THE ROLE OF THE RN/APRN IN POLICY EVALUATION
In the Module 4 Discussion, you considered how professional nurses can become involved in policy-making. A critical component of any policy design is evaluation of the results. How comfortable are you with the thought of becoming involved with such matters?
Some nurses may be hesitant to get involved with policy evaluation. The preference may be to focus on the care and well-being of their patients; some nurses may feel ill-equipped to enter the realm of policy and political activities. However, as you have examined previously, who better to advocate for patients and effective programs and polices than nurses? Already patient advocates in interactions with doctors and leadership, why not with government and regulatory agencies?
In this Discussion, you will reflect on the role of professional nurses in policy evaluation.
To Prepare:
- In the Module 4 Discussion, you considered how professional nurses can become involved in policy-making.
- Review the Resources and reflect on the role of professional nurses in policy evaluation.
Select an existing healthcare program or policy evaluation or choose one of interest to you.
Review community, state, or federal policy evaluation and reflect on the criteria used to measure the effectiveness of the program or policy described.
Post an evaluation topic and a brief description of the evaluation. Discuss how social determinants impact this issue.
200–250-word APA format. 3 references and 3 intext citation
Course resources
- Glasgow, R. E., Lichtenstein, E., & Marcus, A. C. (2003). Why don’t we see more translation of health promotion research to practice? Rethinking the efficacy-to-effectiveness transitionLinks to an external site.. American Journal of Public Health, 93(8), 1261–1267.
- Shiramizu, B., Shambaugh, V., Petrovich, H., Seto, T. B., Ho, T., Mokuau, N., & Hedges, J. R. (2016). Leading by success: Impact of a clinical and translational research infrastructure program to address health inequitiesLinks to an external site.. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 4(5), 983–991.
- Williams, J. K., & Anderson, C. M. (2018). Omics research ethics considerationsLinks to an external site.. Nursing Outlook, 66(4), 386–393.
One important aspect of nursing practice is to be actively engaged in policy evaluation, as it can have a significant impact on patient outcomes and the healthcare system as a whole. A healthcare program or policy that I would like to discuss for evaluation is the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.
Evaluation Topic: Evaluation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
Description: The Affordable Care Act was implemented to address various issues within the healthcare system, including expanding access to healthcare, reducing healthcare costs, and improving the quality of care. The ACA introduced health insurance exchanges, expanded Medicaid eligibility, and implemented various regulations to protect consumers. It has been a subject of debate and contention since its inception. Evaluating the ACA involves assessing its impact on key metrics such as:
- Access to care: Measuring the number of uninsured individuals before and after the ACA, as well as examining the effect on healthcare disparities.
- Healthcare costs: Analyzing the changes in healthcare spending for individuals, families, and the government.
- Quality of care: Evaluating healthcare outcomes, patient satisfaction, and the implementation of preventive care measures.
- Policy effectiveness: Assessing whether the ACA achieved its stated goals and how it affected healthcare delivery and insurance markets.
Social Determinants Impact: Social determinants of health play a crucial role in evaluating the ACA. These determinants, such as income, education, and social support, can influence access to healthcare and health outcomes. Evaluators must consider how the ACA addressed disparities related to these determinants and whether it improved healthcare equity.
Nurses can actively engage in this evaluation process by participating in research, data collection, and analysis. They can advocate for patients and communities by highlighting the impact of the ACA on vulnerable populations and providing valuable insights into the healthcare system’s strengths and weaknesses. Engaging in policy evaluation allows nurses to contribute to the ongoing improvement of healthcare policies and their implementation, ultimately benefiting patient care and well-being.