The Role of RN/APRN in Policy Evaluation
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The Role of RN/APRN in Policy Evaluation
Nurses’ involvement in policy advocacy influences processes and practice standards to guarantee the public’s quality of care and well-being. Before certification of health policies, so much evaluation is conducted during and after the formulation and implementation process. However, caregivers must analyze and evaluate proposed policies to ensure they uphold evidence-based criteria and are viable in a real situation; it assures relevance and effectiveness of policies (Moule et al., 2017). Some guidelines can be lacking or not updated with current research, or otherwise complex to implement based on the organization’s challenges. Based on their numbers, knowledge, and hands-on experiences with patients, nurses play a crucial part in policy development and are the best change agents in improving health care. This paper aims to elaborate on the opportunities available for APRNs and RNs to participate in the policy review.
The Role of RN/APRN in Policy Evaluation
One of the areas in which nurses can participate in policy review is joining professional and specialty nursing organizations. They have the required resource to influence and shape policies. The groups have likeminded people, and with the allied force, it is easier to develop and approve processes and procedures that are evidence-based (Williams, Phillips & Koyama, 2018). The groups provide a platform for nurses to share their opinions, research, position papers and address legislative officials to improve care. Joining vocal groups such as ANA, National League for Nursing, and the American Association of the colleges of Nursing provides room to develop connections and influence or approve critical policies and practices in health care after thorough assessment through research (Williams, Phillips & Koyama, 2018). Most professional organizations have experienced personnel and resources to support evidence-based research that influences care decisions. Joining a professional organization magnifies the advantage of controlling and approving policies since they represent nurses’ voices as a collective.
The other method of capitalizing on opportunities to get involved in policy review is by investigating health policy agendas that local, state, and national legislators have in their manifestos for terms in office. With medical knowledge and skills, nurses can prepare fact sheets and reports that support, amend or reject a given policy (Thornton & Persaud, 2018). Most legislators have good health policies only that some lack support or knowledge on the health sector’s workings, which is where nurses can help adjust. APRNs and RNs can volunteer or seek appointments to political boards and non-nursing boards that cater to social determinants of health such as food security, housing, insurance, transport, and such (Thornton & Persaud, 2018). Their professional perspectives would significantly streamline the planned policies.
The other way APRNs and RNs can participate in policy evaluation is by understanding their respective clinical settings’ workings, especially in boards that influence policy enactment and implementation. Nurses in clinical settings are resourceful based on their daily experiences and contribution to data collection that address health needs. Nurses should contact professionals who participate in policy development, volunteer to partake in policy meetings and evaluate the proposed policies in every step of implementation while reporting to the relevant team for professional evaluation and adjustment (Tomaschewski-Barlem et al., 2017). Influencing policies at the clinical level save on resources, improves patient health outcomes, and leads to job satisfaction among colleagues.
In real life situation, the opportunities proposed above are not always as smooth as said but are met with various challenges. For example, while nurses may love to get involved in policy evaluation in professional organizations, the steps and requirements for joining or participating in such groups are lengthy and tedious, which discourages most nurses. Nurses are a resourceful lot who may provide insight into most policies; hence the leaders of professional organizations should review the process of joining and accessing a platform to air personal ideas simpler to encourage progress.
Joining legislative boards in local, state, and federal government is also an uphill task for nurses considering they are the avenues where decisions impacting the health sector are made. To overcome such, nurses need to leverage their knowledge, skills, and communication skills to create rapport with political leaders, present factual statistics, offer solutions, and, most importantly, show the political leader how such changes can extend their political mileage (Ryan & Rosenberg, 2015). Engaging in politics can be a muddy road for most nurses and time-consuming, thus avoiding confronting politicians on health matters. However, nurses need to face such perspectives and find time to engage in policy review to improve care outcomes.
In the clinical setting, nurses may face opposition from leaders to engage in policy review, especially if their research leads to resource consumption, is perceived as complex and takes time. People are resistant to change, and some nurses are not an exception. Nurses can overcome such challenges by educating colleagues and convincing them of the importance of evaluating policies. According to Tomaschewski-Barlem et al. (2017), the elder and experienced nurse leaders in clinical settings and nursing organizations should avoid viewing fellow nurses as competitors but should instead support improving the nursing profession and health outcomes.
Advocacy is a crucial aspect of nursing, and opportunities to advance nursing through policy evaluation should be available to as many nurses as possible. Nursing organizations have thousands of nurses and can be best used to educate, train, and offer nurses platforms to participate in policy evaluation. Nursing organizations have resources to reach all their members through electronic media and publications. The other method of getting even nurses that are not in nursing organizations is by encouraging health care institutions to offer education on the importance of involving nurses in policy development and provide supportive avenues for such (Tomaschewski-Barlem et al., 2017). Advocacy issues need to be incorporated into nursing courses to improve their skills and understand maneuvering through decision-making boards.
References
Moule, P., Armoogum, J., Douglass, E., & Taylor, D. (2017). Evaluation and its importance for nursing practice. Nursing Standard, 31(35), 55-63. doi: 10.7748/ns.2017.e10782
Ryan, S. F., & Rosenberg, S. (2015). Nurse practitioners and political engagement: Findings from a nurse practitioner advanced practice focus group & national online survey. American Nurse Practitioner. http://anp-foundation. org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/04/Nurse_Practitioners_and_Political_Engagement_Report. pdf.
Thornton, M., & Persaud, S. (2018). Preparing today’s nurses: Social determinants of health and nursing education. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(3).
Tomaschewski-Barlem, J. G., Lunardi, V. L., Barlem, E. L. D., Silveira, R. S., Ramos, A. M., & Piexak, D. R. (2017). Patient advocacy in nursing: Barriers, facilitators and potential implications. Texto Contexto-Enfermagem, 26(3), e0100014.
Williams, S. D., Phillips, J. M., & Koyama, K. (2018). Nurse advocacy: Adopting a health in all policies approach. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(3).
The Role of RN/APRN in Policy Evaluation
Question
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.
By Day 3 of Week 9
Post an explanation of at least two opportunities that currently exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy review. Explain some of the challenges that these opportunities may present and describe how you might overcome these challenges. Finally, recommend two strategies you might make to better advocate for or communicate the existence of these opportunities. Be specific and provide examples.
The Role of RN/APRN in Policy Evaluation