reading
As our communities continue to grow and become more diverse, nurses have a particular responsibility in being culturally aware and practicing in an ethically sound manner. As we have discussed, there are many factors to consider when assessing a community's diversity that can assist us in identifying disparities. Being able to effectively communicate and collaborate with other professionals is a key way we can improve the outcomes of those we care for.
This lesson also examined several system wide factors that affect healthcare. Health systems, health policy, and economics are just a few of the influences on the health of a population. Community health nurses must be knowledgeable about current health policy such as the Affordable Care Act.
Ethics will continue to be an integral part of nursing practice. For the community health nurse that means assessing individuals, populations, and aggregates with regard to human dignity and rights. Patients and aggregates must be treated fairly regardless of economic or social status, individual characteristics, or health status (Nies & McEwen, 2019).
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN XXXXXXXXXX).Public health: Recommended baccalaureate competencies and curricular guidelines for public health nursing. Retrieved from http://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/Population%20Health/BSN-Curriculum-Guide.pdf
American Nurses Association (ANA XXXXXXXXXX).Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements.Retrieved from http://nursingworld.org/DocumentVault/Ethics-1/Code-of-Ethics-for-Nurses.html
HealthCare.gov. (2018).Home. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/
Nies, M.A., & McEwen, M. (2019).Community/public health nursing: Promoting the health of populations(7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders/Elsevier.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2011).2010 census shows America's diversity.Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb11-cn125.html
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: National Partnership for Action [NPA]. (2017).NPA updates.Retrieved from https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/npa/templates/content.aspx?lvl=1&lvlid=39&ID=348
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. HHS XXXXXXXXXX).Healthy People 2020: Disparities. Retrieved https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/foundation-health-measures/Disparities
Purpose
This week's graded topics relate to the following Course Outcomes (COs).
- CO 4: Evaluate the delivery of care for individuals, families, aggregates, and communities based on theories and principles of nursing and related disciplines. (PO 1)
- CO 7: Apply professional nursing standards and ethical principles to provide spiritually and culturally appropriate care. (PO 6)
- CO 8: Demonstrate effective communication strategies and teamwork in managing the healthcare of individuals, families, aggregates, and communities. (PO 3)
The Assignment
Locate a news article or story related to a current event in healthcare policy. Some examples may be, but are not limited to healthcare reform, the Affordable Care Act, prescription drugs, healthcare costs, insurance coverage, healthcare fraud, transparency, or underinsured populations.
- Provide a brief overview of the article, and include the URL link.
- As a healthcare professional, has this raised any ethical questions or concerns for you?
- How can a community health nurse (CHN) be involved as a change agent for related healthcare policies?
Week 7 Objectives:
- Evaluate the impact of the Affordable Care Act on access to and delivery of care in communities across the U.S.
- Assess the impact of health legislation such as the Affordable Care Act on health and welfare practices.
- Use ethical principles to advocate for diverse groups in developing, implementing, and evaluating programs that affect the health of a community.
- Propose a collaborative intervention using community partnerships aimed at promoting health at the community level.
The focus this week is on health care policy and current events that are occurring with healthcare policy. News articles may be searched online or in newspapers or magazines.
- What topics of health care policy are you most interested in?
- What can you, as a healthcare practitioner, do about the concerns?
- How has health care policy impacted your current nursing job role?
- The ANA is a good website to review regarding health care policy and its impact on professional nursing practice.