Nurses need to understand their influence on healthcare policy and the importance of engaging in legislation that impacts healthcare and nursing practice.
Course Competency:
• Debate current healthcare policy as it relates to nursing practice.
Scenario:
You are a nursing member of a healthcare organization on a policy subcommittee. The subcommittee has been asked to prepare an advocacy policy brief on a current policy that can be presented for facility adoption. As an active nurse advocate, it is important your voice is heard on a matter important to you as this is your chance to influence policy.
Instructions:
Prepare a policy brief. Identify and support your stance by addressing the following:
1. Explain your selected healthcare policy.
2. Address the background of the problem requiring the policy.
3. Address how the policy is relevant to your nursing practice or area of interest.
4. Identify if this policy impacts practice at the local, state and/or national level.
5. Evaluate how this policy could impact health care and further explain how this policy would influence nursing practice.
6. Provide evidence to support your stance on how you can implement the current policy.
7. Explain ways you can assist in implementing this policy as a nurse advocate.