Instructions:
To prepare:
- Briefly summarize your policy analysis, focusing on the implications for clinical practice that may be most relevant or interesting for your colleagues. Include how evidence-based practice influenced the policy, policy options, or solutions.
By Day 3
Post a 1- to 2-paragraph succinct summary of your policy analysis paper. Include at least two of the options or solutions for addressing the policy and the resulting implications for nursing practice and health care consumers
Learning Resources
Required Readings
Bodenheimer, T., & Grumbach, K. (2020). Understanding health policy: A clinical
approach (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
● Chapter 17, “Conclusion: Tensions and Challenges”
This chapter concludes with final thoughts on the challenge of providing quality
health care and controlling health care costs. The solution is likely to be resolved
only by a collaborative approach, involving all health care stakeholders, and by
health professionals taking the lead.
Howard, J., Levy, F., Mareiniss, D. P., Craven, C. K., McCarthy, M., Epstein-Peterson,
Z. D., & et al. (2010). New legal protections for reporting patient errors under the Patient
Safety and Quality Improvement Act: A review of the medical literature and analysis.
Journal of Patient Safety, 6 (3), 147-152.
The authors studied the dissemination of information on the Patient Safety
and Quality Improvement Act (PSQIA), a federal act that affords protection
to those reporting medical errors. They found medical literature to be
inadequate in this regard, and as a result, medical personnel were
uninformed on their legal protections. This lack of information has become a
barrier to policy implementation.
Jacobson, N., Butterill, D., & Goering, P. (2003). Development of a framework for
knowledge translation: Understanding user context. Journal of Health Services
Research & Policy, 8 (2), 94–99.
Lau, B., San Miguel, S., & Chow, J. (2010). Policy and clinical practice: Audit tools to
measure adherence. Renal Society of Australasia Journal, 6 (1), 36-40.
The authors study the compliance to renal-care policies by health care
professionals. They conclude with the necessity for nurses to support
evidence-based protocols as well as to obtain continuing education on new
protocols.
McCracken, A. (2010). Advocacy: it is time to be the change. Journal of Gerontological
Nursing, 36 (3), 15-17.
The author proposes that nurses, as patient advocates, need to be more
involved in the making of health care policy instead of reacting to policies
that are constantly changing. The article provides a guide to help organize
initial policy efforts.
Nannini, A., & Houde, S. C. (2010). Translating evidence from systematic reviews for
policy makers. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 36 (6), 22-26.
The article cites geronotological nurses as examples of those who are able
to translate research into policy briefs that can be clearly understood by
policy makers. Geronotological nurses are in this unique position because of
their clinical experience and educational background.
Paterson, B. L., Duffet-Leger, L., & Cuttenden, K. (2009). Contextual factors influencing
the evolution of nurses’ roles in a primary health care clinic. Public Health Nursing,
26 (5), 421-429.
This article provides details on a study conducted in a nurse-managed clinic
related to the changing roles of nurses. The authors found that nurses, in
response to social, political, and economic forces, became involved in
advocacy for the clinic through political action, government funding issues,
and media relations roles.
Sistrom, M. (2010). Oregon’s Senate bill 560: Practical policy lessons for nurse
advocates. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 11 (1), 29-35.doi:
10.1177/1527154410370786
The author uses the efforts by a nurse advocate in lobbying for an Oregon
bill related to healthy food in public schools to illustrate nurse advocacy and
policy making. The bill, developed in response to childhood obesity, did not
immediately become law. The author concludes with the importance of
considering the political environment when creating successful policy.
Spenceley, S. M., Reutter, L., & Allen, M. N. (2006). The road less traveled: Nursing
advocacy at the policy level. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 7 (3), 180-194.doi:
10.1177/1527154410370786
Nurses have always been advocates at the patient-level of care, but the
authors of this article promote the need for all nurses to become advocates
at the policy level as well. They discuss factors that have kept nurses from
getting involved with policy making and they provide strategies to resolve
these challenges.
Wyatt, E. (2009). Health policy advocacy: Oncology nurses make a difference. ONS
Connect, 24 (10), 10-13.
The author presents information on two nurses who have become health
care policy advocates—one as a policy maker and one as an elected
legislator. Both have been able to use their perspectives from their nursing
careers to affect health policy.
Zomorodi, M., & Foley, B. J. (2009). The nature of advocacy vs. paternalism in nursing:
Clarifying the ‘thin line.’ Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65 (8), 1746-1752.
The authors attempt to distinguish the concepts of advocating for a patient
and paternalism, or overriding a patient’s wishes. They provide clinical
examples to illustrate the differences between these concepts, and they
conclude with strategies to use in practice.
Required Media
Walden University, LLC. (Executive Producer). (2011). Healthcare policy and advocacy:
Advocating through policy. Baltimore: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 7 minutes.
In this media presentation, Dr. Joan Stanley and Dr. Kathleen White discuss how
nurses can influence practice and engage in advocacy through the policy process.
Accessible player –Downloads–Download Video w/CCDownload AudioDownload
Transcript
Optional Resources
Birnbaum, D. (2009). North American perspectives: POA, HAC and never events.
Clinical Governance: An International Journal, 14(3), 242–244.
