Time to Mobilize in 2025

Purpose: The purpose of this survey was to better understand the knowledge and involvement in advocacy. The secondary aim was to capture the policy priorities of AAACN members.
Background: Ambulatory care nurses are in a unique position to address the increasing care demands, especially as health care shifts to outpatient settings. Historically, nursing as whole has faced barriers to gain full recognition for their contributions to patient care, particularly related to reimbursement for nursing care. This role, although complex and diverse, requires strong advocacy skills to ensure it can evolve and continue to address the growing needs of patients outside of hospital settings. The diverse and often siloed nature of ambulatory care nursing has made it challenging to find a cohesive voice to advocate for the profession and the diverse patient populations we serve.
The AAACN Advocacy Committee (previously the Legislative Committee) last surveyed AAACN members in 2019, prior to the pandemic. This information was used to help inform advocacy work and better meet AAACN member needs. It is imperative that we continue to raise the collective voice of ambulatory care nurses and stay the course in our advocacy efforts for ambulatory care nurses and our patients.
Methods: An online survey was conducted in Spring 2024 using a QR code, and emails were sent to the AAACN members' distribution list. The survey was comprised of nine items, including both multiple choice and free text question fields. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data, while content analysis measured the frequency of policy priorities identified by members. The ambulatory care nursing conceptual framework was utilized to identify potential themes. Codes were assigned to like groups and content analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti software.
Results: This survey was completed by 232 members, representing 5% of AAACN current membership. Most respondents worked in non-profit entities, with 58% non-direct patient care roles. Several questions were designed to assess knowledge and involvement in advocacy efforts. 34.9% of participants stated they were involved in organizational advocacy efforts. While approximately half of participants felt competent in their ability to impact organizational level policies, 63% reported that they were less knowledgeable about how to impact state and federal policies. Most participants felt knowledgeable about current legislative priorities. Free text responses captured participant legislative and regulatory priorities. A content analysis revealed five overarching themes: 1) professional practice and role of the ambulatory care nurse, 2) reimbursement, 3) staffing, 4) organizational workforce issues, and 5) workplace violence/safety.
Conclusion: It is imperative that organizations and policy makers recognize the value of the ambulatory care nurse voice in policy development and reform. Key priorities identified include articulating the key contributions of the ambulatory care nurse, ensuring full role optimization, addressing reimbursement for nursing services, standardizing staffing practices, and improving workplace safety. These insights helped to guide the AAACN Advocacy Committee in developing a unified platform with specific strategies to enhance member engagement. Proposed actions may include creating education resources, targeting social media messages, fostering strategic partnerships, and providing opportunities for direct policy advocacy at all levels.