Trends in Healthcare Policy Essay

Instructions Reaching out a Solution In a Microsoft Word document of 4-5 pages formatted in APA style, you will develop a process for advocating about an issue as a nurse, from identifying a problem that needs to be solved through articulating a process for doing so. This assignment consists of answering each of the questions listed below from the “Political Analysis and Strategies” chapter of your course textbook. Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health Care, Write each question as a new topic area; then follow with a paragraph or two to answer the question. Let us assume that you are a school nurse in a high school. At a recent school athletic event, a spectator suffered a cardiac arrest in the stands. A coach of the home team went into the high school to fetch the automatic emergency defibrillator (AED) only to find out that it was not readily available. Trends in Healthcare Policy Essay.   In the meantime, an emergency squad arrived and resuscitated the spectator. On Monday morning, you learn of the absence of the AED only to find out that it had been locked in the custodian’s closet. Reflect on the following questions outlined in the “Political Analysis and Strategies” chapter What is the issue? Is it my issue, and can I solve it? Is this the real issue or merely a symptom of a larger one? Does it need an immediate solution, or can it wait? Is it likely to go away by itself? Can I risk ignoring it? What are the possible solutions? Are there risks to these solutions? What steps would you need to take in order to solve the issue? Does anyone else at the school need to be involved in the solution? Where is the power leverage in the school to reach the preferred solution? Reaching a solution requires the use of power vested in the nurse. Review Box 8-1 (Sources of Power) and determine which type(s) of power the school nurse has in this situation. State your reasons for your answer. BOX 8.1 Sources of Power 1. Legitimate (or positional) power is derived from a belief that one has the right to power to make decisions and to expect others to follow them. It is power obtained by virtue of an organizational position rather than personal qualities, whether from a person’s role as the chief nurse officer or the state’s governor. 2. Reward power is based on the ability to compensate another and is the perception of the potential for rewards or favors as a result of honoring the wishes of a powerful person. A clear example is the supervisor who has the power to determine promotions and pay increases. 3. Expert power is based on knowledge, skills, or special abilities, in contrast to positional power. Benner (1984) argues that nurses can tap this power source as they move from novice to expert practitioner. It is a power source that nurses must recognize is available to them. Policymakers are seldom experts in health care; nurses are. 4. Referent power is based in identification or association with a leader or someone in a position of power who is able to influence others and commands a high level of respect and admiration. Referent power is used when a nurse selects a mentor who is a powerful person, such as the chief nurse officer of the organization or the head of the state’s dominant political party. It can also emerge when a nursing organization enlists a highly regarded public personality as an advocate for an issue it is championing. 5. Coercive power is based on the ability to punish others and is rooted in real or perceived fear of one person by another. Trends in Healthcare Policy Essay. For example, the supervisor who threatens to fire those nurses who speak out is relying on coercive power, as is a state commissioner of health who threatens to develop regulations requiring physician supervision of nurse practitioners. 6. Information power results when one individual has (or is perceived to have) special information that another individual needs or desires. For example, this source of power can come from having access to data or other information that would be necessary to push a political agenda forward. This power source underscores the need for nurses to stay abreast of information on a variety of levels: in one’s personal and professional networks, immediate work situation, community, and the public sector, as well as in society. Use of information power requires strategic consideration of how and with whom to share the information. 7. Connection power is granted to those perceived to have important and sometimes extensive connections with individuals or organizations that can be mobilized. For example, the nurse who attends the same church or synagogue as the president of the home health care agency, knows the appointments secretary for the mayor, or is a member of the hospital credentialing committee will be accorded power by those who want access to these individuals or groups. 8. Persuasion power is based in the ability to influence or convince others to agree with your opinion or agenda. It involves leading others to your viewpoint with data, facts, and presentation skills. For example, a nurse is able to persuade the nursing organization to sponsor legislation or regulation that would benefit the health care needs of her specialty population. It may be the right thing to do, but the nurse uses her skills of persuasion for her own personal or professional agenda. 9. Empowerment arises from any or all of these types of power, shared among the group. Nurses need to share power and recognize that they can build the power of colleagues or others by sharing authority and decision making. Empowerment can happen when the nurse manager on a unit uses consensus building when possible instead of issuing authoritative directives to staff or when a coalition is formed and adopts consensus building and shared decision making to guide its process. Trends in Healthcare Policy Essay.

Healthcare Policy Scenario

What is the issue?

Emergency management and overall health systems in social amenities such as schools are fundamental components. Therefore, it is baffling to comprehend the imminent detrimental effects when emergency and health facilities are inadequate. In the scenario, the Automatic Emergency Defibrillator’s (AED) absence compromises the spectator’s life. The home team coach attempts to fetch the machine, a move that falters since it is not readily available. Consequently, the spectator’s life relies on the emergency squad. Although the team manages to resuscitate the ailing person, such an emergency requires ready first aid equipment and endowed emergency teams to facilitate timely responses.  Also, the scenario possesses questions of proper mechanisms of handling and storing healthcare emergency equipment like AED.

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Is it my issue, and can I solve it?

Efforts to realize reliable healthcare services in social amenities like schools demand cooperation in resources, knowledge/information sharing, and policy frameworks. In this scenario, its potential impacts surpass the responsibilities of a school nurse. For instance, the school management helm shares the responsibility of availing healthcare equipment at the proximity of healthcare practitioners while harmonizing information sharing landscapes in the context of a learning institution.

While availing resources and healthcare equipment, the school management shares the mandate to endow staff members and subordinate workers with relevant skills to understand workplace hazards. Trends in Healthcare Policy Essay. For instance, Qureshi et al. (2018) question the school staff members’ ability to respond to healthcare emergencies without healthcare practitioners’ guidance. The scenario where a spectator suffers from a cardiac arrest while on stand possess a collective concern of harnessing emergency response and building stakeholders’ capacity to understand institutional hazard dynamics. Therefore, any attempt to solve such a problem would require cooperation and departmental interactions to structure sustainable policies that would avert future occurrences.

Is this the real issue or merely a symptom of a larger one?

Although improper storage/handling of healthcare equipment such as AED may seem superficial in the short run, there is a probability that it conceals more structural issues. For instance, it is valid to argue that every department within the school should execute its mandate to foster strategic goals and mission. Therefore, if the school custodian may mishandle critical health tools and equipment like the Automatic Emergency Defibrillator, there are deeply-embedded failures that demand attention from the school management.

Qureshi et al. (2018) further acknowledge that learners engage in diverse activities that may subject them to healthcare issues such as injuries and other related hazards. Consequently, school top leadership structures are responsible for fostering proper handling, retrieval, and maintenance processes for healthcare tools. A close review of the emergency scenario is adequate to underscore the presence of potential failures in departmental cooperation, accountability, information sharing, and timely communication/reporting. For instance, the school custodian should communicate with other departments such as sports and emergency teams. Such moves would help in averting mishaps and confusion when accessing first aid kits and other essential items.

Does it need an immediate solution, or can it wait?

Undoubtedly, there is the urge to structure an immediate solution that would eliminate departmental failures. For instance, healthcare hazards and safety concerns in institutions like schools demand timely decisions to save lives. Trends in Healthcare Policy Essay. Our scenario is not exceptional. The crucial lesson from the case scenario is that the combination of a reliable emergency team and readily available first aid kits may save lives during an emergency. Therefore, the school management should embrace policies that would address departments’ irresponsibility while enhancing accountability and professionalism.

Is it likely to go away by itself?

Such a scenario may represent the underlying institutional culture and behaviors. Therefore, it may be underlying in the institutional departments and systems. While considering such contentions, it is possible to conclude that such behaviors demand robust actions and policies to address every detail. Unfortunately, the process of breaking status quos face restraining forces that may delay the change process. However, if left unaddressed, such trends would persist rather than going away by themselves.

Can I risk ignoring it?

As a nurse, I have the professional responsibility to identify, evaluate, and report any healthcare concern within the institution. Therefore, the existing workplace mandates attempt to combat professional ignorance in sensitive sectors like health. Undoubtedly, it would be detrimental to ignore risky situations that may lead to devastating effects in the long run.

What are the possible solutions? Are there risks to these solutions?

Arguably, every possible solution would attempt to dismantle the existing status quos. For example, efforts to harness professional traits among the school employees would challenge laxity, laziness, poor reporting, and inadequate cooperation among departments. While attempting to challenge such unprofessional behaviors, the school management should embrace collective efforts to monitor, train, and evaluate workers to ascertain their job fitness aspects.

Often, institutional attempts to eliminate unethical status quos within institutions face risks and challenges associated with the fear of change processes. For instance, employees may fear the consequences of change, perceive new policy trends as intimidating, and disown various institutional initiatives. Therefore, the school management faces the urge to champion policy changes to address individual discrepancies alongside collective concerns.

 What steps would you need to take to solve the issue?

The initial step of solving the issue is by reporting it to the school management. This strategy would encompass all activities like providing justifications, expert information about the concept, and potential solutions. After highlighting concerns to the leadership, It would be fundamental to cooperate with the management and bring all stakeholders on board for collective solutions. If the situation requires employees to champion the change process, I will embrace such a move by utilizing knowledge to convince other employees about the desirable action course.

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Does anyone else at the school need to be involved in the solution?

Undoubtedly, every employee or stakeholder with the school is crucial to the institutional mission and goals. Therefore, it is vital to bring everybody on board when making decisions regarding institutional healthcare. Such an approach creates a sense of ownership, realizes collective solutions, and enhances employees’ courage to express their concerns.  Trends in Healthcare Policy Essay.

Where is the power leverage in the school to reach the preferred solution?

The school management would require to utilize several powers to convince, direct, and influence institutional direction. Groenwald & Eldridge (2019) contend that power leverages are crucial in influencing, motivating, forcing, and subjecting behavior regarding a particular discourse. Therefore, the school management would leverage its referent, expert, legitimate, and empowerment powers to direct policies/solutions. As a professional nurse, I would apply expert, referent, informational, and empowerment powers to champion change processes and advocate for organizational improvements.

In conclusion, health is a sensitive sector in the context of institutions like schools. Therefore, organizational leaderships face the mandate to strengthen healthcare aspects such as emergency responses, medical care, and proper human resource training. The emergency scenario underscores the need to challenge status quos and enhance professionalism, accountability, and responsibility regarding healthcare equipment and knowledge.

References

Groenwald, S., & Eldridge, C. (2019). Politics, power, and predictability of nursing care. Nursing Forum, 55(1), 16-32. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12377

Qureshi, F. M., Khalid, N., Nigah-E-Mumtaz, S., Assad, T., & Noreen, K. (2018). First aid facilities in the school settings: Are schools able to manage adequately? Pakistan journal of medical sciences, 34(2), 272–276. https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.342.14766 . Trends in Healthcare Policy Essay.