Identification of Healthcare Policy Concern

Purpose

In this course, the students will have the opportunity to identify a healthcare policy concern and community healthcare concern which can be improved with a change in policy, ordinance or the language in existing law. The outcome would be the potential for improved health for a population group.  Students will present a proposed solution or change to an elected official and provide an analysis of the project.  While students are not responsible for ensuring the implementation of their identified solution to the healthcare policy concern, the student is required to meet with an elected official to present the concern and proposed resolution. The purpose of this current assignment is to identify the community-based healthcare policy concern and provide an extensive evidenced-based foundation for proposing a policy change to an elected official. 

Course Outcomes

This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcomes: 

CO 1. Employ strategies to impact the development, implementation, and consequences of holistic focused healthcare policies at the institutional, local, national, and international levels using evidence-based practice principles. 

 (PO 1) 

CO 3. Demonstrate professional and personal growth regarding the advocacy role of the advance practice nurse in healthcare policy for diverse healthcare settings.   (PO 3)

CO 5.  Advocate for institutional, local, national, and international policies that influence person-centered healthcare, consumers, and nursing practice.  (PO 5)

Description of the Assignment

For this assignment, the student must first select a healthcare policy concern.  The concern must be a community-based, public health policy concern.  Student may not use healthcare entities or organizational concerns occurring within a private or public healthcare facility.  Scholarly evidence supporting the concern must be presented that provides a comprehensive picture of the selected healthcare concern as well as the student-identified solution. The elected official whom the student will interview is also identified in this paper. 

Criteria for Content

1. Overview of healthcare policy: This section introduces healthcare policy. It should contain the following elements:

·    Define healthcare policy in general and its implications for the nursing profession

·    Define the role of advocacy and how it can impact healthcare policy

·    Explain how the role of advocacy is consistent with the responsibilities of an advance practice nurse

2. Identification of selected healthcare policy concern: This section provides foundational information regarding the student-selected healthcare policy concern.  It should contain the following elements:

·    Specifically identify the selected healthcare policy concern

·    Description of the impacted population group

·    Provide a comprehensive description of the selected healthcare concern by including: How frequently does it occur?

What impact does the selected healthcare concern have upon the community and population group?

3. Description of student-identified solution to the selected healthcare concern: This section presents a comprehensive picture of the student-selected solution to the selected healthcare concern.  It should contain the following elements:

·    Identify, with specific detail, the solution to the student-selected healthcare concern

·    Identify the following areas: What would be the positive outcome if the solution was implemented?

What changes would need to occur in the community to foster implementation?

 What changes would need to occur in the population group to foster implementation?

What measurable actions will demonstrate a positive outcome if the solution was implemented?

What might be 2 (two) challenges to implementing the proposed solution and how can each of these challenges be avoided or resolved?

4. Identification of elected official: This section identifies the elected official that the student will present the selected healthcare concern and its solution to.  It should contain the following elements:

·    The name of the elected official

·    The position of the elected official

·    Explanation of why this individual was selected

5. Conclusion: This section provides a comprehensive and concise review of the key elements of the assignment. 

Readings:

Mason, D. J., Gardner, D. B., Outlaw, F. H., & O’Grady, E. T. (Eds). (2016). Policy & politics in nursing and healthcare (7th ed.)

·    Chapter 4: Learning the Ropes of Policy and Politics

·    Chapter 7: The Policy Process

·    Chapter 9: Political Analysis and Strategies

·    Chapter 80: TAKING ACTION: The Nightingales Take on Big Tobacco

Teitelbaum, J. & Wilensky, S. (2017). Essentials of health policy and law (3rd ed.). http://online.vitalsource.com (Links to an external site.)

·    Chapter 1: Understanding the Role and Conceptualizing Health Policy and Law

·    Chapter 2: Policy and the Policymaking Process

Policy Translation Tools and Products https://www.cdc.gov/policy/analysis/toolsandproducts/index.html