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August Recess is finally here! Lauren interviews Rachel Stevenson, Director of Government Affairs at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), about the trends making the 2018 midterm elections a game-changer and how this relates to nursing. They also talk about AACN's new nonpartisan initiative, Nursing Voices, Nursing Votes, offering voter information and resources. Check it out below: Nursing Voices, Nursing Votes Follow @AACNPolicy Follow @AACNursing    

What do we mean by "Beat the Heat?" When lobbyists are advocating for a specific issue and take a lot of heat, or criticism, from Members of Congress or their staff about whether constituents have actually supported the particular legislation or issue. Suzanne and Lauren talk about why it's so important to be a part of the grassroots network, whether it be in your community or at the federal level, to help secure the support of your Member of Congress. In light of the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2017 (H.R. 959) gaining over 100 cosponsors, the direct impact of grassroots efforts is shown time and time again to be effective when Congress hears personal stories from their constituents. Lauren gives some tips and tricks on connecting with your legislator. For more updates and ways to get engaged, follow us at @PodcastBubble on Twitter.  

Happy 4th of July! To celebrate our Independence Day, Suzanne and Lauren discuss the freedom of patients to choose their healthcare provider to access quality care, as well as full practice authority at the state level. They discuss initiatives and legislation, including Section 303 of H.R. 6, which recently passed the House, that would allow NPs and PAs to permanently prescribe Medication-Assisted Treatment to patients struggling with addiction. So much of this work could be transformative for health and health care While you are enjoying the holiday with family and friends, take a minute to learn something about your Congressmen to be a more informed voter ahead of the midterms this fall. Find your Representative and Senators. Brookings Institute Study IOM Future of Nursing Report  H.R. 6 Bill   

Why exactly does federal funding for research matter? Host Suzanne Miyamoto and AACN's Director of Policy Colleen Leners talk about the National Institutes of Health initiative, the All of Us Research Program and the critical research being done to transform health and health care. Learn more about All of US.

Host Suzanne Miyamoto and Producer and Public Affairs Specialist Lauren Inouye talk about how to bring what's happening in policy at the federal level back home while your Members of Congress are in their States and districts during August Recess and Congressional primaries. Legislation to Watch Addiction Treatment Access Improvement Act and Opioid Markup PROSPER Act 6 Ways to Be Politically Engaged at Home Attend a town hall. Meet with your legislator and their staff in the district office. Make yourself a resource. Volunteer on their campaign. Invite them to your school or place of employment. Visit the member's website to learn what they are up to. Follow your them on social media and join the conversation.

Breaking down the bubble for this week, the podcast's host Suzanne Miyamoto and Producer and Public Affairs Specialist Lauren Inouye discuss why the federal government's Fiscal Year 2018 spending bill is taking so long to pass, the federal response to the opioid epidemic, and nurse practitioners are storming Capitol Hill this week advocating at the national level for patients' health.

Tim Casey, BA, Policy Advisor at Polsinelli, is a strategy expert on moving legislation across the finish line. He has experience on Capitol Hill and has worked in both the House and Senate and is a senior lobbyist on healthcare issues, including workforce and education. Before his association work at American Nurses Association and American Occupational Therapy Association, he served as Vice President of Wheat Government Relations and executed the firm’s day-to-day advocacy. In this episode, we’ll discuss what brought Tim to Washington, DC, his thoughts on the future of advocacy, advocacy do’s and don’ts in social media, and what he really thinks about lobbying.    Music: “The Lost Ones” by Dexter Britain is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License.  

Rachel Stevenson, MA, Legislative Director at Polsinelli and a highly regarded campaign strategist in Washington, D.C., gives an inside glimpse into healthcare advocacy. Rachel shares how her background in a rural community in the Midwest inspired her career in healthcare advocacy, the bad rap surrounding the word “lobbyist,” and how constituents’ voices are vital in a Congressional office.   Music: “The Lost Ones” by Dexter Britain is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License.

Dave Mason, President of Mason Consulting, LLC, is a veteran when it comes to advocacy and policy, with over 25 years of experience. He’s represented a number of healthcare organizations and, in 2010, started his own consulting firm. Dave has worked in Congress as a press secretary and legislative aid, giving him expertise in political communication and analysis which he shares with us. In this episode, we discuss the importance of bringing perspective into conversations with Congressional staffers, and what grassroots advocacy really means. We also dive deeper into advocacy’s evolution, what the future may hold for it, and advocacy as part of the nurse practitioner’s and student’s role.   Music: “The Lost Ones” by Dexter Britain is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License.

Joining us for this episode is Julie Shroyer, MSW, Senior Policy Advisor at Polsinelli, a national advocacy and law firm. Julie has over 25 years of government relations experience on healthcare issues. As a well-versed, passionate advocate and registered lobbyist, Julie tells us how her social work background brought her to Washington, D.C. 28 years ago. She discusses overcoming the intimidation of being new on Capitol Hill and learning the political process, how her passion for mental health care shaped her career in advocacy, being an “honest broker,” and how influencing policymakers has changed over the years.    Music: “The Lost Ones” by Dexter Britain is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License.

Jo Ann Webb, RN, MHA, FAAN, joins us to talk about driving change in policy. Jo Ann is Vice President of Federal Relations and Policy for the American Organization of Nurse Executives, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association. She has held senior executive positions in both the executive and legislative branches, and is a dynamic lobbyist who represents the voice of healthcare and lens of nurses. In this episode, we discuss Jo Ann’s career, how to effectively go against the grain, times when nursing has made national change. We also throw in a couple nursing advocates that you should know.   Music: "The Lost Ones" by Dexter Britain is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License.

Welcome to Inside the Bubble-A Health Policy Podcast. Washington, DC is commonly referred to as a "bubble." Individuals who work in and with the federal government have firsthand experience and knowledge of what is occurring. The first series of Inside the Bubble will be interviewing registered lobbyists. While lobbyists hold one of the lowest rankings on the Gallup poll for ethical and honest professions, they also represent, and in some cases are, nurses who have the highest ranking on the same poll.Hearing from this amazing group of dedicated individuals, you might just change your mind about that ugly profession of lobbying. Thank you for listening. Now let's step inside the bubble.   Music: "The Lost Ones" by Dexter Britain is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License.