-terms are coming! Here are some examples of health-related issues that are demanding our attention which translates to our votes. #NursesVote is an initiative from the American Nurses Association (ANA).
Here are some of the nursing priorities that the ANA is promoting because:
When nurses speak, Washington listens. When nurses post or share, the nation listens.
COVID-19
Healthcare Workforce Expansion
Workplace Violence
Opioid Epidemic
Safe Staffing
Health System Transformation
What top legislative priorities would you like to see as school nurses? Click here to view NASN’s top legislative priorities.
One final perspectives piece to share! Food for thought over this 4th of July holiday: POV: Can We Love a Country Even When It Falls Short? Reflections this Independence Day on how to celebrate our nation, even as we insist it do better
