Pick up the telephone and call your specialty assembly contacts. Headquarters staff members also are available to assist you. In addition, the Government Affairs Department has software that matches AORN members to legislators in their districts who sit on specific committees. This asset allows you to directly target grassroots lobbying efforts to those who have the power to move your bill. Although you may have worn many hats in your lifetime, for nurses this is virtually uncharted territory.
Policy making is like a long game of chess against possibly more than one opponent.
The game pieces you might use include letters and telephone calls from voting constituents, petitions, appearances at political fund-raising events, newspaper articles, rallies or lobby days at the capitol, or the presenting of legislative awards to deserving legislators. Throughout the legislative process, carry your business cards. Acquire telephone and fax numbers of others. Formulate telephone or fax trees to disseminate legislative alerts when your bill is going to the floor for debate and vote. Get your network base online if possible.