2017 Ohio Nurses Association Biennial Convention

Reference Proposal #2

TITLE: Promotion of RNs as Political Candidates for Office

SUBMITTED BY: District Three

RECOMMENDED ACTION(S)

ONA establish a formal process to solicit, encourage, educate, promote and support RNs to run for political office in Ohio.

ONA’s Political Contributing Entity (PCE financially support RN candidates within Ohio’s legal contribution limits.

ONA CORE VALUES

Social Responsibility– ONA will function ethically and contribute to the welfare of the community.

Collaboration –ONA will work jointly with others.

Professionalism – ONA embodies the conduct, aims, and qualities of the profession.

The ONA MISSION is a further rationale for this action: To advance registered nurses, promote professional nursing practice, and advocate for quality health care.

RATIONALE

Historically, registered nurses have not played a significant role in the Ohio Legislature. The last RN legislator to serve in Ohio was Sue Morano and she did so in the senate from 2006 -2010. A member of Service Employees International Union at the time, they supported her in her attempted election in 2002 and in her successful campaign in 2006. She solicited support from and joined ONA in 2002 and collaborated with ONA on healthcare issues once she was elected in 2006.

However, unlike Ohio, there are thirty-four states that have registered nurses serving in their legislature and several of those states have more than one. Ohio presently boasts of none.

At the national level, five registered nurses presently serve in Congress but there are zero RNs in the Senate. Despite numerous reports that “registered nurses have experiences in the real world of health care that can motivate them to take on some form of an advocacy role in order to influence a change in policies, laws, or regulations that govern the larger health care system, this type of advocacy necessitates stepping beyond their own practice setting and into the less familiar world of policy and politics, a world in which many nurses do not feel prepared to operate effectively. Successful policy advocacy depends on having the power, the will, the time, and the energy, along with the political skills needed to ‘play the game’ in the legislative arena.” 1 That “power” and skills education can easily be provided by the Ohio Nurses Association through its well developed and savvy health policy department. “Nurses cannot afford to remain in the background or added as an afterthought to the policy and legislative arenas. As the largest single group of health care providers, nurses have the potential to successfully advocate from a diverse power base; and they have a unique perspective on health care policies and expertise to share with power brokers. Nurses need to be a strong voice actively advocating for positive change. Nurses strengthen their power base when they network with nursing colleagues and other supporters to build consensus on important issues.”1 ONA can and should solicit, develop and support RNs in this arena. RNs would be an asset serving in any political office at any level.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

1. New and more fully informed advocates for quality patient care and the nursing profession will emerge.

2. RNs in high ranking political positions will help to spotlight and accomplish greater positive strides in the delivery of healthcare in Ohio.

3. RNs will be further showcased as credible, ethical leaders and patient advocates in all political venues.

4. ONA will benefit politically and bolster its image for discovering and promoting strong, credible and caring legislators.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

1. Solicit RNs interested in running for any office through the use of social media (ONA Connect et, al), written communication (ONR, Ohio Nurse, etc.), on the ONA Health Policy Council, and through ONA sponsored programs such as the Ambassador Academy, Nurses Day at the Statehouse, Roadshow, etc.

2. Utilize contacts with political entities (lobbyists) to help develop these candidates by educating them on the current issues, particularly the issues relevant to patient care & nursing practice.

3. Use member and nonmember contacts to garnish support for these RN advocates.

4. Support these candidates financially and through public endorsement.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

$1000.00

· $300.00 - Honorarium

· $200.00 - Staff time

· $500.00 - Advertising

DISCLOSURE: Be advised that the financial impact of all reference proposals is that the cost of implementing reference proposals is incorporated into existing ONA and/or ONF work and initiatives; reference proposals are not line items within the budget.

REFERENCES

Available upon request.