As a nurse lobbyist at the legislature in my state, with a specific focus on child and teen health, I would recommend the following state-wide health policies to improve the health of this population, along with corresponding engagement strategies to reach nurses in the state:

Policy: I would recommend a policy that would expand access to healthcare for children and teens. This would include expanding Medicaid eligibility for children and teens, as well as creating a state-funded health insurance program for children and teens who are ineligible for Medicaid. This policy would ensure that all children and teens have access to the healthcare they need, regardless of their family’s income.

Engagement Strategy: To reach nurses to encourage their action to promote this policy, I would create a campaign that highlights the importance of access to healthcare for children and teens. The campaign would feature stories of children and teens who have benefited from access to healthcare, as well as testimonials from nurses who have seen the impact of lack of access to healthcare on children and teens. The campaign would also provide information on how nurses can get involved in advocating for this policy.

Reasons why nurses may not engage in lobbying efforts: There are a number of reasons why nurses may not engage in lobbying efforts. Some nurses may feel that they do not have the time or resources to get involved in advocacy work. Others may feel that they are not qualified to lobby on behalf of children and teens. Still others may feel that lobbying is ineffective or that it is not the best way to improve the health of children and teens.

Pediatric patient and/or their family members that I have cared for who is deemed by healthcare professionals to be ‘difficult’: I once cared for a pediatric patient who was deemed by healthcare professionals to be “difficult.” The patient was a 10-year-old boy who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. He had a difficult time communicating his needs and often became frustrated when he was unable to do so. He also had a tendency to act out in public. As a result, healthcare professionals often found him to be challenging to work with.

Cultural factors that might have been implicated in this situation: I believe that cultural factors may have played a role in this situation. The patient’s family was from a different culture than the healthcare professionals who were caring for him. As a result, there may have been some misunderstandings about the patient’s needs and behaviors. Additionally, the patient’s family may have had different expectations about healthcare than the healthcare professionals.

Barriers to culturally competent care that are specific to the nurse relationship with pediatric patients: There are a number of barriers to culturally competent care that are specific to the nurse relationship with pediatric patients. These barriers include:

• Lack of cultural awareness: Nurses may not be aware of the cultural norms and values of the patients they are caring for. This can lead to misunderstandings and conflict.
• Lack of language proficiency: Nurses may not be proficient in the language of the patients they are caring for. This can make it difficult to communicate with patients and their families.
• Lack of cultural humility: Nurses may not be humble enough to admit that they do not know everything about a patient’s culture. This can lead to cultural insensitivity and bias.

Strategies for overcoming barriers to cultural competence with pediatric patients: There are a number of strategies that nurses can employ to overcome barriers to cultural competence with pediatric patients. These strategies include:

• Educating themselves about different cultures: Nurses can educate themselves about different cultures by reading books, articles, and websites. They can also attend cultural competency training workshops.
• Learning the language of their patients: If possible, nurses should learn the language of their patients. This will make it easier to communicate with them and their families.
• Being humble: Nurses should be humble enough to admit that they do not know everything about a patient’s culture. They should be willing to ask questions and learn from their patients and their families.
• Working with interpreters: If nurses do not speak the language of their patients, they should work with interpreters. Interpreters can help nurses to communicate effectively with their patients and their families.

By employing these strategies, nurses can provide culturally competent care to pediatric patients. This will ensure that all children and teens have access to the healthcare they need, regardless of their culture.