Registration, Voting, and the Dermatology Nurse

Yes, we are going to talk about this, I tell myself as I start writing. I know this is a difficult conversation for many of us; politics can be so controversial and, recently, at times inflammatory. Many of you know that I tend to stay neutral in many situations that could result in any discussion of politics. Most likely, this stance stems from my upbringing in a family where personal beliefs are typically kept private or at least not too frequently discussed. Whereas I now relish a productive conversation about topics of interest, even if parties have differing beliefs, this has been a hard-won skill. So I have to admit, it comes as a surprise to myself that I am writing to you in this issue about politics. In this editorial, I intend to be persuasive to readers, making a case for why your personal registration and voting in elections is of utmost importance. Now, what I need to preface this with is that I don't particularly care what political party you consider yourself affiliated with or which candidates you personally support. What I care about is the process itself. I'd be curious to know how many of the Journal of the Dermatology Nurses' Association (JDNA) readers voted in your last election, whether it be local, statewide, or national. I want you to consider why the process of voting itself is the essential takeaway message of this editorial. I know—we are all busy. Everyone is, all the time. I personally feel this way sometimes, as I am sure you do as well. In this case, however, this is not an acceptable excuse to not being an active participant in the democratic process. I try very rarely to be purely dichotomous in what I recommend because I often see nuance in situations, but this is not a situation where I offer leeway. If you are not yet registered to vote, this is the first step you need to take. You will have to investigate the particulars of the process for where you live, but this is the first step to becoming involved in this critical responsibility. The next step is to organize and prepare how you are going to vote—in many cases, this is done in person, but I suspect many readers live in areas where one can vote by paper, absentee ballot, or early voting as well. It may not be that you need to make special plans to physically vote in person on the actual day of voting. Please, please consider voting and making arrangements to do so. Now, the next part is to explain why I am so very passionate about this topic. The results of elections will guide our legislative outcomes, and these legislative outcomes often directly influence our practices, our patients, and our personal healthcare. As I admitted earlier, in some ways, being politically active is absolutely not my favorite passion. It doesn't have to be yours either. Every professional group with which I am affiliated has members playing an active role in advocacy and political action. I understand why this is important, and I am more than willing to be supportive; I just don't always prefer being on the front line of efforts for this. But I know their work is important for healthcare. In the case of the Dermatology Nurses' Association (DNA), there is a Health Policy acting as a resource for information on issues related to health policy and advocacy; working with members to investigate, consider, report, and act on advocacy issues commensurate with DNA's Strategic plan; and facilitating membership awareness, discussions, and activities" (DNA, 2024). The DNA is often looking for volunteers to be involved with the HPAC and I am sure would welcome your active participation if you think this is a way you would like to support dermatology nurses. Don't hesitate to reach out to email protected if you are interested in learning more about these opportunities or have additional questions. The provision of healthcare is influenced daily by legislative decisions, and it is our responsibility as professionals to be part of the process, even if just as an active voter. In dermatology nursing, our practices are daily influenced by legislative decisions about healthcare coverage and insurance, by reimbursement and coverage for the provision of that healthcare, and by rules and regulations governing which treatments and medications patients are permitted to easily use. Every practice needs to manage and address issues of healthcare politics, coverage decisions, reimbursement decisions, and rules about medication coverage. If you don't vote for yourself, consider voting for your patients. Our patients deserve our being their best advocates for the care they need. Being an active participant in the process is what I ask for you. If you are not already an active voter, would you consider getting involved? If I have not yet been persuasive enough, consider reading the guest editorial in this issue by Lorraine Diana, MSN, CRNP. Her voice of experience is a good perspective, and what she has to say is important. Maybe her voice will convince you. Since we are talking about professionals with good experience and expertise, I also wanted to take this opportunity to introduce two new JDNA Editorial Board members, Melissa Adair, DNP, FNP-BC, DCNP, and Thy Huynh, MD, FAAD. Melissa Adair, DNP, FNP-BC, DCNP (Figure 1), is an experienced dermatology nurse practitioner from Oregon. She states, "I find the JDNA to be an invaluable resource for keeping abreast of dermatology knowledge and for helping to foster excellence and professionalism for nurses within the dermatology field. My work as a peer reviewer for the JDNA over the past year has helped to grow my own sense of professionalism and belonging to the dermatology nursing community, which I have found to be of enormous benefit to my career. I love scholarly writing and gaining knowledge through research, and I am delighted to be contributing to the field of dermatology in ways that extend beyond direct patient care. As a member of the JDNA Editorial Board, I dedicate myself to the advancement of the field of dermatology nursing and its premier publication though authorship, promotion of the journal, mentorship, and peer review."FIGURE 1.: Melissa Adair, DNP, FNP-BC, DCNP.Dr. Huynh (Figure 2) is double-board certified in general and pediatric dermatology and is the only pediatric dermatologist in the state of Mississippi. She relishes serving the unmet dermatology needs of local children. She completed a pediatric dermatology clinical fellowship at Harvard University, a research fellowship at Northwestern University, and general dermatology residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She has a deep-rooted commitment to academic excellence and has a wealth of experience in pediatric dermatology and looks forward to participation on the Editorial Board of the JDNA. Please join me and the rest of the Editorial Board in welcoming these two new Editorial Board members. We are looking forward to working with both of these exceptional professionals and value their upcoming contributions to the JDNA.FIGURE 2.: Thy Huynh, MD, FAAD.As usual, I use this platform to start encouraging readers to start making plans to attend the 43rd Annual DNA Convention, which will next be held on March 5–8, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. Although the details are still being figured out, I am confident the DNA is actively looking to make next year's annual conference a great success with engaging topics and dynamic speakers, in the context of a professional educational event. Please start thinking about making plans to attend this annual convention for dermatology nurses; your presence would very much be welcomed. As always, looking forward to hearing from you, Angela L. BorgerEditor-in-Chiefemail protected