Preparing Nurses for Healthcare Policy

Nursing leaders need to understand, support, and facilitate healthcare policy. This presentation will provide discussion and guidance on how to become involved with health policy at a beginning level so one can “get started.” Exemplars of nursing opportunities for input into regulatory and legislative processes at the state and federal levels will be described, in addition to how nurses can support grassroot policy initiatives in one’s own community. Overall nurses need to understand how we, the largest healthcare workforce, can change and make a difference in healthcare practices.

Speaker

Pamela R. Jeffries, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANE

Dr. Pamela R. Jeffries, Dean and Professor at George Washington University (GW) School of Nursing, is internationally known for her research and work in developing simulations and online teaching and learning. Throughout the academic community, she is well regarded for her expertise in experiential learning, innovative teaching strategies, new pedagogies, and the delivery of content using technology in nursing education. Dr. Jeffries has served as PI on grants with national organizations such as the National League for Nursing (NLN), has provided research leadership and mentorship on national projects with the National Council State Board of Nursing, and has served as a consultant for health care organizations, corporations, and publishers providing expertise in clinical education, simulations, and other emerging technologies. Prior to joining GW, Dr. Jeffries was Vice Provost for Digital Initiatives at Johns Hopkins University and a professor at the School of Nursing, where she was previously the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Dr. Jeffries is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), an American Nurse Educator Fellow (ANEF), and most recently, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Executive Nurse Fellow (ENF). She also serves as a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Global Intraprofessional Education (IPE) forum and is now serving as past President of the interprofessional, international Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). Dr. Jeffries has numerous publications, is sought to deliver presentations nationally and internationally, and has just edited three books, “Simulations in Nursing Education: From Conceptualization to Evaluation (2nd edition), “Developing Simulation Centers Using the Consortium Model” and her newest book published by Lippincott being launched at IMSH called Clinical Simulations in Nursing Education: Advanced Concepts, Trends, and Opportunities. She has a BSN from Ball State University and a MSN and PhD in nursing from Indiana University.