Module 5: Program/Policy Evaluation Discussion: The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy Evaluation In the Module 4 Discussion, you considered how professional nurses can become involved in policy-making

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Module 5: Program/Policy Evaluation

Discussion: The Role of the RN/APRN in Policy Evaluation

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.

To Prepare:

1. In the Module 4 Discussion, you considered how professional nurses can become involved in policy-making.

2. Review the Resources and reflect on the role of professional nurses in policy evaluation.

For the discussion: Post an explanation of at least two opportunities that currently exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy review. Explain some of the challenges that these opportunities may present and describe how you might overcome these challenges. Finally, recommend two strategies you might make to better advocate for or communicate the existence of these opportunities. Be specific and provide examples.

 

Resources-3 websites and 3 videos attached

 

1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2018.05.003

2. https:www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

3.https://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=10595993&site=eds-live&scope=site

 

Example

RE: Discussion – Module 5

Two opportunities that currently exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy review.

A nurse can volunteer their time when they are available, take an internship with elected officials or run for an office position. At the state and federal level, nurses can get involved in policy and politics by joining a professional nursing organization (American Nurse, 2016) These organizations often have lobbyists that bring nursing issues to Capitol Hill. Nurses can also write their state representatives regarding healthcare policy.

Nurses have the potential to profoundly influence policy and politics on a global scale. The moral and professional obligation of nurses to be engaged in legislation that impacts their patients. When a nurse is influenced by politics it helps them improve the delivery of healthcare, tit helps them to feel more positive to ultimately advocate for their patients.

There are challenges that come with this as wells. Some of the challenges are the lack of awareness, inadequate skills, and little opportunities that they have for involvement. Another barrier is the limited formal health care policy education that there is in nursing. Time and resources are some of the obstacles that nurses come across in participation in politics. Let alone some studies show that nurses are not given the sufficient support to generate the evidence needed to influence healthcare policy (American Nurse, 2016)

Regardless of these multiple factors that nurses come across limiting the nursing professions potential impact on politics, it is for a fact that nurses are vital to the development and implementation of healthcare policy. I feel that us as nurses should led the way in redesigning the healthcare system. To do this, nurses will need to partner with members of other medical professions, physicians. The nurse should have the following qualifications, be skilled in-patient care as well as the interdisciplinary teamwork, informatics, and technology, implementing evidence-based practice, and quality improvement.

Nurses can become frustrated by policies leading to affect nursing practice, especially when those policies are written by individuals with limited healthcare knowledge and experience. This is very frustrating leading to negativity, disillusionment, bitterness, and burn-out.

I would recommend to better advocate by making a positive difference in our profession. Become a leader, assume a leadership position in your facility or even contact elected officials and voice your concerns affecting the industry. Education is also another option, become trained in politics, become involve in the community, councils, and committees. Joining a professional nursing organization can also get nurses involved in policy and politics. Engage in multisectoral partnerships and adopt a Health in All Policies (HIAP) approach to address social and health needs of concerns (Williams, S. D., et al. 2018) This strategy can help by these organizations offering resources and strategies to promote nurse engagement in health policies. These professional nursing organizations have lobbyists that bring nursing issues to Capitol Hill.

Reference

American Nurse. (2016). The nursing profession’s potential impact on policy and politics. American Nurse Retrieved on July 25, 2021, from https://www.myamericannurse.com/nursing-professions-potential-impactpolicy-politics/#

 

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

 

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (n.d.). Brief 1: Overview of policy evaluation. https://www.cdc.gov/injury/pdfs/policy/Brief%201-a.pdf

 

Williams, S.D., Phillips, J.M., Koyoma, K., (September 30, 2018) “Nurse Advocacy: Adopting a Health in All Policies Approach” OJIN: the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Vol. 23, No. 3, Manuscript 1. https://doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol23No03Man01