Module 6 Assignment; Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement  Instructions If you talk about a possible poor health outcome, do you believe that outcome will occur? Do you believe eye contact and personal contact should be avoided?  You would have a difficult time practicing as a nurse if you believed these to be true. But they are very real beliefs in some cultures. Differences in cultural beliefs, subcultures, religion, ethnic customs, dietary customs, language, and ...

Module 5 Portfolio Assignment; Assessing a Healthcare Program-Policy Evaluation  Instructions   Program/policy evaluation is a valuable tool that can help strengthen the quality of programs/policies and improve outcomes for the populations they serve. Program/policy evaluation answers basic questions about program/policy effectiveness. It involves collecting and analyzing information about program/policy activities, characteristics, and outcomes. This information can be used to ultimately im...

(Week 9) Discussion with Responses; The Role of the RN-APRN in Policy Evaluation  Instructions   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 patie...

Module 4 Assignment; Advocating for the Nursing Role in Program Design and Implementation Instructions   As their names imply, the honeyguide bird and the honey badger both share an affinity for honey. Honeyguide birds specialize in finding beehives but struggle to access the honey within. Honey badgers are well-equipped to raid beehives but cannot always find them. However, these two honey-loving species have learned to collaborate on an effective means to meet their objectives. The honeygu...

Module 4 (Week 8) Discussion; The Role of the RN-APRN in Policymaking  Instructions Word cloud generators have become popular tools for meetings and team-building events. Groups or teams are asked to use these applications to input words they feel best describe their team or their role. A “word cloud” is generated by the application that makes prominent the most-used terms, offering an image of the common thinking among participants of that role. What types of words would you use to build a...

Module 4 (Week 7) Discussion; Evidence Base in Design Instructions   When politics and medical science intersect, there can be much debate. Sometimes anecdotes or hearsay are misused as evidence to support a particular point. Despite these and other challenges, however, evidence-based approaches are increasingly used to inform health policy decision-making regarding causes of disease, intervention strategies, and issues impacting society. One example is the introduction of childhood vaccinat...

Module 3 Assignment; Regulation for Nursing Practice Staff Development Meeting Instructions   Nursing is a very highly regulated profession. There are over 100 boards of nursing and national nursing associations throughout the United States and its territories. Their existence helps regulate, inform, and promote the nursing profession. With such numbers, it can be difficult to distinguish between BONs and nursing associations, and overwhelming to consider various benefits and options offered...

Module 3 (Week 5) Discussion; Professional Nursing and State-level Regulations Instructions   Boards of Nursing (BONs) exist in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. Similar entities may also exist for different regions. The mission of BONs is the protection of the public through the regulation of nursing practice. BONs put into practice state/region regulations for nurses that, among other things, lay out the req...

Module 2 Assignment; Legislation Comparison Grid and Testimony-Advocacy Statement  Instructions   As a nurse, how often have you thought to yourself, If I had anything to do about it, things would work a little differently? Increasingly, nurses are beginning to realize that they do, in fact, have a role and a voice. Many nurses encounter daily experiences that motivate them to take on an advocacy role in hopes of impacting policies, laws, or regulations that impact healthcare issues of inte...

Module 2 (Week 3) Discussion; Politics and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act  Instructions  Regardless of political affiliation, individuals often grow concerned when considering perceived competing interests of government and their impact on topics of interest to them. The realm of healthcare is no different. Some people feel that local, state, and federal policies and legislation can be either helped or hindered by interests other than the benefit to society. Consider for ex...