Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
The nursing profession is dynamic and multifaceted, encompassing the patient’s responsibilities with professional duty. Nurses have direct links with the patient and the healthcare professionals and adapt and transition in the clinical practice despite the changing healthcare policies. Institutional practices and policy implementation align with the state and national policies. The nurses practice under institutional, state and government policies and have a vast knowledge of integrating the nursing profession, advocacy and public policy (Scott & Scott, 2021). Besides, the direct link with the patient, family and other healthcare professionals is an advocacy opportunity in the care delivery and policy review. Patient advocacy reforms streamline the practices and care continuum and make the nurses a crucial component of policy formulation and decision making. Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
Challenges Presented by the Opportunities and the Solutions
Despite the nurses’ influence in the healthcare system and contribution to the care continuum, a lack of understanding of the policy provisions diminishes their involvement in the policy review. Besides, attitude and perception of the nursing profession are rooted in the traditional care influencer role, reducing their engagement in the policy review. Nurse participation in policy review challenges can be overcome through nurse education, training, and exemplary leadership representing individual nurse interests. Effective nurse leadership create an interactive platform for the RNs and APRNs with their leaders influencing policy-making (Salvage & White, 2019). The education and training programs promote policy awareness and improve the understanding of nursing and healthcare policies.
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Strategies for Communicating the Policies
The policies can be communicated through research and integration of the policy development concepts in the nursing curriculum. According to Milstead and Short (2019), nurses can utilize the available resources to influence policy implementation. The education system and curriculum can provide an insight into policy development and implementation process crucial for understanding the healthcare and nursing policies. Besides, research on the latest policies in the healthcare setting can keep nurses updated on new policies and the changes in the existing policies.
References
Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Salvage, J., & White, J. (2019). Nursing leadership and health policy: everybody’s business. International nursing review, 66(2), 147-150. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12523
Scott, S. M., & Scott, P. A. (2021). Nursing, advocacy and public policy. Nursing ethics, 28(5), 723-733. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0969733020961823 Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
Learning Resources:
Required Readings
Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Chapter 7, “Health Policy and Social Program Evaluation†(pp. 116–124 only)
Glasgow, R. E., Lichtenstein, E., & Marcus, A. C. (2003). Why don’t we see more translation of health promotion research to practice? Rethinking the efficacy-to-effectiveness transition. American Journal of Public Health, 93(8), 1261–1267.
Shiramizu, B., Shambaugh, V., Petrovich, H., Seto, T. B., Ho, T., Mokuau, N., & Hedges, J. R. (2016). Leading by success: Impact of a clinical and translational research infrastructure program to address health inequities. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 4(5), 983–991.
Williams, J. K., & Anderson, C. M. (2018). Omics research ethics considerations. Nursing Outlook, 66(4), 386–393.
Part 1: 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? Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
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.
Post an explanation of at least two opportunities that currently exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy review. Explain some of the challenges that these opportunities may present and describe how you might overcome these challenges. Finally, recommend two strategies you might make to better advocate for or communicate the existence of these opportunities. Be specific and provide examples. Must include 3 references. 1 page total for part 1.
Part 2:
*complete on attached template
Based on the policy chosen for the above discussion: Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
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.
Review community, state, or federal 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. Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
Part 2 must include:
Using sufficient evidence, response clearly and accurately describes the healthcare program or policy outcomes.
Response accurately and clearly explains how the success of the program or policy was measured.
Response accurately and clearly describes how many people were reached by the program or policy and accurately describes the impact of the program or policy.
Response accurately and clearly indicates the point at which time the program or policy evaluation was conducted.
Response clearly and thoroughly explains in detail: -specific information on outcomes and unintended consequences identified through the program or policy evaluation. -the stakeholders involved in the program or policy evaluation. -who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation. -whether the program met the original intent and outcomes, including an accurate and detailed explanation of the reasons supporting why or why not. -whether the program should be implemented, including an accurate and detailed explanation of the reasons supporting why or why not. -at least two ways that the nurse advocate could become involved in the evaluation of the program or policy after 1 year of implementation.
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity.
A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion is provided which delineates all required criteria.
Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template
Use this document to complete the Module 5 Assessment Assessing a Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
| Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation |
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA 2010) |
| Description |
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as the Affordable Care Act, was enacted in 2010 to reduce costs and improve quality healthcare services. The healthcare policy targeted the uninsured population in the American society, expanded the eligibility for Medicaid, and stabilized the practices of health insurance companies. The ACA 2010 has transitioned the access to health care services for the US’s marginalized population and low-income families (HHS, 2022). The cover also mandates the prioritization of health insurance cover, with employers obligated to cater for the employees’ health insurance covers. According to HHS (2022), ACA was enacted with three primary goals of offering affordable health insurance services, expanding Medicaid eligibility and supporting cost-effective and innovative medical care delivery. The policy establishes a market for health insurance covers and sets competitive offers that meet the diverse patient care needs. The recent rise in medical costs implies that ACA is crucial in improving the health care status of the US population. Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
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| How was the success of the program or policy measured?
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ACA 2010’s success was measured through the determination of the new health care policy coverage. The Act allowed the marginalized population, especially the low-income people, to access health insurance. According to Lee et al. (2022), ACA-related insurance coverage hit a record high in early 2022, covering 35 million Americans. The Affordable Care Act also advocated for coverage of individuals with pre-existing health conditions (HHS, 2022). The policy’s success was also measured based on the individuals enrolled by the insurance companies with pre-existing conditions. Besides, the overall quality of health care was used to measure the success of ACA. The Act advocated for the successful integration of the healthcare professional’s training into clinical practices advancing the knowledge and management of emerging diseases. Therefore, the success measures for the ACA 2010 were based on the insured and uninsured population, the transition in the quality of health care, the population with existing health conditions insured and the improved practices from the training programs aimed at improving the practitioners’ management competency.
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| How many people were reached by the program or policy selected? How much of an impact was realized with the program or policy selected?
|
The policy reached out to a large mass of the US population, especially the low-income population. Approximately 19.2 million non-elder population received health insurance services between 2010 and 2015 (Garrett & Gangopadhyaya, 2016). The increased health insurance reciprocated in a reduction in the uninsured adults under 65 years. The policy promoted health insurance for 2.8 million children under-18 years between 2010 and 2015 (Garrett & Gangopadhyaya, 2016). Moreover, the uninsured population aged between 19 to 34 decreased by 8.7 million, while the adults from 35 to 54 years realized a similar trend decreasing by 5.6 million (Garrett & Gangopadhyaya, 2016). The older adults between 55 to 64 also embraced the health benefits of the policy, reflected in more than 2 million older adults covered under ACA. At the same time, an estimated 5 million women received health insurance coverage between 2010 and 2015 (Garrett & Gangopadhyaya, 2016). The states that expanded Medicaid eligibility under ACA 2010 realized a decline in the uninsured population. Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
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| At what point in program implementation was the program or policy evaluation conducted?
|
Policy evaluation was implemented at a legislation stage integrating several legislations used to validate the policy’s features. The medication expenses, the associated budget and the social, political, and economic environment were subject to evaluation to validate the significance of the Act on the US population. |
| What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation?
|
The policy assimilates various aspects of the US healthcare system demands. Data from healthcare institutions and healthcare-conscious organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and information from the federal government’s health records. Besides, the Medicare program and the department of human services provided significant data for the ACA implementation.
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| What specific information on unintended consequences were identified?
|
The policy mandates that a health insurance policy covers American citizens. However, people from low-income backgrounds struggle to pay the subsidized premiums (Gaffney & McCormick, 2017). Besides, the policy mandates the payment of the premiums with penalties stipulated by the law serving as a double punishment for marginalized and low-income populations. The political opposition was also an unintended consequence depicted by some states’ resistance to the Medicaid expansion. |
| 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. Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
|
The Affordable care Act (ACA 2010) involved stakeholders such as legislators, the federal government, state governments, employers, private payers, Medicare and Medicaid, private payers, and health care consumers, including the citizens and other healthcare beneficiaries. Healthcare consumers will benefit from the reduced healthcare costs, increased access to the health insurance policy and regulation of the health care costs (Campbell & Shore-Sheppard, 2020). Payers such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the federal government benefit from the policy. The federal government is concerned with the overall health status of its citizens. In light, the results and evaluation feedback inform the success of ACA.
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| Did the program or policy meet the original intent and objectives? Why or why not?
|
The original objectives of the ACA 2010 were to offer affordable health insurance services, expand Medicaid eligibility, and support cost-effective and innovative medical care delivery. Although the population from low-income backgrounds struggled with paying the premiums, the ACA 2010 led to significant enrolment of Americans into health insurance covers. According to Garrett and Gangopadhyaya (2016), ACA 2010 resulted in approximately 19.2 million Americans enrolling on health insurance policies. Besides, the policy reduced the uninsured population and health care costs, increasing access to care and improving healthcare quality.
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| Would you recommend implementing this program or policy in your place of work? Why or why not?
|
I would recommend the implementation of the policy at my workplace. The ACA reduces the cost of healthcare, offers affordable health insurance and advances Medicaid eligibility improving healthcare quality. The policy safeguards healthcare costs and enhances the quality of care, aligning with the core objectives of its enactment despite the slight setbacks in political opposition and penalties to mandated individuals from low-income backgrounds.
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| Identify at least two ways that you, as a nurse advocate, could become involved in evaluating a program or policy after one year of implementation.
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As a nurse advocate, I will be involved in evaluating the impact of the policy on consumers through the research process and determine consumer satisfaction with the policy through a consumer survey. Secondly, I will evaluate the associated negative impacts of the policy on the consumers to determine its efficacy in promoting the quality of healthcare delivery.
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| General Notes/Comments | The ACA 2010 improved the healthcare system practices, enhancing access to health care services by the marginalized and low-income citizens, which mandated individuals and employers to adhere to health insurance practices. The policy also advocated for health insurance for the population with pre-existing health conditions. This implies that the policy has fostered the federal government’s efforts toward attaining universal healthcare coverage. Therefore, regardless of economic background, all people can access quality care under the ACA. Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
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Campbell, A. L., & Shore-Sheppard, L. (2020). The social, political, and economic effects of the affordable care act: Introduction to the issue. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 6(2), 1-40. https://doi.org/10.7758/rsf.2020.6.2.01
Gaffney, A., & McCormick, D. (2017). The Affordable Care Act: implications for healthcare equity. The Lancet, 389(10077), 1442-1452. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30786-9
Garrett, A. B., & Gangopadhyaya, A. (2016). Who gained health insurance coverage under the ACA, and where do they live?. Urban Institute, ACA implementation—monitoring and tracking.
HHS. (2022). About the Affordable Care Act. HHS.gov. Retrieved 17 July 2022, from https://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-aca/index.html.
Lee, A., Chu, R. C., Peters, C., & Sommers, B. D. (2022). Health Coverage Changes Under the Affordable Care Act: End of 2021 Update. https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/77ba3e9c99264d4f76dd662d3b2498c0/aspe-ib-uninsured-aca.pdf Nurse Opportunities to Participate in Policy Review Essay
