The AAACN Advocacy Committee makes recommendations for legislative priorities to the AAACN Board of Directors.

The Advocacy Committee also develops position statements on important legislative issues that affect your practice and patients, and is a source of information for legislation that will have an influence on how ambulatory care is provided in this country. Learn more below about our advocacy efforts and how members can get involved.

AAACN’s Advocacy Priorities

AAACN is committed to advancing policies that recognize, support, and elevate the role of ambulatory care nurses. Our advocacy efforts focus on:

•    Recognition & Reimbursement: Ensuring ambulatory care nurses are recognized and reimbursed for the essential services they provide.
•    Title Protection & Scope of Practice: Supporting laws that reduce role confusion, allow nurses to practice to the full extent of their education and licensure, and facilitate practice across state lines.
•    Workplace Safety & Workforce Development: Advocating for safe, healthy workplaces and funding to grow a diverse nursing workforce that reflects the communities they serve.
•    Nurse-Led Research & Education: Securing support for research on nurse-led interventions and promoting ambulatory care nursing education with expert faculty.
•    Health Equity & Team-Based Care: Promoting policies that integrate ambulatory care nurses into healthcare teams, ensuring cost-effective, high-quality care for all.

AAACN is shaping the future of ambulatory care nursing by driving policy changes that enhance patient care, expand nursing opportunities, and improve healthcare systems nationwide.

Read the Official AAACN Advocacy Platform

AAACN Supports Nursing Legislation

Members of the Advocacy Committee review legislative initiatives related to nursing practice on an ongoing basis. Through AAACN's involvement with the Nursing Community Coalition, a forum for professional nursing organizations to AAACN Memberscollaborate on a wide spectrum of healthcare and nursing issues, including practice, education, and research, the team reviews and determines if AAACN should support, or not support legislation that will affect AAACN members, and the practice of ambulatory care nursing.

AAACN has endorsed the following Nursing Community Coalition's (NCC) legislative initiatives:

Additionally, the Advocacy Committee seeks out opportunities to promote the value of the RN in legislation.

How You Can Get Involved

Ambulatory care nurses are a powerful force when united—they harness the strength of their collective voice to drive transformative change. By clearly understanding the issues and how they can make a difference and standing together, they not only elevate patient care but also shape the future of healthcare policy.

What You Can Do
We realize that many AAACN members are interested in learning how they can advocate for the nursing profession, ambulatory care nurses, or themselves. There are several ways for you to have your voice heard on Capitol Hill.

Find Your Representatives
Empower yourself to connect with your congressmen and senators and make your voice heard in shaping healthcare policy. Simply enter your ZIP code to quickly access direct links to your representatives’ websites and contact pages. Contact your Congressional leaders personally. Your leaders have local offices, and you can schedule a meeting with them or one of their office staff members to discuss issues being considered in Washington that affect nurses.

Register to Vote
View this simple, step-by-step guide to help you register to vote, locate your polling place, and participate in the democratic process.

Five Finger Model
The "Five Finger Advocacy" model offers ambulatory care nurses a practical alternative to the traditional elevator pitch. By centering the audience and promoting empathy, it helps nurses craft clear, concise, and action-oriented messages that resonate with policymakers and stakeholders. This approach is an invaluable resource for advocating for key issues in ambulatory care, enabling nurses to effectively communicate their priorities and drive meaningful change.
 

View the Handout          View the Five Finger Advocacy Model

Advocacy Objectives of AAACN Members

The 2024 AAACN Advocacy Committee Survey gathered valuable insights from members on key policy issues affecting ambulatory care nurses. Key findings include:

•    Top Policy Priorities: Members identified RN scope of practice, staffing ratios, reimbursement for nursing services, and workplace violence prevention as critical issues.
•    Engagement in Advocacy: While many members are knowledgeable about policy issues, fewer feel they can influence policies at the state or federal level.
•    Workplace Challenges: Responses highlighted concerns around inadequate staffing, lack of RN recognition in ambulatory settings, and barriers to nurses working at the top of their license.
•    Team-Based Care & Utilization of Skills: While many feel their skills are fully utilized, a significant percentage believe there is room for improvement in how RNs are integrated into care teams.

AAACN will use these findings to guide future advocacy efforts and provide resources to help members engage in policy discussions. Stay tuned for opportunities to get involved! 

View the ViewPoint article in which 2024-2026 Chair Leondra Weiss and committee members analyzed the results.

Legislative Resources

AAACN Resources

The following articles address the role of the nurse in the legislative process, how a bill becomes a law, and the basics of lobbying. Links to legislative resources are also provided.

 

AAACN MembersAdvocacy Committee and AAACN member Emily Gallager and colleagues met with Rep. Laura Terech at the Arizona State Capital to discuss nursing and healthcare bills for Advocacy Day 2024.

Read the ViewPoint article

 

Other Resources