NURS 6026 Population Health Policy Advocacy Discussion

NURS 6026 Population Health Policy Advocacy Discussion

Assessment 3 Instructions: Letter to the Editor: Population Health Policy Advocacy

For this assessment, you will write a letter to the editor of a scholarly journal in response to an article in that selected journal. Your goal is to be informative about the policy that you developed for your previous Biopsychosocial Population Health Policy Proposal assessment, while also being persuasive about the need for and benefit of similar policies in other healthcare settings. The bullet points below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide. Be sure that your assessment submission addresses all of them. You may also want to read the Letter to the Editor: Population Health Policy Advocacy Scoring Guide and  Guiding Questions: Letter to the Editor: Population Health Policy Advocacy [PDF]  to better understand how each grading criterion will be assessed.

In NURS 6026, we will explore various aspects of population health policy advocacy.

· Evaluate the current state of the quality of care and outcomes for a specific issue in a target population negatively impacted by health inequity.

· Look back to the data or scenario you used in your previous assessment to address this criterion.

· Analyze how the current state of the quality of care and outcomes for a specific issue in a target population necessitates health policy development and advocacy.

· Justify why the developed policy will be vital in improving the quality of care and outcomes for a specific issue in a target population.

· Advocate for policy development in other care settings with regard to a specific issue in a target population.

· Analyze the ways in which an interdisciplinary team strategizes to develop a policy that supports efficient and effective achievement of desired outcomes for the target population.

· Communicate in a professional and persuasive manner, writing content clearly and logically with correct use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

· Integrate relevant sources to support assertions, correctly formatting citations and references using APA style (or the journal’s preferred style).

Be sure the article you choose to respond to is relatively current, meaning published within the last five years.

For NURS 6026, ensure your selected article aligns with the themes of population health.

NURS 6026 Example assessment: You may use the  Assessment 3 Example [PDF]  to give you an idea of what a Proficient or higher rating on the scoring guide would look like.

This example from NURS 6026 highlights key elements of effective policy advocacy.

NURS 6026 Submission Requirements

Understanding the NURS 6026 submission requirements is crucial for success.

The submission requirements for your editorial will depend on the journal you choose. To find out the requirements, go to the journal’s Web site. There should be a section regarding submissions that will address how to format letters to the editor, and whether there is a word count limit (there usually is a limit).

· If the journal does not have submission guidelines for the number of resources required, use 3–5 sources.

· To be sure that your faculty knows the submission and formatting requirements for your letter, include the journal’s guidelines on a separate page at the end of the document you submit for this assessment.

· Be sure that the article your respond to has been published within the last five years.

In NURS 6026, the importance of current literature cannot be overstated.

Reference

American Nurses Association. (2015).  Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics-For-Nurses.html

Guiding Questions Letter to the Editor: NURS 6026 Population Health Policy Advocacy

This document is designed to give you questions to consider and additional guidance to help you successfully complete the Letter to the Editor: Population Health Policy Advocacy assessment. You may find it useful to use this document as a pre-writing exercise or as a final check to ensure that you have sufficiently addressed all the grading criteria for this assessment. This document is a resource to help you complete the assessment. Do not turn in this document as your assessment submission.

Evaluate the current state of the quality of care and outcomes for a specific issue in a target population negatively impacted by health inequity.

This analysis is essential throughout NURS 6026 to grasp population health concepts.

· Based on the data that you used to identify your chosen issue in Assessment 1, what is the current state of the quality of care and outcomes?

· To what degree does the current state of the quality of care and outcomes need to be improved?

· How does the current performance compare to any relevant benchmarks?

· How does the current performance adversely impact the health of the target population

negatively impacted by health inequity?

Analyze how the current state of the quality of care and outcomes for a specific issue in a target population necessitates health policy development and advocacy.

NURS 6026 requires a deep dive into the impact of policy on health outcomes.

• How does the current state of the quality of care and outcomes related to your chosen issue and target population negatively impacted by health inequity illustrate the need for improvements?

o Whydoyouconsiderpolicydevelopmentandadvocacynecessary?

o Howwilldevelopingahealthpolicyhelptoimprovethequalityofcareandoutcomes related to your chosen issue and target population negatively impacted by health inequity?

o Whyisadvocatingforhealthpolicydevelopmentnecessarytodriveimprovements? Justify why a developed policy will be vital in improving the quality of care and outcomes

for a specific issue in a target population.

• Why will your proposed policy (from Assessment 2) be vital in improving the quality of care and outcomes related to your chosen issue and target population?

Expanding on your policy in NURS 6026 will enhance interdisciplinary collaboration.

o Howwillyourproposedpolicyhelpdriveimprovements?

What evidence or best-practices supports this? How does the evidence provide support?

Advocate for policy development in other care settings with regard to a specific issue in a target population negatively impacted by health inequity.

• Why is it important that policy development focused on your chosen issue and target population take place in care environments and settings beyond that for which you proposed the policy?

In NURS 6026, advocating for broader policy development is essential for systemic change.

o Howwillwiderdevelopmentofpolicieshelptodriveimprovementsrelatedtoyour chosen issue and target population?

o Ideally,whatistheendresultofwiderpolicydevelopmentandimplementation?

Analyze the ways in which an interdisciplinary team strategizes to develop a policy that supports efficient and effective achievement of desired outcomes for the target population.

• What are the relevant interdisciplinary aspects of your policy? o Howwilltheseinterdisciplinaryaspectssupportefficientachievementofyourdesired

outcomes for your target population?

o Howwilltheseinterdisciplinaryaspectssupporteffectiveachievementofyour desired outcomes for your target population?

Communicate in a professional and persuasive manner, writing content clearly and logically with correct use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Your communication skills will be honed in NURS 6026 to ensure persuasive writing.

· Is your writing clear and professional?

· Is your writing free from errors?

· Is your writing persuasive?

· Does your submission conform to the format and length requirements of your chosen journal?

Integrate relevant sources to support assertions, correctly formatting citations and references.

In NURS 6026, you will learn to integrate sources effectively in your writing.

· Did you use 3–5 sources (or the number required by your chosen journal) in your assessment?

o Arethesourcesyouusednomorethanfiveyearsold?

· Are your sources cited in APA format (or the journal’s preferred style) throughout your

letter?

· Have you included an attached reference list?

· Did you follow the formatting guidelines of your chosen journal?

Note: Each assessment in this course builds on the work you completed in the previous assessment. Therefore, you must complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.

NURS 6026 emphasizes the continuous nature of learning in policy advocacy.

Advocating for new policies is an important aspect of the master’s-prepared nurse. For new policies to be compelling, they need to be supported by evidence. Supporting data can be used to illustrate why new policies and interventions are needed to help address a specific health issue. Compelling data can help sway the stakeholders and gain support for your policy.

Data in NURS 6026 will be pivotal in forming effective health policies.

Another aspect of advocacy is disseminating new policies and interventions outside of the immediate care environment. This can be done by reaching out to professional organizations as well as academic and professional journals. A letter to the editor is one strategy for disseminating information to a wider audience and to potentially enlist support throughout the wider professional community.

Dissemination strategies will be a key focus in NURS 6026 for wider impact.

Professional Context

Nurses have the opportunity to use their skills and develop programs to keep individuals and communities healthy. Health is complex, however, and the nurse needs to possess strong advocacy skills to successfully support a cause or interest. The American Nurses Association’s (2015) code of ethics describes the responsibility of a nurse to include working through and with appropriate stakeholders to advocate for the health of people in and out of the work environment. To be an effective advocate, there are several important abilities a nurse must possess, including problem-solving, communication, and influencing others. One way a nurse can advocate to a broader population is through effective letter writing, both to legislators and through the media, such as with editorials and research articles.

NURS 6026 prepares you to use advocacy skills in various healthcare settings.

Scenario

Throughout this course, you have focused on a specific health issue occurring within a specific population negatively impacted by health inequity. You researched position papers regarding this health concern, and you developed a health policy proposal to positively impact the health of the affected individuals. It is now time to reach a greater audience regarding your policy proposal.

Your journey in NURS 6026 will culminate in impactful advocacy efforts.

You are going to write a letter to the editor of a peer-reviewed nursing journal. Use the  Nursing Master’s Program (MSN) Library Guide  to select a journal, and go to the journal’s website to find out the requirements for submitting an editorial, such as format requirements, topics, and word counts. Make sure you select a nursing journal that covers the topic about which you are going to write. If you want to use another journal that is not on this list, please make sure the journal does address healthcare, because this is the purpose of the assessment.

Writing for NURS 6026 will enhance your ability to influence public health discussions.

Evidence Based Practice Prep Assignment

Evidence Based Practice Prep Assignment: Step 1

Purpose:

To gain skills in research. To determine EBP paper topic and receive instructor feedback as to whether or not topic is reasonable and acceptable for formal EBP paper.

Evidence Based Practice Assignment Overview:

The concept of Evidence Based Practice is fundamental in enhancing patient outcomes in healthcare settings.

1. Choose a nursing intervention commonly used in nursing practice.  Use your clinical time to identify an intervention that you have seen that may not be supported by current evidence or that is not consistently followed. A suggestion might be to explore interventions listed in Nurse’s Pocket Guide in Nursing Central. There is also a resource in D2L of some possible EBP topics.

Understanding Evidence Based Practice is crucial for nursing professionals to ensure that interventions are validated by research.

· Example: The issue of testing pH of gastric contents for confirmation of NG placement is well researched and the problems of auscultation for insufflation of air are well documented, yet the practice continues, why?  Is the practice based on research, if not, why does it continue?

Evaluating the Evidence Based Practice in different scenarios can shed light on the effectiveness of certain interventions.

· You will be doing research to determine what literature says SHOULD be done and if it’s not being done, analyze why it is not being done.

Research in Evidence Based Practice will help you understand the importance of adhering to researched guidelines and protocols.

· List your topic here: The effectiveness of peer support in improving diabetes self-management

Choosing a topic related to Evidence Based Practice allows for a focused exploration of critical issues in nursing.

· Find and analyze one scholarly, research-based article that supports or challenges the use of this intervention and find and analyze one scholarly, research-based article that identifies a new evidence-based intervention to address the issue. (Minimum of 2 articles total)

Finding articles that pertain to Evidence Based Practice is essential for a robust analysis of your chosen intervention.

Article #1:

Article #2:

2. What key words did you use in the search bar?

3. How many results came up during your initial search?

4. How did you change/refine your initial search to get the information you needed?

5. Is your topic too narrow or too broad? How will you expand or limit your scope in order to complete the requirements of the paper?

6. Obtain approval of topic by instructor via D2L PRIOR to beginning project.

7. If the topic is not approved, work with instructor to refine and approve topic to begin paper.

Evidence Based Practice Project Step 2:

This step builds on the foundation of Evidence Based Practice, emphasizing the need for ongoing research.

(Outcome Assignment – must achieve minimum of 80%)

Evidence based practice step 2 Assignment Overview: 

1. Choose a nursing intervention commonly used in nursing practice.  A suggestion might be to explore interventions listed in Nurse’s Pocket Guide in Nursing Central.

2. Find and analyze scholarly, research-based articles that support or challenge the use of this intervention and identify a new evidence-based intervention to address the issue.

Identifying effective Evidence Based Practice can lead to significant advancements in patient care.

3. Based on this literature review, present a case for continuing or discontinuing this intervention in current nursing practice.  Arguments for and against each intervention should have sound rationale supported by the research literature.

Objectives: Students will: 1. Successfully utilize resources to locate at least five scholarly, peer-reviewed articles. 2. Review and critically evaluate research literature located on NTC library search site or other valid creditable research websites (i.e. CDC, MDH, etc.). 4. Compile & analyze project information demonstrating how evidence-based practice literature informs best practice.

One of the objectives is to demonstrate how Evidence Based Practice can be implemented in real-world scenarios.

5. Present findings from project to group of peers during post-clinical conference via PowerPoint presentation

6. Accurately evaluate self as a presenter.

Evaluating your findings through the lens of Evidence Based Practice will enhance your credibility as a presenter.

 Project Guidelines (Spirit of Inquiry)

Each learner will formally present their EBP topic and findings to the clinical group in a 15–20-minute presentation during post-clinical conference of your clinical week/weekend on the designated assignment due date provided by clinical faculty.

You will create a PowerPoint of your findings to present to your peers. Professional PowerPoint presentations should include the following slides:

· Title Page – topic/title, presenter, class, date/semester – why you chose your topic

· A slide for each section listed below (6 minimum) – you MUST cite on slides any information that is not your own

· References

· That is a minimum of 9 quality slides that MUST be included in your presentation.

Section I- Introduction:   Briefly introduce the topic and clearly define the purposes and direction for choosing this topic.  State the nature of the problem, supported by statistics, and introduce the intervention(s) (both old and new) being evaluated. Statistics should come from one of your scholarly articles and be cited on your slide.

Integrating Evidence Based Practice into your topic introduction is crucial for contextualizing your research.

Section II- History of Nursing Practice: 

Begin by briefly discussing the nature of the problem the intervention addresses. Describe the current nursing intervention then discuss the roots and history of the practice and/or previous research. Introduce a new intervention or practice emerging to address the identified problem. At least one of your scholarly articles should be supporting this information and be cited here.

Historical context regarding Evidence Based Practice can provide insight into its development over time.

Section III- Review of Literature Examining the Intervention:   Analyze current research that discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the current nursing intervention. Analyze current research that discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the emerging (new) intervention or practice. Your analysis should consider whether literature supports continuing or discontinuing the current practice or the emerging practice. Support your analysis by referencing the literature.  In reporting the findings include statistical information.  You should be discussing at minimum two research articles in this section outlining the findings of each and citing them here.

The review of literature should heavily focus on how Evidence Based Practice impacts clinical outcomes.

· In this section you should have a different slide for each article you review (i.e. if you have 2 journal articles you should have 2 separate slides; if you have 3 journal articles you should have 3 different slides)

· Make sure you tell your audience the name of the article and what journal you are pulling your reference from.

Section IV – Take a Stand

When taking a stand, consider how your position aligns with the principles of Evidence Based Practice.

After analyzing the research on both positions, choose EITHER to continue or discontinue the current practice based on your finding from the journals that you reviewed. Support this position with rationale from the research, must be cited.  Section V- Discuss Barriers & Give Recommendations:

Identify barriers that may challenge implementation of the emerging Evidence Based Practice intervention.  Provide at least two recommendations for overcoming the potential barriers. This is your chance to use your knowledge of health care systems and be creative on how to potentially overcome barriers that you identify.

Understanding barriers to Evidence Based Practice implementation is critical for future success.

 Section VI- Conclusion: 

Summarize and conclude your project.  Use the conclusion to tie the project together.  Your conclusion should address the issues raised in your introductory paragraph. Conclusion should parallel the introduction and briefly summarize what was presented in the body of the project. Overall Professional Style and Use of APA Format: This project should reflect the beginner level use of APA format.  Professional style of writing includes correct grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, neatness, and clarity.

Your conclusion should tie back to the overarching theme of Evidence Based Practice discussed throughout the project.

· PowerPoint slides do not need to include full sentences if bullet points are used.

· Use of the notes section in PowerPoint is encouraged.

· The tone should be professional, without casual language.

· The project MUST include a title and reference page.

· A minimum of 5 scholarly journals, 4 within the past 5 years, must be cited.

A Basic PowerPoint Template has been included in D2L for those students who need a starting point.

See next page for presentation instructions:

The Presentation (Professionalism)

1. Prior to the start of the presentation, the learner will distribute the presentation evaluation forms to those in attendance. (D2L> ADNG 2100>Material >Content>Table of Contents >Assignments>Evidence-Based Practice Project & Presentation> STEP 2>EBP Presentation Peer Evaluation). It is the student’s responsibility to be prepared and have evaluations ready to distribute. Faculty having to print/distribute will result in points being lost.

2. Present your PowerPoint to your peers by explaining each section in a 15–20-minute presentation.

3. Present material in a composed, professional manner. This is considered to be a formal presentation.

4. State how you determined your topic area and the relevance of the topic to nursing practice.

5. Present all required elements of the project: history, analysis of practice supported by research, discussion of barriers, potential solutions for overcoming barriers, and a summary to conclude the presentation.

6. Draw conclusions and make your practice recommendation clear to the audience using your PowerPoint. Share with the group your recommendation to change or continue current nursing practice in your topic area as a result of your research process.

Make sure you do STEP 3 following your presentation to peers.

Evidence Based Practice Project Step 3 :Evaluation

Evaluating your presentation through the lens of Evidence Based Practice will yield valuable insights.

(Outcome Assignment – must achieve minimum of 80%)

Evaluation of the Presentation: (Spirit of Inquiry & Professional Identity)

Upon completion of the presentation, the learner will collect, and review completed evaluation forms (these evaluation forms do NOT need to be submitted).

DON’T FORGET THIS PART! – YOU’RE NOT DONE YET! – following the presentation :

Self-evaluation: (Answer the following questions USING THIS TEMPLATE and submit it in the appropriate D2L assignment folder.)

1. Discuss what you would change if you had the opportunity to do this assignment again.

2. Review data from the peer evaluations submitted by those in attendance and submit a summary of your presentation strengths and weaknesses based on the evaluations.

· Strengths:

· Weaknesses:

3. Conduct a self-evaluation of your skills as a presenter by reflecting on each evaluation criteria (refer to peer evaluation forms when reflecting on what the evaluation criteria are) and discussing strengths and opportunities for improvement.

· Strengths:

· Opportunities for improvement:

Instructor Evaluation:

Your clinical instructor will submit an evaluation of your presentation according to the presentation evaluation guidelines.  You will be evaluated on your skill as a presenter, your ability to meet the expectations of the presentation guidelines above, and the thoroughness and accuracy of your own self-evaluation.

Evidence Based Practice Prep Assignment Helpful Resources

• PubMed Database

• CINAHL Complete (via EBSCOhost)

• Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Appraisal Tool

• APA Style Guide (7th ed.)