Advocacy Cover Letter

Memorandum

TO: (INSERT NAME)

FR: Janice Weber
AACN Public Policy Work Group

RE: Advocacy 101 Tool Kit

DA: (INSERT DATE)

The key to raising awareness of AACN and our issues lies within our organization's greatest strength - our members. In order to help members become better advocates, we've created the enclosed "Advocacy 101" tool kit, which contains the following materials:

• Advocacy 101 fact sheet
• Capitol Hill 101 fact sheet
• Sample letter requesting meetings with elected officials
• Sample agenda for meetings with elected officials
• Talking points and discussion questions for meeting with elected officials

These materials are intended to be a general guide for members' advocacy activities on Capitol Hill. It is important to remember that advocacy activities, as well as information discussed at meetings with elected officials, be targeted toward the specific audience involved.

In addition to setting up meetings with elected officials on Capitol Hill and/or contacting them directly through letters or e-mail, there are other grassroots activities that can help our messages be heard. Some of these are:

• Invite local elected officials to chapter events/meetings
• Ask a local elected official to "Tour the ICU" or observe "A Day in the Life" with an AACN member
• Present an award to a local elected official who has supported nursing legislation, such as legislation against mandatory overtime
• Arrange for meetings in district/state with key members of Congress when they are on congressional recess
• Create a public policy Web site for the chapter
• Provide hands-on advocacy training for the chapter

We hope this tool kit is useful to you. Please let us know if you have any questions, or other suggestions for public policy activities.

Sincerely,

Janice Weber, RN, MSN Victoria Boyce, RN, MSN
AACN Public Policy Specialist Chair of Public Policy Work Group