W2P
CLASS: TRENDS IN HEALTHCARE POLICY!
Instructions
Nurse’s Role in Influencing the Legislative Process
In a Microsoft Word document of 2-3 pages formatted in APA style, you will answer three questions related to your opportunity as a nurse and an advocate. The first two questions relate to influencing a bill that is traveling through the legislative process. The third question refers you to the social determinants of health and asks you to think specifically on your role as a nurse in influencing social determinants of health.
Answer the following questions:
- What parts of the lawmaking process does a nurse have an opportunity to influence the final bill passage?
- List at least two ways that this influence can take place. In your opinion, would one way be preferable over the other?
- Reviewing the social determinants of health, select one to respond to this question:
- What role can nurses play in promoting health status through policy changes directly affecting this social determinant?
Write each question as a new topic area and then follow with a paragraph or two to answer the question. You may find it necessary to search for answers to the questions outside of the assigned reading.
On a separate references page, cite all sources using APA format.
MUST CITE, REFERENCE AND SUBMIT TO “TURN IT IN ” AND ATTACH COPY
TEXTBOOK:
Mason, D. J., Dickson, E. L., Perez, G. A., & McLemore, A. R. (Eds). (2020). Policy & politics in nursing and health care (8th ed.). Elsevier. ISBN: 9780323554985.
From your course textbook, Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health Care, read the following chapters:
- How Government Works: What You Need to Know to Influence the Process
- A Primer on Political Philosophy
- Frameworks for Action in Policy and Politics
- Policy and Political Competence
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a nurse and an advocate, you have the opportunity to influence the legislative process, which can ultimately impact the healthcare system and patient outcomes. In this assignment, you will answer three questions related to the nurse’s role in influencing the legislative process and promoting health status through policy changes affecting social determinants of health.
Question 1: What parts of the lawmaking process does a nurse have an opportunity to influence the final bill passage?
Nurses have the opportunity to influence the final bill passage at different stages of the lawmaking process. For instance, nurses can influence the bill at the committee level by providing expert testimony or sharing their experiences with the committee members. Nurses can also influence the bill passage by reaching out to their representatives or senators through letters, phone calls, or in-person meetings.
Question 2: List at least two ways that this influence can take place. In your opinion, would one way be preferable over the other?
Nurses can influence the legislative process through direct lobbying or grassroots campaigning. Direct lobbying involves meeting with lawmakers to persuade them to support or oppose a particular bill. Grassroots campaigning, on the other hand, involves mobilizing a group of citizens to advocate for or against a bill. Both methods can be effective, but direct lobbying may be more impactful as lawmakers are more likely to listen to expert opinions.
Question 3: What role can nurses play in promoting health status through policy changes directly affecting this social determinant?
One social determinant of health that nurses can influence through policy changes is healthcare access. Nurses can advocate for policies that increase healthcare access to underserved populations, such as expanding Medicaid or implementing telehealth services. Additionally, nurses can work to address the root causes of healthcare disparities, such as poverty and lack of education, through community-based interventions and advocacy efforts.
Conclusion:
As healthcare professionals and advocates, nurses have an essential role in influencing the legislative process and promoting health status through policy changes. By utilizing their expertise and experiences, nurses can advocate for policies that improve the healthcare system and reduce health disparities in their communities.
