Healing Politics

Not a day goes by that we aren't reminded of the importance of our elected officials. Whether making decisions on the world stage or our local school board, representation matters. ?? What if you turned your skills as a nurse - leadership, team building, communication, conflict management, evidence-based thinking - to elected office? How could you leverage that public trust to influence policy? ? Are you election curious but maybe don't know the right questions to ask? Join us this Thursday, March 20th from 7 to 8:30p EDT for an interactive workshop to consider 13 questions to ask yourself when considering a run for elected office. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eyZPcGSa Might help you decide if you need to be at the 2025 Campaign School! Now more than ever, we need nurses to be engaged in politics, and it is our mission at Healing Politics to inspire and train nurses to get elected up and down the ballot. (Photo credit to DNPs of Color and 2024 Campaign School alum Ahnyel Burkes, DNP, RN-BC , NEA-BC, Danielle K., Courtney Nyange, Mimi Guiracocha, DNP RN)

Whether you’ve thought about running for elected office yourself, or simply want to see nurses better represented in our elected bodies, this is a plea to encourage other nurses to consider a run. ?? ? Over the last few years, we’ve had lots of nurses tell us the story of how they came to serve in elected office.? Our political scientist mentors call that process “candidate emergence,” a term I always liked because it makes me think of butterflies!??? ? One very common theme from nurse legislators: repeated - really REPEATED - urging of colleagues was instrumental in their decision. One nurse state legislator (who served 3 terms before she was term-limited) relates a story of her colleagues on the state nurse's association board of directors “locking me in the board room until I agreed to run for a seat that had just come open”.? ? There are many reasons nurses are sorely underrepresented in elected office. In part it is because we don’t have a culture of supporting and encouraging our colleagues to run. Kudos to those who are helping change that culture. Think of one (or 2 or 3) nurses you think ought to consider a run for office and send them this link with your encouragement. ?? https://lnkd.in/eyZPcGSa

"Meeting the moment." In these uncertain?times, we often hear this phrase. At?Healing Politics, we think a lot about what it means for a nonpartisan?educational organization dedicated to electing more nurses and increasing civic engagement. No matter how you feel about recent policy changes, we urge you to meet the moment: ? Stay engaged.?Let your elected officials hear from you. Whether in Congress, your state legislature, or city council, ensure they are representing?the needs of their communities ???? Tell the stories that only nurses can tell.?You have unique insight into how policies affect communities—share that perspective. Our upcoming virtual events are designed to?meet the moment. Be sure you're subscribed to our monthly newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn so you know what's coming up! Subscribe to the newsletter on our home page, or at this link - https://lnkd.in/eMdqZ8Vq We won't flood your inbox. ???

Last November we provided a 90 minute virtual session for the “election curious,” nurses who have thought about running for office but don’t know the questions to ask. ? Here is some of the feedback we got: “Terrific atmosphere for a virtual session – that shows the level of commitment for presenters & attendees! ?I met several people I’m already communicating with.” We love this, because building a community of politically engaged nurses is a big part of what we're about. We’re repeating the event this month - March 20th at 7pm Eastern - and hope you will join us. Or encourage a colleague to join us! Now more than ever, we need the skills and expertise of nurses in elected office. ?Representation matters!? ?? Register here: https://lnkd.in/eyZPcGSa? ?

As we shared with Dan Diamond via email and in comments on his widely shared post about this Washington Post article, we are working to see more nurses (of both parties, and independents) in elected office up and down the ballot. Nurses - over 4 million in the United States and the largest segment of the healthcare workforce - are the providers closest to patients and, by definition, their families?and communities. The vast majority of nurses are on the front lines of healthcare, caring for patients 24/7. Nurses understand our broken healthcare system as well as?or better than any other provider?because they navigate it to coordinate patient care?all day, every day. They do this by utilizing skills like negotiation, team building, collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and conflict management. Nurses are excellent listeners and communicators—their patients' lives depend on it. Nurses possess a skillset, body of knowledge, and expertise that would serve them well as legislators. They are also?the profession the public trusts most?and has for 24 years. Nursing education is steeped in the social determinants of health, the building blocks of public policy. The American Nurses Association's?definition of nursing reads in part:?" Nursing is the diagnosis and treatment of human responses and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations in recognition of the connection of all humanity."?In this regard,?we can consider?every?nurse a public health nurse. There are currently 3 registered nurses serving in the US Congress, but a registered nurse has never been elected to the US Senate. The number of nurses in state legislatures is decreasing, not increasing. 314 Action knows all this and has been recruiting and supporting nurses! Let's step up those efforts! Visit our website! Follow us here on LinkedIn! Help us recruit for the 2025 Campaign School for Nurses & Midwives! https://lnkd.in/enz8Emkk https://lnkd.in/eXRMhaKP

We are repeating this event by popular demand! Join us March 20th, 7-8:30pm. Have you thought about running for elected office but don’t know what questions to ask??? Healing Politics has spoken with hundreds of nurses like you and gotten to know a lot of nurses who have made the leap to public service.? We have studied campaign training, consulted with dozens of campaign professionals and run two campaign schools just for nurses and midwives!? We have used that experience to develop this program specifically for you.??? In 90 packed minutes, we will lead you through the questions to ask and point you to curated resources.? And we'll leave you with some “homework” that we can follow up on with you later (if you chose to). Register here:???https://lnkd.in/eyZPcGSa

AI is playing an increasingly important role in campaigns and elections. Whether you've thought about a run for office or simply want to be an informed voter, join us this Thursday, Feb 27th at 7p for a crucial conversation: AI in Politics and the Politics of AI Register today! With legal expert Andrew Cates, we can promise an engaging discussion. https://lnkd.in/edFMNPNH

A sneak peak into our monthly online education event coming up next week. Andy Cates on AI in Politics and the Politics of AI. Thursday, Feb 27th at 7p. Join us! Register here: https://lnkd.in/edFMNPNH

Healing Politics is committed to helping ensure that the costs of our campaign school aren’t a barrier for you. That’s why we host a fundraising pre-session to help you raise money for your tuition and travel costs.?? During this session we will teach you how to build a list of potential donors, ask for money, create a fundraising appeal to send to your network and launch a GoFundMe account (should you chose to use that platform). We will do all we can to help you with this key first step: learning how to raise money! Apply today!? https://lnkd.in/gaPMXe7W?

Roses are red, violets are blue, and we've created a Campaign School just for you! Say yes- and apply to the?Healing Politics Campaign School for Nurses & Midwives! We would love to see you in Durham this July. Applications are still open. Use?the link below to tell us about yourself—no wrong answers, just the start of better public policy and healthier communities. https://lnkd.in/emUkM3iX