Letters/Emails to or Interview with a Legislator

Assignment Prompt

Public policy has a major impact on your practice and your patients. Advocacy is an expectation of the advanced practice nurse. Elected officials care about what their constituents have to say. To make a difference, you need to be informed and engaged. Contacting your legislator and discussing issues is an important attribute of nurse leaders. In your interactions with lawmakers you want to be positive and nonpartisan, personal, persistent, patient, focused on your message, and provide accurate information. 

Directions

Determine the issue or message (e.g., telehealth impact on your practice) you wish to discuss with your legislator(s). Resource: The American Nurses Association Federal Legislative Priorities for 2019.

Identify your legislator and contact information from his or her website and/or search here.

Choose one method of Advocacy: Face-to-Face or Letter/ Email.

Letter or Email: The student must write three (3) separate letters or emails or a combination of letters/emails to three different identified legislators (State and/or Federal). You may write one letter to three different legislators or three different letters to three different legislators (whatever their interest may be). Legislators read correspondence, especially when it is personalized and clearly from a constituent. The following guidelines should be used when writing to your representative:

1. Be brief (one page or less), and use your own words.

Begin with the appropriate heading and address.

1. Be specific: State the specific bill number and issue and state your opinion in the first sentence.

Relate your experience with the issue. Use personal examples when possible. Your interest and concern about the issue is important. 

1. Ask the legislator to specifically commit to supporting or opposing the legislation you are writing about.

Ask for specific reasons they are supporting or opposing the proposal. 

Sign and print your name and include your address and other contact information.

If you have pertinent materials and/or editorials from local papers, include them.

1. Avoid form letters/emails if possible. If you are using a sample or form letter, be sure to adapt it, especially in the first sentence and paragraph.  Legislators and their aides recognize form letters and are less likely to be influenced by them.