Advocacy Through Legislation
Nurses often become motivated to change aspects within the larger health care system based on their real-world experience. As such, many nurses take on an advocacy role to influence a change in regulations, policies, and laws that govern the larger health care system.
For this assignment, identify a problem or concern in your state, community, or organization that has the capacity for advocacy through legislation. Research the issue and use the “Advocacy Through Legislation” template to complete this assignment.
You are required to cite to a minimum of three sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and relevant to nursing practice.
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Advocacy through legislation is an essential tool that nurse practitioners can use to influence a change in policies, regulations, and laws that shape the healthcare system. This approach allows nurses to take an active role in improving patient outcomes and healthcare delivery. In this assignment, we will identify a healthcare problem or concern in our state, community, or organization, and develop a plan for advocacy through legislation.
Answer:
The healthcare problem identified in this assignment is the lack of access to quality primary care for uninsured and underinsured individuals in our community. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made significant strides in improving access to healthcare for millions of Americans. However, the ACA has failed to provide health coverage for millions of Americans due to restrictions in eligibility for Medicaid and lack of affordability for insurance plans.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately 18 million people would be eligible for Medicaid if states had expanded the program under the ACA. Without insurance, individuals who are economically disadvantaged face significant barriers to accessing primary care services, which lead to health disparities and poor health outcomes.
Advocacy through legislation is critical to addressing this issue. One potential solution is to support policies that expand access to affordable primary care services. Nurse practitioners can advocate for the expansion of Medicaid eligibility, the inclusion of nurse practitioners as primary care providers, and increased funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers. Furthermore, nurses can collaborate with policymakers to ensure that the policies enacted not only improve access but also improve the quality of care provided to patients.
In conclusion, advocacy through legislation is an important approach for improving access to primary care for uninsured and underinsured individuals in our community. By identifying a healthcare issue and developing a plan for advocacy, nurses can contribute significantly to shaping the policies that drive change in the healthcare system.