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Advocacy Through Legislation

  • Post category:Nursing
  • Reading time:15 mins read

Assessment Description
Nurses often become motivated to change aspects within the larger health care system based on their real-world experience. As such, many nurses take on an advocacy role to influence a change in regulations, policies, and laws that govern the larger health care system.

For this assignment, identify a problem or concern in your state, community, or organization that has the capacity for advocacy through legislation. Research the issue and use the \”Advocacy Through Legislation\” template to complete this assignment.

You are required to cite a minimum of three sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years, appropriate for the assignment criteria, and relevant to nursing practice.

While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Attachments
NRS-440VN-RS4-AdvocacyThroughLegislation.docx

PLEASE, FIND BELOW THE CONTENT OF THIS ATTACHMNMENT, THAT IS, \”THE ADVOCACY THROUGH LEGISLATION GUIDELINE WITH WHICH TO USE AND COMPLETER THIS ASSIGNMENT. THIS MEANS THAT THIS ASSIGNMENT IS GOING TO BE COMPLETED INSIDE THIS TEPLATE. THIS IS NOT A REGULAR ESSAY KIND OF ASSIGNMENT. THANKS!

Advocacy Through Legislation
Identify a problem or concern in your state, community, or organization that has the capacity to be advocated through legislation. Research the issue and complete the sections below. For each topic that requires the listing of criteria, a minimum of two criteria should be identified and discussed. Add more rows as is appropriate for the topic/proposal.

Problem
In no more than 250 words, describe the problem, who is affected, and the current ramifications. Explain the consequences if the issue continues.

Idea for Addressing Solution
In no more than 250 words, outline your idea for addressing the issue and explain why legislation is the best course for advocacy.

Research the Issue
Perform research and compile information for your idea. Present substantive evidence-based findings that support your idea for addressing the problem (studies, research, and reports). Include any similar legislation introduced or passed in other states.
Evidence 1
Evidence 2

Stakeholder Support
Discuss the stakeholders who would support the proposed idea and explain why they would be in support.
Stakeholder(s) Supporting 1
Stakeholder(s) Supporting 2

Stakeholder Opposition
Discuss the stakeholders who would oppose the proposed idea. Explain why they would be in opposition and how you would prepare to debate or converse about these considerations.
Stakeholder(s) Opposed 1
Stakeholder(s) Opposed 2

Financial Incentives/Costs
In no more than 250 words, summarize the financial impact for the issue and the idea (added costs, cost savings, increased revenue, etc.). Provided support.

Legislature: Information Needed and Process for Proposal
Discuss the how to advocate for your proposal using legislation. Include the following:
Provide the name and complete contact information for the legislator.
Describe the steps for how you would present this to your legislator.
Outline the process if your legislator chooses to introduce your idea as a bill to congress.
Christian Principles and Nursing Advocacy
In no more than 250 words, discuss how principles of a Christian worldview lend support to legislative advocacy in health care without bias. Be specific as to how these principles help advocate for inclusiveness and positive health outcomes for all populations, including those more vulnerable, without regard to gender, sexual orientation, culture, race, religion/belief, etc.

Advocacy Through Legislation

Identify a problem or concern in your state, community, or organization that has the capacity to be advocated through legislation. Research the issue and complete the sections below. For each topic that requires the listing of criteria, a minimum of two criteria should be identified and discussed. Add more rows as is appropriate for the topic/proposal.

Problem

In no more than 250 words, describe the problem, who is affected, and the current ramifications. Explain the consequences if the issue continues.
The identified problem that is currently eating Texas State and requires immediate and critical attention is the nursing shortage. The State of Texas as a whole is experiencing a nursing shortage, hindering the process of health care delivery. According to TONL (2022), the latest data from the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies indicates that the demand for full-time registered nurses in the State of Texas has significantly increased from 2008. According to the organization, in 2008, the demand for full-time nurses exceeded the supply by 22,000. By 2020, the demand exceeded supply by over 50,000 (TONL, 2022). The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has also predicted that the entire country will need over 270,000 registered nurses and Texas alone will be shirt nearly 60,000 nurses by 2032 (TONL, 2022). Therefore, the nursing shortage in Texas State is no longer a secret.

The nursing shortage is a community health issue that affects the nurses, patients, as well as care facilities within the State of Texas. For nurses, nursing shortage leads to nursing burnout, workloads, and turnover. Also, nurses work long hours to meet patients’ needs (Mehdaova, 2017). Nurses may develop poor mental and physical health due to the harsh working conditions caused by the nursing shortage. Also, nurse shortages lead to low quality of care and poor patient outcomes. Also, patients tend to wait for long hours before getting treatment. Healthcare organizations are unable to achieve their objectives and patient satisfaction reduces due to nursing shortages (Mehdaova, 2017). Ramification includes low quality of patient care, high mortality rates, and negative patient experiences.
Idea for Addressing Solution

In no more than 250 words, outline your idea for addressing the issue and explain why legislation is the best course for advocacy.
To address the nursing shortage, proper policies should be enacted through legislation to ensure patient needs are met. The federal and state governments should enact and reinforce policies that can motivate nurses to enjoy their work and reduce turnover (Mehdaova, 2017). Also, such policies should encourage students to pursue nursing courses to reduce the nursing shortage. A good example is to compel nurses’ employers to improve the work environment to improve effective nursing care. Nurse turnover is one of the many factors contributing to the nursing shortage. If the working environment is improved, nurse turnout will reduce and the nursing shortage will be addressed to a significant extent (Nantsupawat et al., 2017). Nurses should be paid good salaries and allowances so that the profession can be more lucrative to attract more people to become nurses. Also, more nursing schools with the capacity to produce highly trained individuals are established. These issues can be addressed through legislation, which is considered the best option because it would help put in place tangible rules. Legislation is the most common and best way of creating policies, especially those touching important areas such as health care. Since the issue is not a small matter and it affects the lives of many Americans, it is appropriate to address it through legislation at the national level (Mehdaova, 2017). It is the responsibility of the State and Federal governments to protect their citizens regardless of their origin and background.
Research the Issue

Perform research and compile information for your idea. Present substantive evidence-based findings that support your idea for addressing the problem (studies, research, and reports). Include any similar legislation introduced or passed in other states.
Evidence 1 The first evidence is the “Effects of nurse work environment on job dissatisfaction, burnout, intention to leave”, published by Nantsupawat et al. (2017). The paper states that the nursing shortage is a critical issue in many countries across the world. The paper supports that high turnover rates due to job dissatisfaction contributes to the problem. The primary objective of the study was to investigate how the work environment affects job dissatisfaction, burnout, and intention to leave among nurses in Thailand (Nantsupawat et al., 2017). The researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey to collect data from a total of 1351 nurses practicing in 43 inpatient units in five university hospitals across the country. The results of the study showed that nurses working in university hospitals with better working conditions or environments have significantly less burnout, less job dissatisfaction, as well as less intention to leave work (Nantsupawat et al., 2017). The authors concluded that the nurse work environment is a critical feature contributing to nursing retention in hospitals. This paper supports the idea of addressing the solution as discussed in the previous section.
Evidence 2 The second evidence is “Strategies to overcome the nursing shortage” by Mehdaova (2017). This article too admits that the nursing shortage is a growing problem in the industry of healthcare. Hospitals are experiencing difficulties recruiting new nurses because many people tend to diminish the nursing profession (Mehdaova, 2017). Guided by the PESTEL framework theory, the purpose of this case study was to explore strategies healthcare leaders use to overcome a nursing shortage. The study participants included five healthcare leaders who have the experience and knowledge of recruitment and retention of nurses in one of the healthcare facilities in Seattle, Washington D.C. After an interview with the participants, the study results revealed five strategies to address nursing shortages (Mehdaova, 2017). These strategies include the development of communication programs, increased employee engagement, a positive work environment, promoting of nursing education, and improving health care systems through new policies and regulations (Mehdaova, 2017). This paper also supports the strategies discussed to address nurse shortages in the sections above.
   
Stakeholder Support

Discuss the stakeholders who would support the proposed idea and explain why they would be in support.
Stakeholder(s) Supporting 1 The proposed idea will face both acceptance and opposition. People expected to support the idea of addressing the nursing shortage include nurses. They will support the need for legislation to address the nursing shortage. Nurses will support it because they are direct beneficiaries of the idea (Mehdaova, 2017). All the proposed ideas are meant to improve the work environment and job satisfaction of nurses.

 

 

 
Stakeholder(s) Supporting 2 Learning institutions are among the stakeholders who would support the idea of addressing the nursing shortage. Earning institutions will support it because the idea will lead to more financial assistance to nursing colleges to support learning and continuing education (Nantsupawat et al., 2017). Supporting nursing education and training programs.
   
Stakeholder Opposition

Discuss the stakeholders who would oppose the proposed idea. Explain why they would be in opposition and how you would prepare to debate or converse about these considerations.
Stakeholder(s) Opposed 1  Physicians and other healthcare professionals may oppose the idea simply because they are not involved in the plan. They may term it as bias because they might think nurses are given more attention than them. All health care professionals such as doctors, clinicians, social workers, and medical assistants also face various challenges that they may want to be acknowledged and addressed (Mehdaova, 2017)..
Stakeholder(s) Opposed 2 The other stakeholder that would oppose the idea of addressing the nursing shortage is the health care organizations. The solutions will have financial implications for healthcare organizations (Mehdaova, 2017). The idea includes compelling the employers to pay good salaries as well as to promote and support continuing education and training for nurses. The organizations will have to incur an extra financial burden to achieve the goals.
   
Financial Incentives/Costs

In no more than 250 words, summarize the financial impact for the issue and the idea (added costs, cost savings, increased revenue, etc.). Provided support.
The implementation has a significant influence on the financial aspect of healthcare organizations. The organizations must incur extra costs to ensure these strategies are achieved. Health care organizations will spend more money to improve work environments (Nantsupawat et al., 2017. Also, there will be extra costs to improve professional development programs and salary increments for nurses. However, hospitals may have a financial gain by preventing costs or losses associated with poor quality care, long hospitalization, and poor patient outcomes due to nursing shortages. Due to a high quality of care provided, the health care organizations will have increased revenue. Therefore, the gains will be much higher than loses.
 Legislature: Information Needed and Process for Proposal

Discuss the how to advocate for your proposal using legislation. Include the following:
Provide the name and complete contact information for the legislator. The Honorable Bryan Hughes
P.O. Box 12068
Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
(512) 463-0101
Describe the steps for how you would present this to your legislator.  This idea will be presented to the legislature through a letter which will be presented to the office of the senator in person to avoid excuses and ensure the legislature receives it (USA.gov., 2021). The letter will be followed up through a phone call after its delivery to the intended person. The letter will have an email through which the legislature can reply.
Outline the process if your legislator chooses to introduce your idea as a bill to congress. If the Senator chooses to introduce the idea as a bill, the legislation process will start by introducing the bill to the house. The bill is assigned to a committee(s) and returned to the house floor for further debate (USA.gov., 2021). Members can then vote on the bill. If it passes, it goes to the other house and is subjected to a similar process. If the bill passes in the two houses (congress and senate) it is taken to the president (USA.gov., 2021). The president can approve and pass the bill, reject it, or do nothing.
Christian Principles and Nursing Advocacy

In no more than 250 words, discuss how principles of a Christian worldview lend support to legislative advocacy in health care without bias. Be specific as to how these principles help advocate for inclusiveness and positive health outcomes for all populations, including those more vulnerable, without regard to gender, sexual orientation, culture, race, religion/belief, etc.

 The Christian worldview is in support of high-quality health care services to patients. Christianity is based on empathy, beneficence, and non-maleficence. Religion is against actions that cause harm to other people and that is why it supports the provision of quality health care services that in turn leads to positive patient outcomes (Alva, 2017). The Christian Bible states that human beings were created in the image of God and they have coherent and intrinsic value. Therefore, people should be treated with the respect they deserve. In the Christian worldview, all people are equal and no one is more important than the other. Therefore, people should be treated equally. Christianity advocates for justice by stating that everyone is equal (Alva, 2017). It promotes advocacy to improve effective care and work conditions.

 

 

References

Alva, R. (2017). The Catholic Church’s perspective of human dignity as the basis of dialogue with the secular world. Stellenbosch Theological Journal, 3(2), 219-241. http://dx.doi.org/10.17570/stj.2017.v3n2.a10

Mehdaova, E. A. (2017). Strategies to overcome the nursing shortage. [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University]. Scholar Works. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5933&context=dissertations

Nantsupawat, A., Kunaviktikul, W., Nantsupawat, R., Wichaikhum, O. A., Thienthong, H., & Poghosyan, L. (2017). Effects of nurse work environment on job dissatisfaction, burnout, intention to leave. International nursing review, 64(1), 91-98. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12342

TONL. (2022). The Texas Nursing Shortage: Condition Critical.
More Graduates Needed to Close the Gap. https://tonl.org/general/custom.asp?page=44

USA.gov. (2021). How Laws Are Made and How to Research Them. https://www.usa.gov/how-laws-are-made#:~:text=Steps%20in%20Making%20a%20Law,chamber%20to%20be%20voted%20on.