95: Nursing is Political
It’s broadly accepted that only 20% of health outcomes are determined by medical care. The other 80% are determined by the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, learn, work and age; circumstances shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources at global, national and local levels — what is better understood as the political determinants of health — voting, government, and policy. And the more people who vote in your community, the healthier your community is.
As nurses and midwives witness health access and outcomes increasingly being determined by ballot measures or wrapped in policy decisions, they are turning their next steps of advocacy and activism into running for elected public office. In this episode, we explore with Kimberly Gordon, DNP, CRNA, co-founder of the nonpartisan non-profit Healing Politics, why nurses and midwives need to get politically engaged, run for elected office up and down the ballot, what campaign training sounds like, and how to build a culture of civic engagement within the nursing professions.
Find this episode’s resources at www.seeyounowpodcast.com and to find out more information on the podcast bundles visit ANA’s Innovation Website at www.nursingworld.org/innovation. Have questions for the SEE YOU NOW team? Feedback? Future episode ideas? Contact us at [email protected].
