Sample Answer for THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050 Included After Question
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?
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.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
WEEKLY RESOURCES
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.
By Day 3 of Week 9
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.
Post an evaluation topic and a brief description of the evaluation. Discuss how social determinants impact this issue.
By Day 6 of Week 9
Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days by suggesting additional opportunities or recommendations for overcoming the challenges described by your colleagues.
*Note: Throughout this program, your fellow students are referred to as colleagues.
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
Title: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
There are many ways in which nurses can be involved in policy evaluation. The two ways are collaborating with elected officials and joining professional associations. Nurses can gather data and information that can help policy evaluation (Milstead & Short, 2017). Nurses can reach out to local and federal legislators. They can work with their elected representatives to advocate for a review of policies that will help better the nursing profession and patient care. They can share their experiences and evidence, assisting in policy evaluation by checking impact and effectiveness (Scott & Scott, 2020). Challenges that nurses may meet may be their inability to contact legislators and different opinions that may arise. If they cannot contact their elected representatives, nurses can form a relationship with policymakers who can help set up meetings.
Nurses also have opportunities for policy evaluation by joining professional nursing associations at the state and national levels. By joining professional associations, nurses can have the opportunity to learn policy making and evaluation. They can attend conferences, network with other members and lobby on behalf of nurses (Morin, 2021). Even though professional nursing associations have benefits, they also present challenges. One challenge of this route is the complex registration process and high membership fees required to join these organizations.
There are several strategies to communicate these opportunities for nurses. The first strategy is to have meetings with healthcare professionals and educate them on the importance of nurses in policy advocacy and policy review. Nurses can also be educated that joining professional organizations may have additional benefits. They can also be taught how they can be involved in these organizations.
References
Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2017). Health policy and politics. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Morin, K. H. (2021). Editorial: Contributions of professional nursing organizations. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(6).
Scott, S. M., & Scott, P. A. (2020). Nursing, advocacy and public policy. Nursing Ethics, 28(5), 723-733.
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A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
Title: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
The community of nurses is so vast and powerful we as nurses can do a lot when it comes to policy making. Nurses can participate in
policy reviews by attending policy conferences, and organized policy meetings. Nurses can also attend meetings specifically for policy change directed at health care. Nurses can also plan and organize their own meetings and rallies and open invite members of policy boards to get the purpose of policy change and agenda heard. Joining professional organization would be a good start to a nurse that is new to the idea of policy making. Nursing organizations can provide insight and direction and help improve idea outcomes of nursing policy change. According to Myers (2020) Nurses need to actively embrace strategies to improve population health outcomes and reduce health and other disparities. As a main component in health care, nurses provide the most direct level of care. Nurses are able to see the patient whole level of care therefore are the best advocates for the patient. As stated by Wichaikhum et al. (2020) Nurses’ participation in public health policy development is essential to developing and maintain an efficient, high-quality healthcare system.
References
Myers, R.C. (2020). Promoting population health: nurse advocacy, policy making, and use
of media. Pub Med.Gov, 55(1), 11-20. http://doi.org 10.1016/j.cnur.2019.11.001
Wichaikhum, O., Abhicharttiburta, K., Nantsupawat, A., Kowitlawakul, Y., & Kunavikitkul, W.
(2020). Dweveloping a strategic model of participation in policy development for nurses.
Pub Med. Gov, 67(1), 11-18. http://doi.org10.1111/inr.12571
A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
Title: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
Your post clearly describes numerous ways that the professional nurse can engage in policy evaluation. It is important to note that when policies are designed, mechanisms for evaluating the efficacy of the policy should be in place.
Hi Sasha, it was great reading your discussion post this week.
Reaching out to local representatives can be the first step in changing, improving, or creating new initiatives in the workplace. Nurses have a unique place in doing this because all of our ideas and initiatives should be evidence-based. We are able to go in and speak from experience, even if it might be a small sample size. This could be a way to start the ball rolling with our local representatives.
Being part of an association of nurses offers all of the previously mentioned benefits, but it now gives a larger voice. One nurse with a list of problems, or even solutions or ideas may not get a chance to present them to their state representatives. These representatives rely on votes. Having a large group that supports them could be important come election time. There is power in numbers. It is important for us to be heard and key for these representatives to continue their work. Therefore, it is vital for us to work for hand and hand in order to accomplish both our goals.
I am in agreement that there has to be an educational component provided, so everyone knows the importance of joining these associations. It should be taught and stressed throughout nursing school. Maybe there could be CE hours credited for membership. Nurses could also have things like bake sales and craft sales in order to cover the cost of yearly memberships. If cost is still an issue, maybe people can still contribute ideas and thoughts for improvement, without being a member. Better and more ways to communicate membership vitality should also be present in the workplace. This could be a constant reminder of our collective voice and its power.
Reference
Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2017). Health policy and politics. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
A Sample Answer 4 For the Assignment: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
Title: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
Thank you for sharing your two ideas for opportunities to participate in policy review. I feel I would be more comfortable participating in policy review by joining a professional nurse organization (PNO) than collaborating with elected officials. Milstead & Short (2017) describe how vital policy evaluation is for transforming and evolving our current healthcare system. Walden has done a great job expressing the importance of policy. I imagine many nurses stop at an associate or bachelor degree and never learn about policy review and how to get involved. Gazarian et al. (2020) noted that nurses are well qualified to “identify health problems that can be addressed through health policies and to evaluate the effects of those policies.” Essentially, we are in the middle of healthcare and can assess the need for change or evaluate the effect a policy or policy change could have. There is a need for adding more policy education at every level of nursing. It would also be helpful for information to be provided regarding how to get involved with local elected officials. I also believe that a PNO would be a great means of learning how to get involved. Thank you for another great week of discussion!
References
Gazarian, P., Ballout, S., Heelan-Fancher, L., & Sundean, L. J. (2020). Theories,
models, and frameworks used in nursing health policy dissertations: A scoping review. Applied Nursing Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2020.151234
Milstead, J.A., & Short, N.M. (2019). Health Policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed).
Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning
A Sample Answer 5 For the Assignment: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
Title: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
RNs and APRNs play essential roles in health care that influence policy decisions. There are numerous chances for nurses and nurse practitioners to get involved in policy-making. House policy-making and evaluation are essential, but legislative and political advocacy is no less critical to advancing the profession and patient care (ANA,2020). Participating in creating these policies establishes and incorporates relevant criteria for providing care.
The first opportunity for APRNs to actively participate in policy-making is becoming a member of a professional nursing organization. Doing so allows an NP to gain access to the tools it might take to get involved with groups of others participating in policy-making. Although some may feel hesitant about joining a professional organization, induction is primarily expected in the nursing community (Echevarria, 2018). An example of a professional organization is the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Being a part of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is more than just a membership; it is a real opportunity to make a measurable difference in the strength of your profession and the health of this country (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2022). This organization offers much insight into the education, advocacy, and practice. Being a member of the AANP will allow individuals to be educated and aware and allows RNs and APRNS to make a difference in patient care.
The second opportunity for APRNs and registered nurses to actively participate in policy-making is to continue education. While nurses can participate in policy-making at any educational level, pursuing an advanced degree is an effective way to get a seat at the nursing policy table. Earning a DNP demonstrates nurses’ expertise at the highest level of practice, represents their commitment to advancing health outcomes, and distinguishes them as a thought leader. The DNP has been recognized by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing as the most appropriate degree for advanced-practice registered nurses to enter practice (Marymount University,2021).
APRNs might face a challenge in policy-making is the lack of available resources and knowledge. Some nurses felt as though they did not possess the right resources to be able to mobilize policy-making actions. Reviewing and developing policies can become overwhelming and intimidating. APRNs also felt they had a lack of knowledge pertaining to health policy development, thus making it difficult to move forward in the process. Nurses and nurse practitioners found that influencing policy development and the course of the health policy is mainly about securing resources for health care (Shariff,2014). To overcome this challenge, I recommend becoming a professional nursing organization member. Nursing organizations give nurses the tools they need to stay current on best practices, read the opinions of industry leaders, and get a peek at what other hospitals throughout the nation are doing to change patient care.
The second challenge nurses and APRNs might face is a feeling of powerlessness to affect policy change. It is not uncommon to feel as though your voice is being ignored when you are a part of a significant movement. Front‐line nurses may believe it is impossible to create policy change at the national or even local level; many may think their role is too small to make a difference in health policy. However, the front-line engagement nurses have with patients, and other healthcare professionals, make them ideal healthcare policy advocates (Rafferty,2018). When decision-makers hear from nurses and practitioners, it will improve decisions on care coordination, regulatory changes, and health information technology. Knowledge is power in these situations.
One of the strategies I may implement is educating other nurses so they can be a part of policy-making. Until this class, I had no idea that I could affect policy-making. I would share facts, get people involved in a nursing organization that suits them, and increase awareness that we can make a change as nurses or APRNs. A second strategy I would use is to get the hospital I work at involved in policy reviews and nurse advocacy. I would create an in-house organization that makes nurses aware of their power to make change happen. I would collect a list of hospital issues we experience, see what we can do to change them, and collaborate with other hospitals to see if the issue is happening elsewhere.
American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2022). Clinical Resources for Nurse Practitioners (NPS). American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.aanp.org/practice/clinical-resources-for-nps
ANA. (2020, April 27). Advocacy. Practice Advocacy . Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/
Echevarria, I. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing
organization. Nursing, 48 (12), 35-38. doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000547721.84857.cb.
Marymount University.(2021, November 11). 5 ways nurses can shape policy. Marymount University Online. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://online.marymount.edu/blog/nursing-influence-on-health-care-policy
Rafferty A. M. (2018). Nurses as change agents for a better future in health care: the politics of drift and dilution. Health economics, policy, and law, 13(3-4), 475–491. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1744133117000482
Shariff N. (2014). Factors that act as facilitators and barriers to nurse leaders’ participation in health policy development. BMC nursing, 13, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6955-13-20
A Sample Answer 6 For the Assignment: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
Title: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
I believe that nurses can be involved in policy-making and policy evaluation because they spend the most time with patients. Therefore, they can be advocates with governments and regulatory agencies. Myers (2020) notes that “Nurses need to advocate for systematic change, inclusive of the many factors that interact to determine health” (p. 14). Additionally, if we speak about the policy process, nurses should also be involved with its evaluation to see the direct effect on patients.
The adopted program evaluation is a fourth step of the whole policy-making cycle. It ends “after the policy is evaluated to determine to what extent it has been implemented and whether it has achieved the desired outcome” (Clifton et al., p. 25). Nurses have an essential role here as, for example, they can watch the patients’ health state during a new program of cancer or diabetes treatment. That is why it is crucial to get them involved in the policy-making cycle.
There are at least two opportunities for RNs and APRNs to participate in a policy review actively. First of all, it is a policy draft that is necessary because it presents the effect of the policy on social and individual levels. Whitehead et al. (2017) note that “it is a nurse’s professional and societal responsibility to answer the call and provide a voice for the voiceless” (p. 73). Nurses can do it by making and publishing the policy draft. Secondly, policy analysis is another opportunity that follows the previous one more deeply evaluating the significance of a proposed program; it includes the introduction, process definition, analysis, and critical policy events. However, there are challenges in using these opportunities, for example, if nurses emphasize the necessity of implementing new technologies to treat coronavirus patients. Economically vested lobbies may interfere because it is unprofitable for them. In this case, nurses need to prove the validity of their decision more clearly and justifiably, publicizing its importance widely at the same time.
The first strategy to communicate opportunities to participate in a policy review is teaching writing policy drafts during education. The second one is making the ability to write these drafts a prerequisite for employment. Therefore, nurses must know how to participate in a policy review as an essential part of their profession. This knowledge and skill should become usual for them as professionals. They may practice making policy drafts and analyses during education and prove the skill in employment.
References
Clifton, A., Felton, A., Stacey, G., Hemingway, S. (Eds.). (2017). Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing. An Essential Guide for Nursing and Healthcare Students. Wiley.
Myers, C. R. (2020). Promoting Health: Nurse Advocacy, Policy Making, and Use of Media. In a K. A. Wolgast (Ed.), Building Innovative Nurse Leaders at the Point of Care, An Issue of Nursing Clinics (pp. 11-20). Elsevier Health Sciences.
Whitehead, D. K., Dittman, P. W., McNulty, D. (2017). Leadership and the Advanced Practice Nurse. The Future of a Changing Health-Care Environment. F.A. Davis Company.
A Sample Answer 7 For the Assignment: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
Title: THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION NURS 6050
Your post is very informative. I enjoyed reading your post. I do agreed with you that a program evaluation is an effective and systematic way to imrove and account for different public health actions. For more emphasis, Evaluation in the first beginning when we first drafted a policy is very important. When we first implement the program, evaluation is very important to help people understand what the impact either has been or the policy that was implemented or what the impact is likely to be to help inform policy maker think whether they should support a bill or not, whether piece of legislation should be reshaped. How a bill in active should be implemented. The public has the right to know what we are getting for this investment. It’s important for people in congress and in the executive branch to know what impact this program is having. Are we achieving the goals that this policy was designed to achieve or are we off the track. If we are off the track, where are we off the track? What we can do to bring the program back on track, with all these, a program evaluation is very important (Walden University, 2018).
References:
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)
Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2018). The Importance of Program Evaluation [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Grading Rubric
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