To be an effective advocate and to develop a successful health advocacy campaign, you must have a clear idea of the goals of your campaign program and be able to communicate those goals to others. In addition, it is the nature of nurses to want to help, but it is important to make sure that the vision you develop is manageable in size and scope. By researching what others have done, you will better appreciate what can realistically be accomplished. It is also wise to determine if others have similar goals and to work with these people to form strategic partnerships. If you begin your planning with a strong idea of your resources, assets, and capabilities, you will be much more likely to succeed and truly make a difference with those you hope to help.
You will develop a 9 page paper that outlines a health advocacy campaign designed to promote policies to improve the health of a population of your choice. You will establish the framework for your campaign by identifying a population health concern of interest to you. You will then provide an overview of how you would approach advocating for this issue. You will consider legal and regulatory factors that have an impact on the issue and finally, you will identify ethical concerns that you could face as an advocate. Specific details for each aspect of this paper are provided.
Identifying a Problem
To prepare:
Select a population health issue of interest to you and identify the population affected by the issue.
Locate two scholarly articles, each of which provides a description of an effective health advocacy program that addresses your issue.
Analyze the attributes of the programs to determine what made them effective.
Reflect on a policy you could propose or a change to a current policy to further improve the health of the population you selected with regard to the issue.
Consider how you could develop an advocacy program, applying the attributes identified in similar, effective programs.
To complete:
For this section of your paper (approximately 3–4 pages in length) address the following:
Describe your selected population health issue and the population affected by this issue.
Summarize the advocacy programs you researched in this area.
Explain the attributes that made those programs effective.
Develop a plan for a health advocacy campaign that seeks to create a new policy or change an existing policy with regard to the issue and population you selected. Be sure to include in your plan:
A description of the public health issue and proposed policy solution
Specific objectives for the policy you want to be implemented
The means by which you will convey information to various stakeholders on the need for this policy change
Be sure your proposed need is substantiated by data and evidence.
Methods of establishing support for the policy, including how to influence policymakers
Explain how the attributes of the effective advocacy programs you researched could be applied to your proposed advocacy campaign.
References given for this portion of the assignment
Paquin, S. O. (2011). Social justice advocacy in nursing: What is it? How do we get there? Creative Nursing, 17(2), 63–67.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This text defines social justice advocacy and contrasts it to the patient-nurse advocacy model. The article also discusses social justice advocacy’s challenges and their potential solutions.
International Council of Nurses. (2008). Promoting health: Advocacy guide for health professionals. Retrieved from http://www.whpa.org/PPE_Advocacy_Guide.pdf
This web resource documents the efforts of the International Council of Nurses to ensure quality nursing care for all, as well as sound health policies globally through the advancement of nursing knowledge and presence worldwide.
Vancouver Coastal Health. (n.d.). Vancouver Coastal Health Population Health: Advocacy guidelines and resources. Retrieved from http://www.vch.ca/media/Population Health_Advocacy Guideline and Resources.pdf
This article presents guidelines, parameters, and resources for conducting population health advocacy.
Legal Considerations
To prepare:
Review Chapter 3 of Health Policy and Politics: A Nurse’s Guide (3rd ed.) to determine methods of influencing the political process.
Reflect on whether the policy you would like to promote could best be achieved through the development of new legislation, or a change in an existing law or regulation.
Contemplate in what ways existing laws or regulations may impact how you proceed in advocating for your proposed policy.
Consider how you could influence legislators or other policymakers to enact the policy you would like to propose.
Think about the obstacles of the legislative process that may prevent your proposed policy from being implemented as intended.
To complete:
For this section of your paper (approximately 3–4 pages in length) address the following:
Explain whether your proposed policy could be enacted through a modification of existing law or regulation or the creation of new legislation/regulation.
Explain how existing laws or regulations could impact your advocacy efforts.
Provide an analysis of the methods you could use to influence legislators or other policymakers to support your policy. In particular, explain how you would use the “three legs” of lobbying in your advocacy efforts.
Summarize the obstacles you anticipate arising in the legislative process and how you could overcome these hurdles.
References given for this portion of the assignment
Milstead, J. A. (2012). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Chapter 4, “Government Regulation: Parallel and Powerful” (pp. 73–109)
This chapter explains the major concepts of the regulation of health professionals, with emphasis on advanced practice nurses (APN) and the process of licensure and credentialing.
ANA’s Foundation of Nursing Package – (Access this resource on your student portal under Research & Resources)
Guide to the Code of Ethics: Interpretation and Application
This guide details the history, purpose and theory, application, and case studies of this must-have Code of Ethics.
Nursing Social Policy Statement
The Nursing Social Policy Statement provides an understanding of the social framework and obligations of the nursing profession.
Nursing: Scope & Standards of Practice
This book contains several national standards of practice that can be used to inform the decision-making process, development, implementation, and evaluation of several functions and aspects of advanced practice nursing.
Gallagher, T. H. (2009). A 62-year-old woman with skin cancer who experienced wrong-site surgery: Review of medical error. JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association, 302(6), 669–677.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The article showcases the different sides of medical error, from a 62-year-old patient who suffered and the components of the medical error’s impact and aftermath.
Reinhardt, U. E. (2010, Jan 30). Repercussions of simplicity. New York Times, p. A14.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article determines that the government should take low-income families into account when determining mandatory health insurance because many Americans choose to go without insurance despite preexisting conditions presumably no longer being an issue.
Board on Health Care Services. (2007). Preventing medication errors: Quality Chasm Series. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11623&page=43
Part 1, “Understanding the Causes and Costs of Medication Errors” (pp. 43–49)
This article discusses the multilayered nature of medication error as a system of failures due to individual behaviors and conditions.
enotes.com. (2012). Code of Ethics for Nurses. Retrieved from http://www.enotes.com/nursing-encyclopedia/code-ethics-nurses
This web page examines an in-depth breakdown of all the components to the Code of Ethics for Nurses.
Media
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012f). Legal and Ethical Aspects of Healthcare Delivery. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Ethical Considerations
Review provisions 7, 8, and 9 of the ANA Code of Ethics in relation to advocacy for population health.
Reflect on the ethical considerations you may need to take into account in your advocacy campaign.
Research the ethical considerations, laws, and reporting requirements (with respect to lobbying) that are relevant to the location where your advocacy campaign will occur.
Consider potential ethical dilemmas you might face in your campaign.
To complete:
For this section of your paper (approximately 3–4 pages in length), address the following:
Explain any ethical dilemmas that could arise during your advocacy campaign, and how you would resolve them.
Describe the ethics laws and reporting requirements that are applicable to your advocacy campaign.
Evaluate the special ethical challenges that are unique to the population you are addressing.
References given for this portion of the assignment
Milstead, J. A. (2013). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (4th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Chapter 7, “Program Evaluation” (pp. 137–159)
In this chapter, the focus is on how nurses can participate in public policy or program evaluation. It includes a summary of the methodologies that can be used in evaluation and how to best communicate the results
Craig, H. D. (2010). Caring enough to provide healthcare: An organizational framework for the ethical delivery of healthcare among aging patients. International Journal for Human Caring, 14(4), 27–30.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The author of this text investigates the ethical discussions surrounding health care resource allocation among aging patients. The article supplies an organizational decision-making model for health care resource allocation among the aging.
Crippen, D., & Barnato, A. E. (2011). The ethical implications of health spending: Death and other expensive conditions. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 39(2), 121–129.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article analyzes the ethical considerations of health care expenditure in the United States. The authors examine the particular means of funding health care services, as well as the tradeoffs of certain funding decisions.
Goethals, S., Gastmans, C., & Dierckx de Casterle, B. (2010). Nurses’ ethical reasoning and behaviour: A literature review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 47(5), 635–650.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article presents a literature review on nurses’ ethical practice with regard to their processes of ethical reasoning and decision making. The authors explore how nurses reason and act in ethically difficult situations.
Pavlish, C., Brown-Saltzman, K., Hersh, M., Shirk, M., & Rounkle, A. (2011). Nursing priorities, actions, and regrets for ethical situations in clinical practice. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 43(4), 385–395.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article reviews the results of a survey to determine nursing priorities and actions in ethically difficult situations. The authors conclude that not enough evidence-based ethics actions have been developed.
Zomorodi, M., & Foley, B. J. (2009). The nature of advocacy vs. paternalism in nursing: Clarifying the ‘thin line.’ Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(8), 1746–1752.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article explores the concepts of advocacy and paternalism in nursing. The authors utilize four case studies to compare the two concepts.
American Nurses Association. (2012). Code of Ethics for Nurses. Retrieved from http://nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses
The information on this site provides a framework and guide as to standards of ethical and quality behavior.
Hayutin, A. M., Dietz, M., & Mitchell, L. (2010). New realities of an older America. Retrieved from http://longevity3.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/New-Realities-of-an-Older-America.pdf
This report highlights the impending challenges that come with the United States’ shifting demographics. In particular, the authors focus on aging, diversity, housing, health, and personal finance.
Media
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012a). Ethics and advocacy. Baltimore, MD: Author.
