Achieving policy change is an essential part of transforming health. As family nurses we often find ourselves at the boundaries of
established ways of working, advocating for new solutions to healthcare challenges, clearing the path for innovation, or moving
innovation into something more concrete. In working as change agents, family nurses can sometimes find barriers to change when
advocating for patients and their families. Policy change or policy development is often necessary to make transformation possible
and sustainable.
This policy toolkit is a practical guide for nurses who are new to policy and are unsure about the steps to take to achieve policy
change. Written by three nurses with a shared interest in a family-focused approach to research, education and practice, this guide is
offered as a way to help family nurses begin integrating policy into their work. This guide uses a real-world family nursing example to
show WHY and HOW family nurses can achieve policy change in health clinics, hospitals and communities.