When Nurses and Patients Walk Capitol Hill
The Dermatology Nurses’ Association (DNA) Health Policy, Advocacy, and Scanning Committee (HPASC) has a robust volunteer group handling sign-on letter efforts and attending legislative conferences. By making keen observations in trends and supporting lobbying efforts, they help guide strategic advocacy and education.
The committee teaches their members organizational relationships, so they understand the complexities of partnerships and synergistic efforts. New members can learn the ropes from members who have been championing efforts for nearly 25 years. The group has worked on state legislation allowing public school students to bring sunscreen to school without a prescription and requiring sun protected areas in all park playgrounds. They review up to 50 key legislative letters to federal policymakers and sign next to other vital influencers, such as the American Nurses Association and Nursing Community Coalition. Recently, they provided their members with the 2023 National Scorecard, which examines health insurance access barriers, to help fight utilization management that circumnavigates clinical decision-making.
Major dermatologic partners have included the American Academy of Dermatology, Coalition of Skin Diseases and all their membership organizations, National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention, One Voice Against Cancer, and Melanoma Action Coalition. However, the most important partners have been patients who are interested in advocating for their care. The group’s nurses have partnered with patients to visit Capitol Hill and advocate for key changes to health care infrastructure, from Medicare reimbursement and step therapy alternatives to indoor UV tanning limitations. These nurses are uniquely capable of recommending support organizations and first to hear of impacts that will trickle down to their patients.
Whether nurses are surgical first assistants, coordinators for oncology programs or biologic appeals, or wound care experts, patients recognize their nurses as sources of new information, and sometimes as lifelines to medications and referrals. These intimate relationships are how nurses can envision improvements in health care delivery. The DNA helps foster such improvements by connecting passionate nurses with peers across the country and globe and providing health policy and advocacy details to its membership through frequent communication, continuing-education credits, and an annual national conference. Often, office staff are not able to interact with peers; professional organizations such as the DNA are vital to maintain the highest quality of care and ensure that health care is rising to meet the needs of specialty populations such as dermatology patients.
