NSG 600 Module I Discussion 2 Wilkes University

Discussion Question

Advanced practice nurses play a crucial role in the promotion of health of the diverse populations. Often, they participate in policy-related issues to ensure the adoption of interventions that address the actual and potential needs of their populations. In doing this, they rely on evidence from studies to make informed decisions on the need for different policies in healthcare. Therefore, this discussion focuses on the importance of using epidemiological studies to support policies at the local, national, or global level and benefits to population health.

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Epidemiological studies examine the causes, patterns, and effects of a health problem (s) in a population. It is important to use epidemiological studies in developing policies at any level because they ensure objectiveness of the adopted policies. The policymakers can easily quantify the severity of an issue in the population and prioritize the needed intervention for population health. Epidemiological studies also promote informed decision-making in policymaking (Feigin et al., 2020). Accordingly, the results and processes utilized in these studies enable policymakers to determine the potential needs of a policy needed to address population issues.

Epidemiological studies also help in determining the effectiveness of given interventions in policymaking. Policymakers utilize the evidence from the studies to develop benchmarks and health outcomes that must be met following the adoption of a policy. The different designs of epidemiological studies can also be used to test, implement, monitor, evaluate, and scale up public health policies and programs. Epidemiological studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of different policies in health. The evaluation helps the policymakers to determine the efficacy of the different policy interventions in improving the health of those in need (Breilh, 2021; Tulchinsky et al., 2023). Therefore, the benefits of epidemiological studies to population health include guiding the implementation of population-centered interventions, appropriateness, and efficiency in the different policy initiatives in health.

In summary, epidemiological studies are beneficial to policy issues at local, national, and global scale. They ensure efficiency, appropriateness, and objectivity in policy-related issues such as policymaking. Nurses should be proactively involved in translating epidemiological evidence into policies. The benefits to the population health includes the adoption of population-centered initiatives.

References

Breilh, J. (2021). Critical Epidemiology and the People’s Health. Oxford University Press.

Feigin, V. L., Vos, T., Nichols, E., Owolabi, M. O., Carroll, W. M., Dichgans, M., Deuschl, G., Parmar, P., Brainin, M., & Murray, C. (2020). The global burden of neurological disorders: Translating evidence into policy. The Lancet Neurology, 19(3), 255–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(19)30411-9

Tulchinsky, T. H., Varavikova, E. A., & Cohen, M. J. (2023). The New Public Health. Elsevier.

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After watching the video on “Health in All Policies”, consider how your area of practice has been influenced by broader policies outside of healthcare or could be impacted by new policies. Share an example with us.

In responding to your classmates, share how the policies they share might relate to other health issues.

Post your initial response by Wednesday at 11:59 PM EST. Respond to two students by Saturday at 11:59 PM EST. The initial discussion post and discussion responses occur on three different calendar days of each electronic week. All responses should be a minimum of 300 words, scholarly written, APA formatted (with some exceptions due to limitations in the D2L editor), and referenced.  A minimum of 2 references are required (other than the course textbook). These are not the complete guidelines for participating in discussions. Please refer to the Grading Rubric for Online Discussion found in the Course Resources module.

Module X: EPIDEMIOLOGY AND hEALTH POLICY

Introduction

Epidemiologic approaches can inform public policy and program decisions.

Objectives

Upon completion of this module the student will be able to:

• Discuss the relationship of epidemiological and population health research to health priorities and public policy
• Evaluate the impact of policy on population health and related behaviors.
• Identify the range of factors that shape health care quality, costs, and access.

What is a policy and why learn about it?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “Policy is defined as a law, regulation, procedure, administrative action, incentive, or voluntary practice of governments and other institutions.” (CDC policy process, 2022). Public health policy affects everything from the type of care that nurses provide to the way nurses provide that care. In The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health report (Institute of Medicine [IOM],2011), nurses are called upon to improve health, and healthcare systems, for our population. The DNP Essentials (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2006) identified the need for DNP-prepared nurses to understand how healthcare policy is developed and how it impacts the care we provide to our patients and communities. With this knowledge, DNP-prepared nurses can act as leaders in the development and implementation of healthcare policy including financing, regulations, quality improvement, and assuring equitable access to care (Zaccagnini & Pechacek, 2021).

CDC policy analysis  https://www.cdc.gov/policy/analysis/process/index.html

How DNP-prepared nurses can get involved

Nurses have not generally been involved in much policy planning but there is precedent. Florence Nightingale effected changes in practice around sanitation and infection control when she provided evidence of the benefits of these care practices. Lillian Wald and the early home health nurses contributed to public policies and care for the poor. The expansion of nursing into advanced practice resulted from advocacy by nurses to support advanced practice nurses (APNs) through legislation. Our professional nurse organizations continue to act as advocates for nursing practice and healthcare.

Advanced Practice Nurses can influence the development of legislation and the allocation of resources in a variety of ways. Some of these include (Zaccagnini and Pechacek, chapter 3):

• Write policy briefs to inform legislators and other stakeholders. See Box 5-1 for what you should know about writing a policy brief.
• Understand the steps needed for a bill to become a law to support advocacy. See Figure 5-1.
  • 
• Serve as content experts for committees and offer testimony to advocate for the nursing profession, patients, and communities.
• Provide ongoing financial support and participation with our professional organizations as they lobby representatives
• Participate in epidemiologic and other research to develop the evidence needed to support changes in policy and practice to best meet population needs.
  • Anticipate trends and design studies to answer the early questions of who, what, where, when, and why of health issues.
  • Take part in clinical systems research focused on access to care.
• Personally reach out to your local representatives in government to share the needs you have identified and the evidence from research.
• Serve on your state Board of Nursing or other healthcare-related Boards.
• New laws and policies often have a public comment period when the draft is completed. DNP-prepared nurses can provide useful feedback. For an example, see:
  • Opportunity for Public Comment | United States Preventive Services Taskforce (uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org)
  • Effective Health Care (EHC) Program (ahrq.gov)

Additional considerations

Another aspect of public policy is balancing cost-effectiveness with quality care. Here is a short video about conducting a cost-benefit analysis. Health Economic Evaluation – simplified! – Bing video

Healthy communities require planning and collaboration between multiple organizations. See this short video from the American Public Health Association about collaboration in creating healthier communities:

What does “health in all policies” mean? Episode 9 of “That’s Public Health” – Bing video

Readings

• Read chapter 3, Healthcare Policy for Advocacy in Healthcare in  The Doctor of Nursing Practice Essentials | R2 Digital Library (oclc.org)
• Health Impact in 5 Years | Health System Transformation | AD for Policy | CDC

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Discussions

Module X
Discussion	Explain why you feel it is important to use epidemiological studies to support policy development at the local, national, or global level. How does this benefit population health? When you respond to your classmates, offer other reasons why epidemiologic studies support policy work and how we, as DNP-prepared nurses, can use this knowledge to improve the health of our communities. Module X : Discussion 1
Discussion 2	After watching the video on “Health in All Policies”, consider how your area of practice has been influenced by broader policies outside of healthcare or could be impacted by new policies. Share an example with us. In responding to your classmates, share how the policies they share might relate to other health issues. Module X: Discussion 2
	Post your initial response by Wednesday at 11:59 PM EST. Respond to two students by Saturday at 11:59 PM EST. The initial discussion post and discussion responses occur on three different calendar days of each electronic week. All responses should be a minimum of 300 words, scholarly written, APA formatted (with some exceptions due to limitations in the D2L editor), and referenced.  A minimum of 2 references are required (other than the course textbook). These are not the complete guidelines for participating in discussions. Please refer to the Grading Rubric for Online Discussion found in the Course Resources module. Special Guidance on APA formatting in Discussion Posts APA formatting is required in discussion posts with the following two exceptions (due to limitations with the text editor in LIVE):  double line space and indent 1/2 inch from the left margin. Discussion posts will NOT be evaluated on those two formatting requirements. All other APA formatting guidelines should be followed. For example, in-text citations must be formatted with the appropriate information and in the correct sequence (Author, year), reference list entries must include all appropriate information following  guidelines for capitalization, italics, and be in the correct sequence. Refer to the APA Publication Manual 7th ed. for each source type’s specific requirements. Please let your instructor know if you have any questions.

 

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