The Role of Nurses in Policy Formulation

Introduction and Conceptual Exploration:  

The essence of administering or managing an organization is about decision-making, policy formulation and implementation. Organization leadership (public or private) function and operates the system based on known and clearly stated policy guidelines. Policy is thus formulated as the framework that informs organization structure, management pattern, operational processes and relationships to achieving the corporate organizational set goals and objectives.

The formulation of policy proposal is usually the responsibility of the top executive or management depending on its scale and complexity. Thus, policy formulation in the Nigeria public service is often done by the President/Governor and Members of the executive branch (Ministers/Commissioners), as well as career and appointed administrative officials in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, including appointed committees and commissions. Others include the law makers (Legislators in national and state Houses of Assembly), who introduce bills for deliberation and consideration, and subsequent transmission to the executive arm for assent and implementation. In the private sector, it is the responsibility of the shareholders (AGM), Board of Directors and Management Board to proffer policy agenda, formulation and implementation respectively.

Policy is a course or principle of action adopted or proposed by an organization, group, institution, government or individual to realize a specific objective or purpose within a given environment. Policy emanates from plans, strategies, proposed action, blue print, approach, scheme, schedule, notion, intention, etc. It is a set of ideas or plans that is used as a basis for making decision, especially in politics, economics or business. It is also the basic principles by which a government is guided. It is a deliberate system of principles to guiding decisions, actions and achieve rational outcomes, it is a statement of intent, and implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by a governance/management body within an organization. It is a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facilitation, etc. Types of Policy: Insurance Policy, Health Policy, Education Policy, Economic Policy, etc.

Policy Formulation: This is the development of effective and acceptable courses of action for addressing what has been placed on the policy agenda.  It is the preliminary stage of goal setting.  In government circle, it is the laws, regulations, courses of action and funding priorities.  It is the stage in policy cycle where policy actors take decisions as to what is to be done and how it is to be achieved. This is done in reaction to the information received as inputs.