NR 506 Week 7: Chamberlain University
Requirements:
Criteria for Content
- Explanation of how healthcare policy can impact the advanced practice nurse profession
- Explanation of why advocacy is considered an essential component of the advance practice nurse’s role
- Discuss the four pillars of Transformational leadership and the effect it may have on influencing policy change
- A scholarly resource must be used for EACH discussion question each week.
NR 506 Discussion ( Answer)
Q1. Explanation of how healthcare policy can impact the advanced practice nurse profession
Advanced practice nurse professionals play a forefront role in safeguarding patient safety and improving well-being by engaging in various elements of nursing practice, including the management of chronic diseases, conducting disease diagnostics, implementing new technologies, and educating the public about health issues. Examples of specialties for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) include nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse-midwives, and nurse anesthetists (American Nurses Association, 2017). They demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical, methodological, and practical underpinnings of nursing practice, enabling them to provide evidence-based care, participate in decision-making, and utilize research as a problem-solving tool.
Although APRNs play a significant role in promoting people’s health and wellness, organizational, state, and national policies impact their professional practice and standards. According to Hajizadeh et al. (2021), health policies encompass decisions, actions, and plans for achieving specific healthcare objectives and goals. In this sense, policies primarily focus on priority areas of the current healthcare systems, including patient safety, care accessibility, social determinants of health (SDOH), care costs, and the incorporation of advanced technologies in clinical practices. For example, state policies and regulations, such as the scope of practice (SOP) laws determine APRNs’ autonomy to engage in all elements of nursing practice.
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) understand the intricacies and demands of the current healthcare systems due to their reputable experience and academic qualifications. As a result, they can effectively participate in political actions for improving care quality, accessibility, affordability, and utilization. Equally, they can assume managerial and leadership roles to initiate, plan, implement, and sustain organizational change in the ever-dynamic health sector.
Q2. Explanation of why advocacy is an essential component of advanced practice nurse’s role
Populations grapple with poor social determinants of health (SDOH) that result in preventable health inequalities and disparities. Examples of unfavorable conditions that constitute social determinants of health are poverty, poor housing and neighborhood, deficient infrastructure, socioeconomic status, level of educational attainment, and social contexts (Murray, 2018). Healthcare professionals operate as the bridge between vulnerable populations and quality care services. As a result, advocacy emerges as an essential component of the advanced practice nurse’s role since it entails addressing the causes of health disparities and operating on behalf of susceptible populations. Abbasinia et al. (2020) contend that patient advocacy entails multiple attributes, including patient empowerment, care continuity, follow-up, counseling, whistle-blowing, and valuing diversities. At a policy level, APRNs can fulfill their advocacy role by influencing policies, assuming leadership and management positions, and using their experience and knowledge to ensure adherence to bioethical principles; autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Therefore, advocacy is a profound dimension of addressing health disparities and bridging chasms in care quality, accessibility, affordability, and utilization.
Q3. Discuss the four pillars of transformational leadership and the effect they may have on influencing policy change
Transformational leadership remains the best approach for promoting and influencing change, considering its emphasis on inspiring followers, promoting collective organizational visions, and motivation. This leadership style has four core pillars: individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and idealized influence (Khan et al., 2020). Individualized consideration denotes the leader’s ability to attend to followers’ needs and provide support, including mentorship. Secondly, inspirational motivation is the competency for articulating an appealing vision to inspire and motivate followers to perform beyond expectations (Bradley, 2020). Thirdly, idealized influence entails role modeling and the promotion of high standards of ethical behavior that contribute to teamwork and cohesive interpersonal collaboration. Finally, intellectual stimulation involves challenging uninformed assumptions, supporting creativity and innovation, and encouraging critical thinking (Bradley, 2020, p. 59). Transformational leaders can influence change by developing a systems approach and using collaborative, interdisciplinary interventions for challenging restraining factors for change and enhancing individual and team motivation.
References
Abbasinia, M., Ahmadi, F., & Kazemnejad, A. (2019). Patient advocacy in nursing: A concept analysis. Nursing Ethics, 27(1), 141–151. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733019832950
American Nurses Association. (2017, October 19). Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN). https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/what-is-nursing/aprn/#
Bradley, R. (2020). Reviewing transformational leadership and change management in the United States of America. Journal of Human Resource & Leadership, 4(6), 56–65. https://stratfordjournals.org/journals/index.php/journal-of-human-resource/article/view/689/800
Hajizadeh, A., Zamanzadeh, V., Kakemam, E., Bahreini, R., & Khodayari-Zarnaq, R. (2021). Factors influencing nurses’ participation in the health policy-making process: A systematic review. BMC Nursing, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00648-6
Khan, H., Rehmat, M., Butt, T. H., Farooqi, S., & Asim, J. (2020). Impact of transformational leadership on work performance, burnout and social loafing: A mediation model. Future Business Journal, 6(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-020-00043-8
Murray, T. (2018). Overview and summary: Addressing social determinants of health: Progress and opportunities. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(3). https://doi.org/10.3912/ojin.vol23no03manos
06 Discussion
Q1. Explanation of how healthcare policy can impact the advanced practice nurse profession
Advanced practice nurse professionals play a forefront role in safeguarding patient safety and improving well-being by engaging in various elements of nursing practice, including the management of chronic diseases, conducting disease diagnostics, implementing new technologies, and educating the public about health issues. Examples of specialties for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) include nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse-midwives, and nurse anesthetists (American Nurses Association, 2017). They demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical, methodological, and practical underpinnings of nursing practice, enabling them to provide evidence-based care, participate in decision-making, and utilize research as a problem-solving tool.
Although APRNs play a significant role in promoting people’s health and wellness, organizational, state, and national policies impact their professional practice and standards. According to Hajizadeh et al. (2021), health policies encompass decisions, actions, and plans for achieving specific healthcare objectives and goals. In this sense, policies primarily focus on priority areas of the current healthcare systems, including patient safety, care accessibility, social determinants of health (SDOH), care costs, and the incorporation of advanced technologies in clinical practices. For example, state policies and regulations, such as the scope of practice (SOP) laws determine APRNs’ autonomy to engage in all elements of nursing practice.
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) understand the intricacies and demands of the current healthcare systems due to their reputable experience and academic qualifications. As a result, they can effectively participate in political actions for improving care quality, accessibility, affordability, and utilization. Equally, they can assume managerial and leadership roles to initiate, plan, implement, and sustain organizational change in the ever-dynamic health sector.
Q2. Explanation of why advocacy is an essential component of advanced practice nurse’s role
Populations grapple with poor social determinants of health (SDOH) that result in preventable health inequalities and disparities. Examples of unfavorable conditions that constitute social determinants of health are poverty, poor housing and neighborhood, deficient infrastructure, socioeconomic status, level of educational attainment, and social contexts (Murray, 2018). Healthcare professionals operate as the bridge between vulnerable populations and quality care services. As a result, advocacy emerges as an essential component of the advanced practice nurse’s role since it entails addressing the causes of health disparities and operating on behalf of susceptible populations. Abbasinia et al. (2020) contend that patient advocacy entails multiple attributes, including patient empowerment, care continuity, follow-up, counseling, whistle-blowing, and valuing diversities. At a policy level, APRNs can fulfill their advocacy role by influencing policies, assuming leadership and management positions, and using their experience and knowledge to ensure adherence to bioethical principles; autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Therefore, advocacy is a profound dimension of addressing health disparities and bridging chasms in care quality, accessibility, affordability, and utilization.
Q3. Discuss the four pillars of transformational leadership and the effect they may have on influencing policy change
Transformational leadership remains the best approach for promoting and influencing change, considering its emphasis on inspiring followers, promoting collective organizational visions, and motivation. This leadership style has four core pillars: individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and idealized influence (Khan et al., 2020). Individualized consideration denotes the leader’s ability to attend to followers’ needs and provide support, including mentorship. Secondly, inspirational motivation is the competency for articulating an appealing vision to inspire and motivate followers to perform beyond expectations (Bradley, 2020). Thirdly, idealized influence entails role modeling and the promotion of high standards of ethical behavior that contribute to teamwork and cohesive interpersonal collaboration. Finally, intellectual stimulation involves challenging uninformed assumptions, supporting creativity and innovation, and encouraging critical thinking (Bradley, 2020, p. 59). Transformational leaders can influence change by developing a systems approach and using collaborative, interdisciplinary interventions for challenging restraining factors for change and enhancing individual and team motivation.
References
Abbasinia, M., Ahmadi, F., & Kazemnejad, A. (2019). Patient advocacy in nursing: A concept analysis. Nursing Ethics, 27(1), 141–151. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733019832950
American Nurses Association. (2017, October 19). Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN). https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/what-is-nursing/aprn/#
Bradley, R. (2020). Reviewing transformational leadership and change management in the United States of America. Journal of Human Resource & Leadership, 4(6), 56–65. https://stratfordjournals.org/journals/index.php/journal-of-human-resource/article/view/689/800
Hajizadeh, A., Zamanzadeh, V., Kakemam, E., Bahreini, R., & Khodayari-Zarnaq, R. (2021). Factors influencing nurses’ participation in the health policy-making process: A systematic review. BMC Nursing, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00648-6
Khan, H., Rehmat, M., Butt, T. H., Farooqi, S., & Asim, J. (2020). Impact of transformational leadership on work performance, burnout and social loafing: A mediation model. Future Business Journal, 6(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-020-00043-8
Murray, T. (2018). Overview and summary: Addressing social determinants of health: Progress and opportunities. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(3). https://doi.org/10.3912/ojin.vol23no03manos