Nurse in Washington Internship (NIWI)

• View the 2013 Schedule At a Glance
• NIWI Attendance
• Objectives
• The NIWI Experience
• 2013 NIWI Scholarship
• 2012 NIWI Scholarship Reports
• Nursing Contact Hours
• For More Information

Comments from NIWI Participants

• Wonderful Conference/Internship.  I have learned a lot, I especially have the confidence to approach legislators to ask/request support for the nursing profession.
• Excellent opportunity for RNs to learn how easy it is to get involved and take action.
• Great conference!  This internship has increased my confidence in how to deal with public policy issues and interact with members of Congress and their staff.
• Thank you for this amazing experience.  The speakers were insightful and informative on the current happenings in Washington.  This is an outstanding event!

NIWI Attendance
NIWI is open to any RN or nursing student (all levels of education) that is interested in an orientation to the legislative process. There is not an application or acceptance process to attend NIWI. You just need to register and pay the registration fee. For more information on our scholarships, see below.

Meeting Schedule
NIWI typically begins on Sunday at noon and concludes on Tuesday with a closing reception at 5pm.

Internship Objectives

• Describe how nurses can be involved and influence policy at the local and national level.
• Discuss how to work effectively with legislative staff to advance policy agendas.
• Describe key steps to effect change in the legislative process.
• Identify techniques to advance legislative issues at the grassroots level.
• Identify legislative, political, and economic forces driving health care policy and delivery changes today.
• Learn to schedule Capitol Hill meetings.

The NIWI Experience

• Advocacy 101/201 Breakout Sessions: Overview of Public Policy Process
• Advocacy Training
• Panel Session with Professional Nurse Advocates
• Congressional Staff Panel Session
• State Team Break Outs for Hill Preparation, including role playing
• Opportunity to meet with your Representative and Senators on Capitol Hill
• Networking with other nurses with similar clinical and political interests

2013 Scholarships 
Scholarship applications for the 2013 Nurse in Washington Internship (NIWI) program are no longer being accepted. Please check back for information on the 2014 NIWI program scholarships.

Many Alliance member organizations also offer scholarships to their members for the NIWI program.  Please check with your organization for more information. 

• AACN-American Association of Critical-Care Nurses supports the NIWI program by providing a number of scholarships annually to its members for participating.  Details at http://www.aacn.org/scholarships.  

2012 Scholarship Reports
The 2012 Policy and Politics Elsevier Scholarship was given on behalf of all the contributors to the book, Policy and Politics in Nursing and Health Care (6th Ed.). The recipient of the 2012 Policy and Politics Elsevier Scholarship to NIWI 2012 was Mary Rita Hurley, RN, BSN, MPA of Portland, Oregon. Hurley is a member of the National Gerontological Nurses Association (NGNA). Click here to view Mary Rita’s report on NIWI.  

The recipient of the NIWI 2012 registration scholarship, provided by The Alliance, was Natalie Van Waning, BSN, MSN, ARNP of Iowa City, Iowa. Van Waning is a member of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP). Click here to view Natalie’s report on NIWI.

The recipient of the NIWI 2012 student registration scholarship, provided by The Alliance, was Katie Morales, RN, C, BSN of Ellijay, Georgia. Morales is a member of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC). Click here to view Katie’s report on NIWI.
 

Nursing Contact Hours
This activity has been submitted to the Tennessee Nurses Association for approval to award contact hours. The Tennessee Nurses Association is accredited as an approver of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. 

For More Information
Please contact Alliance Headquarters Offices at 859-514-9157 or szach@AMRms.com.