Advocacy Campaign: Ethical Considerations
The ANA Code of ethics provides the place of nurses in the advocacy for public healthcare, including the roles they play, and ethical considerations that they should take into considerations. The provisions 7,8, and 9 highlights these considerations including their roles in the generation of health and nursing policy , collaboration with various stakeholders involved in health diplomacy ,articulation of values and integrity , and ensuring social justice is integrated into the policy. Hence, nurses in advocacy campaigns can encounter ethical dilemmas, and they need the knowledge on the ANA provisions and various lobbying laws in places where the programs will occur. The “Eat Right, Move Right to Shake Off Diabetes” campaign is likely to face ethical dilemmas while considering the ethical provisions of ANA Code of ethics , and the Maryland lobbying laws.
The ANA Code of Ethics provisions establish the line between ethics and advocacy, and guide the nursing professionals in advocacy for population healthcare. Since a nurse is involved in health care more than other healthcare professional, and their role in patients advocacy is central to their profession, ethical issues may arise due to the thin line between advocacy and paternalism. The issue of advocacy involves political activism that aims to influence public policy, and therefore, influence the outcome of healthcare for the population. The process of public policy comprises efforts to alert the government to healthcare issues, and receiving responses (Milstead, 2019). The “Eat Right, Move Right to Shake Off Diabetes” campaign has to be carried out within the confines of the public policy in existence, which can also bring about ethical issues. The ethical basis of advocacy is thorough public debate needed for making informed decision, and various behaviors by nurses as lobbyists can undermine the transparency and fairness of the process leading to ethical dilemmas. If the goals of the “Eat Right, Move Right to Shake Off Diabetes” campaign as defined by the target population and community differ clearly from the campaign goals as defined by the individual nurses , confusion may arises.
In addition, the campaign may principally be an ineffective way of allocating resources in form of money meant for healthy food, since diabetes may not necessarily be the heath issue that the target population needs most. Ethical issues relating to advertising can arise in health promotion campaigns, because commercial advertising tactics that apply emotional appeals, omissions, exaggerations or provocative strategies can be used in the advocacy. A major ethical concern involves the possibility that the campaign will not address the issue of equity and barriers that have predisposes the African American , and other minority people of color to the diabetes related health issues. The campaign may not seem to lobby policy makers to address the inequalities that prevent the people of color from accessing healthy foods and quality healthcare. The advocacy campaign may not appear as promoting the farness value highlighted in the code of ethics. The purpose of the campaign is to promote health interventions by influencing the views and lifestyles of the target population, but because it is funded by government and powerful public organizations, it is important to deal with the aforesaid ethical issues.
In order for the campaign to promote fairness and transparency, the strategy would involve collaboration with various stakeholders in the community so as to ensure the intended people receive the allocated resources. Also, the strategy involves advocating for individuals who are unable to advocate for the diabetes related health issues affecting them. To accomplish this, objectivity has to be maintained. Nurses are normally encouraged to remain objective and consider the best interests of individuals who are unable to convey their needs and wishes (Llewellyn, 2004)). The implementation of the campaign will involve the relevant actors, in order to ensure that the intended health goals are achieved. Consulting widely and establishing good relationship with the actors involved in advocacy is important in achieving integration and upholding the ethical values in the process (Goethals, Gastmans & Dierckx de Casterle, 2010). The issue of fairness and transparency can be addressed by ensuring that the campaign communicates that diabetes related health concerns are of greatest need to the community. The health promotion and advertising applied in the campaign should also ensure that the strategy used does not involve miscommunication through exaggerations or provocative messages that may be considered a nuisance or misleading.
The use of accurate information regarding the diabetes health issues will be upheld in the campaign. It is the obligation of nurses not to cause harm by helping communities and individuals to obtain a positive health status by preventing any potential risks (Hanks, 2013). Miscommunication of health information presents a potential risk to wellbeing of the clients. The efforts to be employed in the professional and grassroots lobbying will follow the ethical codes established by ANA to deal with any ethical dilemma that may arise.
The lobbying laws administered by the Maryland State Ethics Commissions relates to a regulatory program that covers registration , disclosure , reporting and Standards of Conduct for all parties involved in the lobbying exercise. The law requires that any lobbyist be registered in the lobbying year, and the registration delivered to the Commission within the provided five days. The lobbyist is also required to file activity reports per year, and even if the lobbyist remains inactive for a specific period within the year, he or she still has to file an Activity Report. The Commission is mandated by the Public Ethics Law to review the report filed by lobbyist in accordance with the various provisions established therein (Schadler, Gold, Steinberg, n.d.). Hence, the lobbyist’s report must include the financial details and documents such as account, books , bill and receipts , and should retain the Activity Report and related documents for 3 years after filing the report. The Grassroots lobbying registration is required under Provisions § 5-702 (a) (5) if the amount to be spent is $ 2,000 for all expense incurred for lobbying activity purpose (Schadler, Gold, Steinberg, n.d.). The provisions highlighted will guide the “Eat Right, Move Right to Shake Off Diabetes” campaign efforts aimed at influencing the legislators and other policy makers , and ensure that administrative decisions take into account diabetes health issues facing mostly the African Americans.
In conclusion, the “Eat Right, Move Right to Shake Off Diabetes” campaign aims at communicating to the need for healthy eating in combating diabetes, and the importance of a policy that ensures health concerns are addressed administratively. The campaign will observe the established code of ethics to deal with arising ethical dilemmas, and be conducted with the prevailing lobbying laws.
References
Milstead, J. A. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.) pp. 114-127
Goethals, S., Gastmans, C., & Dierckx de Casterle, B. (2010). Nurses’ ethical reasoning and behaviour: A literature review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 47(5), 635–650
Llewellyn, P. (2004). Nursing and advocacy in person centred planning. Learning Disability Practice, 7(9), 14–17
Hanks, R. (2013). Social Advocacy: A Call for Nursing Action. Pastoral Psychology, 62(2), 163–173
Schadler B.H., Gold L. E., Steinberg J. W. (n.d). Lobbying Disclosure: Alliance for Justice. Retrieved from: https://www.bolderadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/AFJ-Maryland-Lobbying.pdf
