Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health Care, 5th edition, Diana J. Mason, Judith K. Leavitt, Mary W. Chaffee. St Louis, Mo: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. softcover, 1066 pages, $67.95.
It seems appropriate to pair a children's rights book with a healthcare policy book. Both address the need to fight for our rights. Many of us believe that healthcare is a right. And, perhaps, to truly serve our patients, we must engage in the political process. Mason's book tells us how to do so. In her Foreword, Nancy Pelosi, first female, Italian American, Speaker of the House, recommends this book "as an excellent resource to assist you in learning the policy process and the political forces that shape it."
Nearly 10 years ago, I taught a core graduate course in Healthcare Policy and Politics at Pace University School of Nursing, Pleasantville, NY. I loved the course because our students were pursuing advanced practice degrees. These were our leaders, and they had a lot to contribute. We used the third edition of this book. So, it was with great interest when I received a desk copy of the fifth edition for review. I can attest with some authority that the author/editors did a great deal of work since the edition I used. The current edition has 183 contributors, as opposed to 126 in the third edition; 1066 pages in 2007, as opposed to 739 pages in 1998. This all speaks to the passion Dr Mason and coeditors have for nursing, healthcare, and the politics and policy that drives us.
The list of 183 contributors reads like the who's who of nursing, coming from all sectors and representing all of us. At least 3 members of Congress are among this group. The book is organized around 6 units:
1. Introduction to Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare
2. Healthcare Delivery and Financing
3. Policy and Politics in the Workplace
4. Policy and Politics in Government
5. Policy and Politics in Organizations
6. Policy and Politics in the Community
Each unit contains vignettes, policy spotlights, and chapters on taking action, making the book reader friendly and easily referenced. Practitioners interested in children's health may find the following of particular interest:
* Policy spotlights on Children's Health Insurance Coverage by Kathleen M. White (p 435); Politics of Childhood Immunizations by Mary Durier (p 904); and Child Care Policy by Heather Lord and Sally Cohen (p 923)
* a vignette on Neonatal Palliative Care by Anita Catlin (p 350)
* A taking action by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners on childhood overweight (p 878)
At first glance, this book may be perceived as a textbook for nursing education, and, in fact, it serves this purpose well. But with the need for politics as a necessary competency for nurse leaders, the book would serve those as well in the practice arena. This is not just an academic book for students and academics. It is also not just for the legislative committee of our professional nursing associations. It is for all of us, particularly, as we try to solve the crises facing our current healthcare system. It is hard to imagine a nurse leader not directly or even indirectly involved with health policy at the state and local levels, both for nursing and hospitals (and other providers). Knowledge is power. Understanding how policy and politics come together to influence our practice and our community shores up our own ability to advocate for quality care.
Elizabeth (Betty) Falter, MS, RN, CNAA, BC
President, Falter and Associates, Inc Tucson, Ariz