NURS6050/ NRSE6050/ NURS 5050 Essays Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health Essay

NURS6050/ NRSE6050/ NURS 5050 Essays Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health Essay

NURS6050/ NRSE6050/ NURS 5050 Essays Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health Essay

Week 1 Discussion: Agenda Comparison Grids – NURS6050/ NRSE6050/ NURS 5050 Essays

Regardless of political affiliation, every citizen has a stake in healthcare policy decisions. Hence, it is little wonder why healthcare items become such high-profile components of presidential agendas. It is also little wonder why they become such hotly debated agenda items.

In Part 1 of this module’s Assignment, you were asked to begin work on an Agenda Comparison Grid to compare the impact of the current/sitting U.S. president and the two previous presidents’ agendas on the healthcare item you selected for study. In this Discussion, you will share your first draft with your colleagues to receive feedback to be applied to your final version.

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To Prepare:

Review the Resources and reflect on the importance of agenda setting.

Consider how federal agendas promote healthcare issues and how these healthcare issues become agenda priorities.

Review Part 1 of the Module 1 Assignment and complete the requirements for this Discussion.

Abstract

In response to growing concern about physical inactivity among children, the Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth was created in Canada in 2005. The Report Card is a public-facing document reporting letter grades, updated scientific information, research gaps, and recommendations for improvement on physical activity indicators for children and youth (0 to 17 years old). In 2014, the Report Card process was replicated in 14 additional countries, constituting the Global Matrix 1.0, opening the door to standardized international comparisons. Following the release of the Global Matrix 1.0, the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA, www.activehealthykids.org), a network of researchers, health professionals and stakeholders working together to advance physical activity in children and youth from around the world, was created. The AHKGA led the development of the Global Matrix 2.0, involving the replication of the Report Card process in 38 countries. The Global Matrices highlighted strengths, disparities, inequities, research and surveillance gaps, and showed that no participating country had all the solutions to tackle the physical inactivity issue. The initiative facilitated the cross-fertilization of innovative solutions for countries with low grades to learn from those with high grades in particular areas/indicators. In November 2018, the Global Matrix 3.0, involving the concurrent development of Report Cards with 10 common physical activity indicators from 49 countries was released at the Movement to Move event in Adelaide, Australia. The aim of this dissertation was to investigate how the Global Matrix initiative has contributed to global childhood physical activity promotion. To achieve this goal, the history of the development process from the Global Matrix 1.0 to Global Matrix 3.0 was detailed and explained; correlates of the physical activity grades from the Global Matrix 3.0 and trends of the physical activity grades over time were studied; the international impact of the past editions of the Global Matrices and Report Cards were assessed using both quantitative and qualitative methods; and an evaluation of the Global Matrix 3.0 process from its development to its launch was performed and analyzed to formulate recommendations for future editions. The report of the development process history from Global Matrix 1.0 to Global Matrix 3.0 showed that the Global Matrix of physical activity grades for children and youth has experienced great expansion since its creation. Despite the great variability of the data (e.g., in terms of benchmarks, measurement instruments, age range, sample size, quality, quantity) informing the grades between the countries for each indicator, the participation of 49 countries in the Global Matrix 3.0 allowed studying the potential associations between the childhood physical activity indicator grades and potential correlates with greater statistical power than in the past. A significant negative correlation was observed between the Overall Physical Activity indicator and several sociodemographic indicators including the Human Development Index (HDI) and Gross National Income per capita. Higher behavioural grades and lower sources of influence grades were generally observed in the low and medium HDI countries, whereas lower behavioural grades and higher sources of influence grades were observed for the very high HDI countries, and generally low average grades for each indicator in the high HDI countries. The Global Matrix 3.0 provided new evidence showing that the situation regarding the physical activity of children and youth is a universal concern worldwide. A case study of the 2018 French Report Card is provided, and the characteristics of the physical activity grades within the very high HDI countries were explored in greater detail. The Report Cards and the Global Matrices had demonstrable impact on the promotion of children’s physical activity globally, in various ways. The international comparisons of physical activity indicators from 49 countries highlighted disparities, inequities, remaining research and surveillance gaps, and contributed to raising awareness, cross-fertilizing successes, and stimulating policy and practice changes to promote physical activity within and across jurisdictions. In addition, the evaluation of the impact of the Report Cards and the Global Matrix projects showed that they have initiated a movement worldwide that is contributing to decrease surveillance gaps in childhood physical activity indicators. Finally, the evaluation of the Global Matrix 3.0 allowed for the identification of strengths and areas for improvement in the Global Matrix approach and to formulate recommendations for future editions of the Global Matrix. The work presented in this thesis shows that the Report Cards and Global Matrices contributed to advancing knowledge concerning the characteristics of physical activity in terms of behavioural and sources of influence physical activity indicators for children and youth at the global level. Findings from the Global Matrix 3.0 highlighted the need for strategic public investments to implement effective interventions within families, communities, and schools to increase physical activity opportunities for all children. The need for the development and international adoption of standardized methods to conceptualize and measure the 10 physical activity indicators was also emphasized in this work. Finally, this thesis demonstrated that this international initiative has the potential to raise awareness concerning the physical inactivity issue, facilitate the development of new physical activity data collection protocols, and support the development of physical activity promotion policies, even among countries with low quality or missing data.

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Week 11 Assignment: Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement

Note: This Assignment is due on Day 5 of Week 11.

If you talk about a possible poor health outcome, do you believe that outcome will occur? Do you believe eye contact and personal contact should be avoided?

You would have a difficult time practicing as a nurse if you believed these to be true. But they are very real beliefs in some cultures.

Differences in cultural beliefs, subcultures, religion, ethnic customs, dietary customs, language, and a host of other factors contribute to the complex environment that surrounds global healthcare issues. Failure to understand and account for these differences can create a gulf between practitioners and the public they serve.

In this Assignment, you will examine a global health issue and consider the approach to this issue by the United States and by one other country.

To Prepare:

Review the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global health agenda and select one global health issue to focus on for this Assignment.

Select at least one additional country to compare to the U.S. for this Assignment.

Reflect on how the global health issue you selected is approached in the U.S. and in the additional country you selected.

Review and download the Global Health Comparison Matrix provided in the Resources.

The Assignment: (1- to 2-page Global Health Comparison Matrix; 1-page Plan for Social Change)

Part 1: Global Health Comparison Matrix

Focusing on the country you selected and the U.S., complete the Global Health Comparison Matrix. Be sure to address the following:

Consider the U.S. national/federal health policies that have been adapted for the global health issue you selected from the WHO global health agenda. Compare these policies to the additional country you selected for study.

Explain the strengths and weaknesses of each policy.

Explain how the social determinants of health may impact the global health issue you selected. Be specific and provide examples.

Using the WHO’s Organization’s global health agenda as well as the results of your own research, analyze how each country’s government addresses cost, quality, and access to the global health issue selected.

Explain how the health policy you selected might impact the health of the global population. Be specific and provide examples.

Explain how the health policy you selected might impact the role of the nurse in each country.

Explain how global health issues impact local healthcare organizations and policies in both countries. Be specific and provide examples.

Part 2: A Plan for Social Change

Reflect on the global health policy comparison and analysis you conducted in Part 1 of the Assignment and the impact that global health issues may have on the world, the U.S., your community, as well as your practice as a nurse leader.

In a 1-page response, create a plan for social change that incorporates a global perspective or lens into your local practice and role as a nurse leader.

Explain how you would advocate for the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into your local practice and role as a nurse leader.

Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens might impact your local practice and role as a nurse leader.

Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into your local practice as a nurse leader represents and contributes to social change. Be specific and provide examples.

Week 3 Discussion

Politics and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Regardless of political affiliation, individuals often grow concerned when considering perceived competing interests of government and their impact on topics of interest to them. The realm of healthcare is no different. Some people feel that local, state, and federal policies and legislation can be either helped or hindered by interests other than the benefit to society.

The suppliers of legislative benefits are legislators, and their primary goal is to be re-elected. Thus, legislators need to maximize their chances for re-election, which requires political support. Legislators are assumed to be rational and to make cost-benefit calculations when faced with demands for legislation. However, the legislator’s cost-benefit calculations are not the cost-benefits to society of enacting particular legislation. Instead, the benefits are the additional political support the legislator would receive from supporting legislation and the lost political support they would incur as a result of their action. When the benefit to legislators (positive political support) exceeds their costs (negative political support) they will support legislation. (page 27)

Source: Feldstein, P. (2006). The politics of health legislation: An economic perspective (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.

To Prepare:

Review the Resources and reflect on efforts to repeal/replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Consider who benefits the most when policy is developed and in the context of policy implementation.

Week 4 Assignment: Assignment: Legislation Comparison Grid and Testimony/Advocacy Statement

As a nurse, how often have you thought to yourself, If I had anything to do about it, things would work a little differently? Increasingly, nurses are beginning to realize that they do, in fact, have a role and a voice.

Many nurses encounter daily experiences that motivate them to take on an advocacy role in hopes of impacting policies, laws, or regulations that impact healthcare issues of interest. Of course, doing so means entering the less familiar world of policy and politics. While many nurses do not initially feel prepared to operate in this space effectively, the reward is the opportunity to shape and influence future health policy.

To Prepare:

Select a bill that has been proposed (not one that has been enacted) using the congressional websites provided in the Learning Resources.

The Assignment: (1- to 2-page Comparison Grid; 1- to 2-page Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement)

Part 1: Legislation Comparison Grid

Based on the health-related bill (proposed, not enacted) you selected, complete the Legislation Comparison Grid Template. Be sure to address the following:

Determine the legislative intent of the bill you have reviewed.

Identify the proponents/opponents of the bill.

Identify the target populations addressed by the bill.

Where in the process is the bill currently? Is it in hearings or committees?

Is it receiving press coverage?

Part 2: Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement

Based on the health-related bill you selected, develop a 1- to 2-page Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement that addresses the following:

Advocate a position for the bill you selected and write testimony in support of your position.

Describe how you would address the opponent to your position. Be specific and provide examples.

Recommend at least one amendment to the bill in support of your position.

NURS6050/ NRSE6050/ NURS 5050 Essays Week 5 Discussion

Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations

Boards of Nursing (BONs) exist in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. Similar entities may also exist for different regions. The mission of BONs is the protection of the public through the regulation of nursing practice. BONs put into practice state/region regulations for nurses that, among other things, lay out the requirements for licensure and define the scope of nursing practice in that state/region.

It can be a valuable exercise to compare regulations among various state/regional boards of nursing. Doing so can help share insights that could be useful should there be future changes in a state/region. In addition, nurses may find the need to be licensed in multiple states or regions.

To Prepare:

Review the Resources and reflect on the mission of state/regional boards of nursing as the protection of the public through the regulation of nursing practice.

Consider how key regulations may impact nursing practice.

Review key regulations for nursing practice of your state’s/region’s board of nursing and those of at least one other state/region and select at least two APRN regulations to focus on for this Discussion.

NURS6050/ NRSE6050/ NURS 5050 Essays Week 7 Discussion: Evidence Base in Design

When politics and medical science intersect, there can be much debate. Sometimes anecdotes or hearsay are misused as evidence to support a particular point. Despite these and other challenges, however, evidence-based approaches are increasingly used to inform health policy decision-making regarding causes of disease, intervention strategies, and issues impacting society. One example is the introduction of childhood vaccinations and the use of evidence-based arguments surrounding their safety.

In this Discussion, you will identify a recently proposed health policy and share your analysis of the evidence in support of this policy.

To Prepare:

Review the Congress website provided in the Resources and identify one recent (within the past 5 years) proposed health policy.

Review the health policy you identified and reflect on the background and development of this health policy.

Week 8 Discussion

The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy-Making

Word cloud generators have become popular tools for meetings and team-building events. Groups or teams are asked to use these applications to input words they feel best describe their team or their role. A “word cloud” is generated by the application that makes prominent the most-used terms, offering an image of the common thinking among participants of that role.

What types of words would you use to build a nursing word cloud? Empathetic, organized, hard-working, or advocate would all certainly apply. Would you add policy-maker to your list? Do you think it would be a very prominent component of the word cloud?

Nursing has become one of the largest professions in the world, and as such, nurses have the potential to influence policy and politics on a global scale. When nurses influence the politics that improve the delivery of healthcare, they are ultimately advocating for their patients. Hence, policy-making has become an increasingly popular term among nurses as they recognize a moral and professional obligation to be engaged in healthcare legislation.

To Prepare:

Revisit the Congress.gov website provided in the Resources and consider the role of RNs and APRNs in policy-making.

Reflect on potential opportunities that may exist for RNs and APRNs to participate in the policy-making process.

Week 9 Discussion NURS6050/ NRSE6050/ NURS 5050 Essays

The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy Evaluation

In the Module 4 Discussion, you considered how professional nurses can become involved in policy-making. A critical component of any policy design is evaluation of the results. How comfortable are you with the thought of becoming involved with such matters?

Some nurses may be hesitant to get involved with policy evaluation. The preference may be to focus on the care and well-being of their patients; some nurses may feel ill-equipped to enter the realm of policy and political activities. However, as you have examined previously, who better to advocate for patients and effective programs and polices than nurses? Already patient advocates in interactions with doctors and leadership, why not with government and regulatory agencies?

In this Discussion, you will reflect on the role of professional nurses in policy evaluation.

To Prepare:

In the Module 4 Discussion, you considered how professional nurses can become involved in policy-making.

Review the Resources and reflect on the role of professional nurses in policy evaluation.

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NURS6050/ NRSE6050/ NURS 5050 Essays Week 2 Assignment

Assignment: Agenda Comparison Grid and Fact Sheet or Talking Points Brief

It may seem to you that healthcare has been a national topic of debate among political leaders for as long as you can remember.

Healthcare has been a policy item and a topic of debate not only in recent times but as far back as the administration of the second U.S. president, John Adams. In 1798, Adams signed legislation requiring that 20 cents per month of a sailor’s paycheck be set aside for covering their medical bills. This represented the first major piece of U.S. healthcare legislation, and the topic of healthcare has been woven into presidential agendas and political debate ever since.

As a healthcare professional, you may be called upon to provide expertise, guidance and/or opinions on healthcare matters as they are debated for inclusion into new policy. You may also be involved in planning new organizational policy and responses to changes in legislation. For all of these reasons you should be prepared to speak to national healthcare issues making the news.

In this Assignment, you will analyze recent presidential healthcare agendas. You also will prepare a fact sheet to communicate the importance of a healthcare issue and the impact on this issue of recent or proposed policy.

To Prepare:

Review the agenda priorities of the current/sitting U.S. president and the two previous presidential administrations.

Select an issue related to healthcare that was addressed by each of the last three U.S. presidential administrations.

Reflect on the focus of their respective agendas, including the allocation of financial resources for addressing the healthcare issue you selected.

Consider how you would communicate the importance of a healthcare issue to a legislator/policymaker or a member of their staff for inclusion on an agenda.

The Assignment: (1- to 2-page Comparison Grid, 1-Page Analysis, and 1-page Fact Sheet)

Part 1: Agenda Comparison Grid

Use the Agenda Comparison Grid Template found in the Learning Resources and complete the Part 1: Agenda Comparison Grid based on the current/sitting U.S. president and the two previous presidential administrations and their agendas related to the public health concern you selected. Be sure to address the following:

Identify and provide a brief description of the population health concern you selected and the factors that contribute to it.

Describe the administrative agenda focus related to the issue you selected.

Identify the allocations of financial and other resources that the current and two previous presidents dedicated to this issue.

Explain how each of the presidential administrations approached the issue.

(A draft of Part 1: Agenda Comparison Grid should be posted to the Module 1 Discussion Board by Day 3 of Week 1.)

Part 2: Agenda Comparison Grid Analysis

Using the information you recorded in Part 1: Agenda Comparison Grid on the template, complete the Part 2: Agenda Comparison Grid Analysis portion of the template, by addressing the following:

Which administrative agency would most likely be responsible for helping you address the healthcare issue you selected?

How do you think your selected healthcare issue might get on the agenda for the current and two previous presidents? How does it stay there?

Who would you choose to be the entrepreneur/ champion/sponsor of the healthcare issue you selected for the current and two previous presidents?

Part 3: Fact Sheet or Talking Points Brief

Based on the feedback that you received from your colleagues in the Discussion, revise Part 1: Agenda Comparison Grid and Part 2: Agenda Comparison Grid Analysis.

Then, using the information recorded on the template in Parts 1 and 2, develop a 1-page Fact Sheet or Talking Points Brief that you could use to communicate with a policymaker/legislator or a member of their staff for this healthcare issue. You can use Microsoft Word or PowerPoint to create your Fact Sheet or Talking Point Brief. Be sure to address the following:

Summarize why this healthcare issue is important and should be included in the agenda for legislation.

Justify the role of the nurse in agenda setting for healthcare issues.

Week 6 Assignment: Regulation for Nursing Practice Staff Development Meeting

Nursing is a very highly regulated profession. There are over 100 boards of nursing and national nursing associations throughout the United States and its territories. Their existence helps regulate, inform, and promote the nursing profession. With such numbers, it can be difficult to distinguish between BONs and nursing associations, and overwhelming to consider various benefits and options offered by each.

Both boards of nursing and national nursing associations have significant impacts on the nurse practitioner profession and scope of practice. Understanding these differences helps lend credence to your expertise as a professional. In this Assignment, you will practice the application of such expertise by communicating a comparison of boards of nursing and professional nurse associations. You will also share an analysis of your state board of nursing.

To Prepare:

Assume that you are leading a staff development meeting on regulation for nursing practice at your healthcare organization or agency.

Review the NCSBN and ANA websites to prepare for your presentation.

The Assignment: (9- to 10-slide PowerPoint presentation)

Develop a 9- to 10-slide PowerPoint Presentation that addresses the following:

Describe the differences between a board of nursing and a professional nurse association.

Describe the geographic distribution, academic credentials, practice positions, and licensure status of members of the board for your specific region/area.

Who is on the board?

How does one become a member of the board?

Describe at least one federal regulation for healthcare.

How does this regulation influence delivery, cost, and access to healthcare (e.g., CMS, OSHA, and EPA)?

Has there been any change to the regulation within the past 5 years? Explain.

Describe at least one state regulation related to general nurse scope of practice.

How does this regulation influence the nurse’s role?

How does this regulation influence delivery, cost, and access to healthcare?

Describe at least one state regulation related to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs).

How does this regulation influence the nurse’s role?

How does this regulation influence delivery, cost, and access to healthcare?

NURS6050/ NRSE6050/ NURS 5050 Essays Week 8 Assignment

Assignment: Advocating for the Nursing Role in Program Design and Implementation

As their names imply, the honeyguide bird and the honey badger both share an affinity for honey. Honeyguide birds specialize in finding beehives but struggle to access the honey within. Honey badgers are well-equipped to raid beehives but cannot always find them. However, these two honey-loving species have learned to collaborate on an effective means to meet their objectives. The honeyguide bird guides honey badgers to newly discovered hives. Once the honey badger has ransacked the hive, the honey guide bird safely enters to enjoy the leftover honey.

Much like honeyguide birds and honey badgers, nurses and health professionals from other specialty areas can—and should—collaborate to design effective programs. Nurses bring specialties to the table that make them natural partners to professionals with different specialties. When nurses take the requisite leadership in becoming involved throughout the healthcare system, these partnerships can better design and deliver highly effective programs that meet objectives.

In this Assignment, you will practice this type of leadership by advocating for a healthcare program. Equally as important, you will advocate for a collaborative role of the nurse in the design and implementation of this program. To do this, assume you are preparing to be interviewed by a professional organization/publication regarding your thoughts on the role of the nurse in the design and implementation of new healthcare programs.

To Prepare:

Review the Resources and reflect on your thinking regarding the role of the nurse in the design and implementation of new healthcare programs.

Select a healthcare program within your practice and consider the design and implementation of this program.

Reflect on advocacy efforts and the role of the nurse in relation to .

The Assignment: (2–3 pages)

In a 2- to 3-page paper, create an interview transcript of your responses to the following interview questions:

Tell us about a healthcare program, within your practice. What are the costs and projected outcomes of this program?

Who is your target population?

What is the role of the nurse in providing input for the design of this healthcare program? Can you provide examples?

What is your role as an advocate for your target population for this healthcare program? Do you have input into design decisions? How else do you impact design?

What is the role of the nurse in healthcare program implementation? How does this role vary between design and implementation of healthcare programs? Can you provide examples?

Who are the members of a healthcare team that you believe are most needed to implement a program? Can you explain why?

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NURS6050/ NRSE6050/ NURS 5050 Essays Week 10 Assignment

Assignment: Assessing a Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation

Program/policy evaluation is a valuable tool that can help strengthen the quality of programs/policies and improve outcomes for the populations they serve. Program/policy evaluation answers basic questions about program/policy effectiveness. It involves collecting and analyzing information about program/policy activities, characteristics, and outcomes. This information can be used to ultimately improve program services or policy initiatives.

Nurses can play a very important role assessing program/policy evaluation for the same reasons that they can be so important to program/policy design. Nurses bring expertise and patient advocacy that can add significant insight and impact. In this Assignment, you will practice applying this expertise and insight by selecting an existing healthcare program or policy evaluation and reflecting on the criteria used to measure the effectiveness of the program/policy.

To Prepare:

Review the Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template provided in the Resources.

Select an existing healthcare program or policy evaluation or choose one of interest to you and get approval to use it from your Instructor.

Review the healthcare program or policy evaluation and reflect on the criteria used to measure the effectiveness of the program or policy described.

The Assignment: (2–3 pages)

Based on the program or policy evaluation you selected, complete the Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template. Be sure to address the following:

Describe the healthcare program or policy outcomes.

How was the success of the program or policy measured?

How many people were reached by the program or policy selected?

How much of an impact was realized with the program or policy selected?

At what point in program implementation was the program or policy evaluation conducted?

What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation?

What specific information on unintended consequences was identified?

What stakeholders were identified in the evaluation of the program or policy? Who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation? Be specific and provide examples.

Did the program or policy meet the original intent and objectives? Why or why not?

Would you recommend implementing this program or policy in your place of work? Why or why not?

Identify at least two ways that you, as a nurse advocate, could become involved in evaluating a program or policy after 1 year of implementation.