Yale School of Nursing (YSN) Family Nurse Practitioner students Bar Hass ’24 MSN and Craig Manbauman ’25 MSN swapped their scrubs for Capitol Hill clothes when they accompanied Deputy Dean Tatiana Sadak, PhD, PMHNP, RN, FAAN to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Advocacy Hill Day legislative visits on March 25.
“This event provided an invaluable opportunity for YSN to engage in discussions with key policymakers and advocate for legislative priorities impacting nursing education and practice,” Dr. Sadak said. “The AACN Advocacy Hill Day provided YSN with a platform to advocate for legislative initiatives that are essential for advancing nursing education, addressing workforce shortages, and improving healthcare outcomes. YSN remains committed to continued advocacy efforts to promote the interests of nursing students, educators, and practitioners at the national level.”
“I deeply appreciate YSN’s sponsorship of this opportunity,” Manbauman said. “Engaging with legislators on these critical issues was a valuable experience, and I’m grateful for the chance to have participated. I look forward to a policy and advocacy workshop for fellow YSN students where we can share our insights and our experiences can inspire more students to get involved in advocacy.”
Legislative Priorities
During the Hill Day visits, the YSN team joined a group of deans and students from Connecticut to discuss several legislative priorities, including:
- The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act: This legislation aims to allow the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to expand support for nursing education, facilitating the advancement of academic nursing programs.
- Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs: Addressing the critical shortage of nurses and nurse educators.
- Increased funding for the National Institute of Nursing Research.
Manbauman was also energized to discuss scope of practice.
“Advocating for APRN independent practice in CT is crucial the health and wellbeing of CT communities,” Manbauman said.” We have the evidence, we have the methods, we have the history to show that NP independent practice is a net benefit to patient health.”
Meeting with Officials
The YSN group discussed legislative priorities with the team members of several officials.
- Michael Dunn (Legislative Director, Congressman John Larson): Dunn engaged in a productive discussion regarding the importance of investing in nursing education and addressing workforce shortages to ensure high-quality patient care.
- Maria Costigan (Deputy Chief of Staff, Congressman Joe Courtney): The YSN team advocated for increased support for nursing education and emphasized the need to prioritize initiatives that promote workplace safety.
- Sebastian Cardona-Negron (Legislative Correspondent, Senator Christopher Murphy): The group discussed the impact of legislative proposals on nursing education and workforce development, highlighting the importance of federal funding to address pressing challenges in nursing education.
- Sydney Lamb (Legislative Correspondent, Senator Richard Blumenthal): The YSN team presented key priorities and underscored the critical role of nurses in addressing current and future healthcare needs, urging support for legislative efforts to strengthen nursing research, education, and training programs.
“It was inspiring to see so many students show up and share their stories with the legislative staff,” Hass said. “It really cements the importance of being present and engaged at the table as students for the sake of current and future students. My hope is Craig, myself, and other student leaders can highlight the importance of political engagement throughout our careers for, ultimately, the sake of our future patients.”