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NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 1 Discussion

Cost and Quality Approaches

A variety of systems have been utilized in the United States in an attempt to provide cost-effective, quality healthcare without federal government regulation. What cost and/or quality measure has worked in the past that may prove beneficial in our current society?

NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 2 Discussion

Using Upstream Thinking for Public Health Reform

After reading the assigned articles by Bharel and Kennedy-Stewart:

Consider a public health concern such as illicit drug use, obesity, smoking, or alcohol abuse in your state. As a nurse, what would you advocate for that would improve health for the population rather than focusing on the individual? How would such policy be influenced by the ACA?

NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 3 Discussion

Governing Healthcare

Research an area of healthcare that you are interested in finding more about the laws and/or policies. Discuss the importance of this area of interest and include the governmental agency or organization that governs that area of practice, if applicable.

NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 4 Discussion

RN Safe Staffing Act

Massive reductions in nursing budgets, combined with the challenges presented by a growing nursing shortage, have resulted in fewer nurses who are working longer hours and caring for sicker patients. This situation compromises care and contributes to the nursing shortage by creating an environment that drives nurses from the bedside. The American Nurses Association (ANA) is fighting for legislation that would hold hospitals accountable for the development and implementation of unit-by-unit nurse staffing plans created in coordination with direct care registered nurses (RNs) themselves, and based on each unit’s unique circumstances and changing needs.

Explore a current or proposed law/policy regulating nurse staffing at the institutional, state, or federal level. How is nurse staffing defined (ratios, acuity, census)? Present the law and/or policy and provide information on where this law can be found. What is the intended effect of the law and/or policy on patient outcomes?

NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 5 Discussion

Policy and Professional Ethics

Briefly describe a healthcare policy you are interested in learning more about. What ethical dilemmas arise when first looking at the policy? Discuss your opinion based on the ANA Nursing Code of Ethics.

NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 6 Discussion

Policy Origination and Impact

Explore the Nurse Practice Act in your state for a change that has taken place in the past year. Contact the board of nursing or review minutes from the board for information on sources of this policy or rule change. Share your findings and provide insight into how this change will affect nursing practice in your state.

NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 7 Discussion

Nurses Leading Change

Nurse leaders may be practicing in a healthcare facility; members of city, county, state, or federal legislation; nursing educators; or leaders in professional healthcare organizations. Investigate a nurse leading policy change. Define his or her position in the community and present one of the issues he or she is working on to make a difference in healthcare.

NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 8 Discussion

Reflection on Course Outcomes

Reflect on the concepts and practices you have learned in this course on healthcare systems, politics, and policy. Share insights on what you have learned. How will you utilize what you have learned to make informed decisions on nursing practice and patient outcomes?

NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 3 Assignment

Nursing and Healthcare Policy Paper

The Nursing and Healthcare Policy Paper assignment is due by Sunday, 11:59 p.m. (MT) at the end of Week 3. The guidelines for the Nursing and Healthcare Policy Paper are located in the course resource section.

This assignment will explore the American Nurses Association (ANA) and nursing position in healthcare policy. After identifying a healthcare policy or law initiative involving nursing, discuss the initiative and provide your own thoughts and possible actions with regards to the initiative. The websites listed in the web resource section for organizations discussed in the lesson may be useful for your research. Additionally, the Library NR 551 LibGuide (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. is an excellent resource for your research.

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to: a) examine and describe the American Nurses Association (ANA) and nursing position on healthcare policy, b) investigate a healthcare policy or law initiative involving nursing, c) examine implications of the initiative on patient outcomes or nursing practice c) present ideas in a clear, succinct and scholarly manner.

Course Outcomes

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

(CO2) Evaluate healthcare laws and policies that impact patient outcomes and nursing practice (PO 1-5)

(CO3) Compare healthcare policy development models and sources including regulatory and legislative processes at institutional, local, state, and national levels. (PO 1-5)

Due Date

Submit to the Dropbox by Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT at the end of Week 3.

Students are given the opportunity to request an extension on assignments for emergent situations. Supporting documentation must be submitted to the assigned faculty. If the student’s request is not approved, the assignment is graded and a late penalty is applied as follows:

Monday = 10% of total possible point reduction

Tuesday = 20% of total possible point reduction

Wednesday = 30% of total possible point reduction

If the student’s request is approved, the student will be informed of the revised due date. Should the student fail to meet the revised due date, the assignment is graded and a late penalty is applied as follows:

Monday = 10% of total possible point reduction

Tuesday = 20% of total possible point reduction

Wednesday = 30% of total possible point reduction

Total Points Possible: 175 points

Requirements

Assignment Criteria for the Paper:

Discuss both the ANA’s position on healthcare policy and the position nursing is to take in being involved with healthcare policy.

Search current healthcare policy/law initiatives involving nursing and provide a description of an initiative and the involvement of nursing. The Week 3 lesson/lecture provides information about agencies and organizations involved in healthcare policy and law as well as current legislation.

Research and discuss the intended impact on patient outcomes or nursing practice.

Describe how you as a nurse are a stakeholder in this initiative and provide your own comments or position on the initiative.

Describe how you could or will get involved in this initiative to make a difference and move it forward to enactment.

Summarize content in concluding statements.

The body of the scholarly paper is to be 3-5 pages in length excluding title and reference pages.

Grammar, spelling, punctuation, references, and citations are consistent with formal academic writing and APA format as expressed in the 6th edition

Include a minimum of two references published within the past 5 years not including your textbook. References may include scholarly websites of organizations or government agencies and must be presented using APA 6th edition format for electronic media.

NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 5 Assignment

Healthcare Policy Analysis

The Healthcare Policy Analysis assignment is due by Sunday, 11:59 p.m. (MT) at the end of Week 5. The guidelines and grading rubric for this assignment are located in the course resource section.

This assignment will analyze a current policy using a framework focused on healthcare policy. After identifying a healthcare policy or law initiative you wish to evaluate, utilize the framework provided in the course resource section as a guide. Research the policy and provide citations and references in APA format while filling in the table.

Additionally, the Library NR 551 LibGuide (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. is an excellent resource for your research.

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to: a) thoroughly examine a healthcare policy using a policy analysis framework and describe each section of the content policy analysis, b) evaluate healthcare policy for processes of political feasibility, economic viability, and ethics/values, c) present ideas in a clear, succinct and scholarly manner.

Course Outcomes

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

(CO#2) Evaluate healthcare laws and policies that impact patient outcomes and nursing practice (PO 1-5)

(CO#5) Evaluate the relationship among nursing practice, healthcare delivery, and healthcare policy development. ( PO 1-5)

Due Date

Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT end of Week 5

Students are given the opportunity to request an extension on assignments for emergent situations. Supporting documentation must be submitted to the assigned faculty. If the student’s request is not approved, the assignment is graded and a late penalty is applied as follows:

Monday = 10% of total possible point reduction

Tuesday = 20% of total possible point reduction

Wednesday = 30% of total possible point reduction

If the student’s request is approved, the student will be informed of the revised due date. Should the student fail to meet the revised due date, the assignment is graded and a late penalty is applied as follows:

Monday = 10% of total possible point reduction

Tuesday = 20% of total possible point reduction

Wednesday = 30% of total possible point reduction

Total Points Possible 250

Requirements

Assignment Criteria for the Paper:

Search current healthcare policy/law initiatives involving nursing and choose an initiative to evaluate. The Week 3 lesson/lecture provides many websites for agencies and organizations involved in healthcare policy and law as well as websites for current legislation.

Research the policy.

Briefly describe each of the eight sections of policy content analysis using the healthcare policy framework table.

Briefly describe each of the three sections of policy process analysis using the healthcare policy framework table.

Provide a minimum of two scholarly references in APA 6th edition format.

Rules of grammar, spelling, word usage, and punctuation are consistent with formal written work.

Preparing the Paper

Include a minimum of two (2) current references published within the past five (5) years not including your textbook. References may include scholarly websites of organizations or government agencies and must be presented using APA 6th edition format for electronic media.

NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 6 Assignment

Healthcare Policy Video

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to: (a) identify communication strategies that support an effective policy making-presentation/visit (b) deliver a message and make recommendations and (c) communicate ideas in a clear, succinct, and scholarly manner.

Course Outcomes

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

(CO #2) Evaluate healthcare laws and policies that impact patient outcomes and nursing practice( PO 1-5)

(CO #4) Analyze healthcare policy using credible healthcare policy data sources. ( PO 1-5)

(CO #5 Evaluate the relationship among nursing practice, healthcare delivery, and healthcare policy development. (PO 1-5)

(CO #6 ) Demonstrate effective communication with sources (PO 2,3,5)

Due Date: Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT at the end of Week 6

Students are given the opportunity to request an extension on assignments for emergent situations. Supporting documentation must be submitted to the assigned faculty. If the student’s request is not approved, the assignment is graded and a late penalty is applied as follows:

Monday = 10% of total possible point reduction

Tuesday = 20% of total possible point reduction

Wednesday = 30% of total possible point reduction

If the student’s request is approved, the student will be informed of the revised due date. Should the student fail to meet the revised due date, the assignment is graded and a late penalty is applied as follows:

Monday = 10% of total possible point reduction

Tuesday = 20% of total possible point reduction

Wednesday = 30% of total possible point reduction

Total Points: 175 points

Requirements

Assignment Criteria for Presentation

Articulate your policy priority message in 3 minutes or less by video.

Video is to be of clear image and audible sound.

Preparing the Video

The video is to be of yourself delivering your ideas for implementing your practicum. It is to be succinct and to the point (3 minutes or less). The video is to be of good quality; easily read.

NR551 Healthcare Systems, Politics, and Policy

Week 7 Assignment

Letter to Legislator or Policy Decision Maker

The Letter to Legislator or Policy Decision Maker assignment is due by Sunday, 11:59 p.m. MT at the end of Week 7.

For this assignment, identify a healthcare policy of interest and research the policy to determine your stand on the issue. You will be advocating for the policy in the form of a letter to be either mailed or e-mailed to a policy decision maker. Policy decision makers may be at the institutional level or at the city, county, state, or federal legislative level. The policy analyzed for Week 5 may be used for this assignment. Additionally, the Library NR 551 LibGuide (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. is an excellent resource for your research.

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to: a) identify a healthcare policy to engage in public advocacy for, b) identify healthcare policy decision maker or legislator with which to correspond regarding the identified policy, c) write a professional letter to healthcare policy decision maker or legislator advocating for identified healthcare policy, and d) present ideas in a clear, succinct and scholarly manner.

Course Outcomes

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

(CO#5) Evaluate the relationships among nursing, health, and public policy development within historical and current contexts (PO 1-5)

(CO#6) Demonstrate effective communication with sources of healthcare policy (public, private, voluntary organization) (PO 1-5)

Due Date

Submit to the Dropbox by Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT at the end of Week 7.

Students are given the opportunity to request an extension on assignments for emergent situations. Supporting documentation must be submitted to the assigned faculty. If the student’s request is not approved, the assignment is graded and a late penalty is applied as follows:

Monday = 10% of total possible point reduction

Tuesday = 20% of total possible point reduction

Wednesday = 30% of total possible point reduction

If the student’s request is approved, the student will be informed of the revised due date. Should the student fail to meet the revised due date, the assignment is graded and a late penalty is applied as follows:

Monday = 10% of total possible point reduction

Tuesday = 20% of total possible point reduction

Wednesday = 30% of total possible point reduction

Total Points Possible 200

Requirements

Assignment Criteria for the Letter:

Search current healthcare policy/law initiatives involving nursing and choose an initiative to advocate for. This may be a local, state, or federal level policy and may be the same policy analyzed in Week 5.

Determine your position on the policy.

Identify the policy decision maker or legislator to correspond with regarding the policy. If the policy decision maker is a legislator identify the legislator of whom you are a constituent.

Prepare a professional letter advocating for the policy.

Follow tips/guidelines presented in lecture/lesson for Week 7. A sample letter from a professional organization may be utilized, but must be personalized according to the guidelines presented in Week 7 lecture/lesson.

Letter should be no longer than 1 to 2 pages in length.

Submit documentation of utilization of a minimum of two scholarly references excluding the course text. Citations and references are to be included in the actual letter to the policy maker or legislator to show evidentiary support.

Rules of grammar, spelling, word usage, and punctuation are consistent with formal written work.

Preparing the Letter

Letter should be no longer than 1 to 2 pages in length. Include a minimum of two current references published within the past 5 years, not including your textbook. References may include scholarly websites of organizations or government agencies and must be presented using APA 6th edition format for electronic media.