Assignment Description:
Population Health Advocacy
Human trafficking, extreme poverty, preventable diseases, the opioid crisis and the lack of adequate low-income housing are a few current societal concerns worthy of social change. Nurses and healthcare leaders are in a good position to shape and influence health care policy.
Think of a cause you believe in strongly. Access the website of your elected officials either at the local, state, or federal level using the following link: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/ or use the website of your choice. Explore some of the issues and committees your legislators are involved in and select at least one that interest you or align with your beliefs. You may also contact your legislator’s office and speak to his or her legislative assistant by calling the U.S. Capitol switchboard operator at (202) 224-3121 for the Senate and (202) 225-3121 for the House. Legislator assistants are very knowledgeable about the legislator’s agenda and can provide a wealth of information.
This assignment will be at least 1500 words or more. This week reflect on advocacy, collaborative partnerships with other health care practitioners and stakeholders, and the policy making process and write a paper that addresses the following:
- Describe the policy issue, policy problem of interest or a particular bill that your legislator has introduced
- Elaborate on why the policy matters and what you can possibly do to strengthen the policy?
- Briefly define the role you would play as an advocate for the healthcare consumer and healthcare professionals.
- Explain how the policy impacts the public at large or a particular population.
- What stakeholders would you collaborate with to promote the cause?
Solution
Population Health Advocacy
Besides providing care, nurses are advocates of policies, programs, and initiatives aimed at improving population health outcomes. Nurses understand better the social health determinants that influence population health and thus, are better placed to influence policy change via advocacy with elected officials at local, state, and federal levels (Williams et al., 2018). This paper will discuss a policy issue introduced by one of the New Jersey legislators, why the policy matters and how the nurse can strengthen it, the nurses’ role as an advocate of healthcare consumers and providers, the impact of the policy on the public, and stakeholders to collaborate with in promoting the cause.
Policy Issue and Particular Bill Introduced
The policy issue identified is homelessness, a major societal issue that contributes to health disparities and inequities. According to Stasha (2022), 17 in 10,000 persons in the United States (U.S.) experience homelessness per day, and about 552,830 (0.2% of the total population) Americans are homeless. Homelessness is associated with higher rates of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis, asthma, and HIV/AIDS. It is also a key contributor to premature mortality, with the homeless dying on average 12 years earlier than the general population (Feldman et al., 2020). Further, homeless people are exposed to more health risks such as exposure to harmful weather conditions, communicable diseases, drug use, malnutrition, and drug use, all of that contribute to mental and emotional stressors and ultimately, higher rates of mental illnesses (Rolfe et al., 2020)….. Click below to purchase full solution