Health Policy Project: Overview

Objectives

1. Identify a healthcare policy issue in nursing practice.
2. Analyze its impact on the health of U.S. citizens and the practice of advanced practice nurses (APRNs).
3. Gather current policy literature and articles regarding the identified healthcare policy issue.
4. Disseminate this health policy issue/topic to your peers in written and verbal forms.

Overview

Healthcare policy, at the national and state levels, directly impacts the practice of nurses, nurse leaders, and APRNs. At the federal level, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) brought opportunities (access to care) and challenges (individual mandate/proof of insurance) for U.S. citizens, primary care providers, and healthcare systems. The Future of Nursing, a landmark Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, continues to influence federal and state policies related to scope of practice and collaborative agreements. Become familiar with the details of the ACA legislation and the IOM Report.

Timeline

Week 1

From a list of topics across four categories, select one in each category and submit your choices in order of preference in Assignment 1.3: Choose Your Preferred Topic. You will be placed in groups according to your topic preferences.

Due to COVID-19, if you think that being in a group will be too difficult, this group assignment can be completed individually. Please email your instructor by the end of Week 1 if you prefer to do these assignments individually. You will be placed in a group by yourself. Complete all assignments just like you were in a group.

Week 2

Your instructor will place you in groups based on the topics you selected by Week 2 Day 1. 

This week, use [Groups] Discussion 2.4: Meet Your Group to identify the group’s specific healthcare policy topic and divide up the required work for the Week 3 small group assignment. The Note Taker will post the selected topic in Discussion 2.3: Topic Selection.

Each week, be sure to assign a group facilitator, note taker, and participants. The facilitator should divide up the assignment/work and the note taker will submit the assignment. The note taker should edit the group assignment for APA formatting and conciseness/clarity but each group member must approve the final document submitted for a group grade.

Note: All group assignments, including the paper and presentation, will receive a group grade. This means that every person in the group will receive the same grade.

Week 3

Conduct a thorough literature search on the topic. Submit in [Groups] Assignment 3.1: Healthcare Policy Project: Reference List. Use professional resources and use the Health Sciences Librarian should you need assistance.

Sources to consider:

• The Economist (Links to an external site.); then select Business & Company Resource Center.
• Wall Street Journal: Go to the library homepage (Links to an external site.). Select Database List. Select "W." Select Wall Street Journal.
• New York Times: Go to the library homepage (Links to an external site.). Select Research. Select New York Times. Select Create an Account. After you create an account, download the app from the app store, and sign in using your Maryville credentials.

In the Maryville online library, any article can be obtained through our Interlibrary Loan system for free. It usually takes two to three business days. Anyone can create an account using their ID number in Maryville Library (Links to an external site.).

Week 4

Work on the project outline. Identify the section of the paper in the heading and use bullet points with short phrases to convey ideas/concepts rather than long sentences or paragraphs.

1. Healthcare Policy Problem
   1. Identify/define the healthcare policy issue/concern.
   2. Identify policies surrounding this healthcare concern.
   3. Have current policies adequately addressed the healthcare issue?
   4. What still needs to happen?
2. Significance to Nursing/Patient Care
   1. How does this healthcare policy issue threaten patient safety, quality care, and/or access to providers?
   2. Are social determinants of health identified in this healthcare concern?
3. Synthesis of Literature: Three Themes
   1. What are repeating themes from your analysis of the current literature on health policy? Name three.
   2. What would strengthen or weaken the policy? (That is, is there a better approach/model for this healthcare policy issue that is working, perhaps from another state or another country?)
   3. Who are the stakeholders?
4. Topic relation to the IOM’s Future of Nursing Report and the ACA
   1. How can nurses influence and manage change (such as education, advocacy, and leadership)?
   2. What has been the federal, state, and/or local response to this healthcare issue (innovations and interventions)?
5. A Compelling Story
   1. Use current evidence on how the policy failed (such as the opioid epidemic’s impact on families)
6. Conclusion
   1. Paraphrase the main points.
   2. Recommend a course of action.
   3. Challenge your peers to seek models that work (such as in other states, countries).