New President But What About Healthcare Reform

Nurses see the need for some type of health care reform.  We may not agree about what the best way to change the system is, though.

That is the crux of the problem facing President Elect Obama’s chances of enacting real healthcare reform.  I found this article from Reuters looking at the hurdles faced by the new president when he looks at healthcare reform.

Even though 80 percent of voters want some type of healthcare reform, with the budget deficit, weak financial picture, two wars, and spending 700 billion on the banking bailout there will not be much funding available to put towards healthcare.

That is, if the insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies lay down and let Washington enact a major overhaul of their industries.  Which they won’t.

Politics is Local, even for Nurses

Change at the federal level is hard but change starts small and locally.  What can we as nurses do to help improve healthcare in our communities and facilities?

Here is my list of ideas (I’d love to hear yours, too).

• Get involoved in facility QA and QI programs
• Form a lunch discussion group with nurses from other specialties
• Become active on nursing forums (like Allnurses.com)
• Read and comment on nursing and healthcare blogs (like this one or Emergiblog)
• Write or email your state and federal representatives (short notes are fine)
• Join a nursing specialty organization or your state nursing association
• Listen to your patients.  Find out their concerns

Do you have some more ideas?  Leave a comment below or send me and email at Comments@NursingShow.com.