NR506NP Discussions Latest 2021 April (Full)

NR506NP Healthcare Policy and Leadership

Week 1 Discussion

Barriers to Practice

Purpose

Discuss barriers to practice as an APN in one’s state from both a state and national perspective.  Research methods to influence policy change from various forms of competition, state legislative and executive branches of government and interest groups.

Activity Learning Outcomes

Through this discussion, the student will demonstrate the ability to:

Discuss the history of policy development and policy making in nursing (CO1)

Examine different types of policy and their relationships to healthcare policy (CO1)

Explain current barriers to practice for advanced practice nurses (CO2)

Discuss health policy and methods of lifting barriers to practice (CO2)

Requirements:

Using the readings from this week as well as outside reliable resources to:

Identify and describe practice barriers for APNs in your state and discuss these barriers on a state and national level.

Identify forms of competition on the state and national level that interfere with APN’s ability to practice independently.

Identify the specific lawmakers by name at the state level (i.e., key members of the state’s legislative branch and executive branch of government)

Discuss interest groups that exist at the state and national levels that influence APN policy.

Discuss methods used to influence change in policy in forms of competition, state legislative and executive branches of government and interest groups.

A scholarly resource must be used for EACH discussion question each week.

NR506NP Healthcare Policy and Leadership

Week 2 Discussion

Organizational Change and Ethical-Legal Influences in Advanced Practice Nursing Case Study

Purpose

The purpose of this discussion is to discuss organizational changes and ethical-legal influences in a clinical scenario at an out-patient family practice. Students will explore potential effects on patient outcomes and ethical and legal implications for members of the heath care team as a result of illegal behaviors.  Students will develop strategies that result in prevention of untoward outcomes that result in a positive practice culture.

Activity Learning Outcomes

Through this discussion, the student will demonstrate the ability to:

Demonstrate effective leadership styles in the management of organizational change (CO3)

Interpret various forms of ethical theories and application into practice (CO4)

Discuss practice guidelines and malpractice prevention (CO2)

Requirements:

You are a family nurse practitioner employed in a busy primary care office. The providers in the group include one physician and three nurse practitioners. The back office staff includes eight medical assistants who assist with patient care as well as filing, answering calls from patients, processing laboratory results and taking prescription renewal requests from patients and pharmacies. Stephanie, a medical assistant, has worked in the practice for 10 years and is very proficient at her job. She knows almost every patient in the practice, and has an excellent rapport with all of the providers.

Mrs. Smith was seen today in the office for an annual physical. Her last appointment was a year ago for the same reason. During this visit, Mrs. Smith brought an empty bottle of amoxicillin with her and asked if she could have a refill. You noted the patient's name on the label, and the date on the bottle was 1 week ago. You also noted your name printed on the label as the prescriber. The patient admitted that she called last week concerned about her cough and spoke to Stephanie. You do not recall having discussed this patient with Stephanie nor do the other providers in the practice.

Case Study Questions:

What are the potential ethical and legal implications for each of the following practice members?

Medical assistant

Nurse Practitioner

Medical Director

Practice

What strategies would you implement to prevent further episodes of potentially illegal behavior?

What leadership qualities would you apply to effect a positive change in the practice?? Be thinking about the culture of the practice.

A scholarly resource must be used for EACH discussion question each week.

NR506NP Healthcare Policy and Leadership

Week 3 Discussion

This is a required, but not graded open forum. Your post should add further clarity to the assignment and content of the readings and lessons for the week. Please feel free to post questions related to content or assignments.

NR506NP Healthcare Policy and Leadership

Week 4 Discussion

This is a required, but not graded open forum. Your post should add further clarity to the assignment and content of the readings and lessons for the week. Please feel free to post questions related to content or assignments.

NR506NP Healthcare Policy and Leadership

Week 5 Discussion

Ethical and Legal Implications

Purpose

Discuss potential complications in a clinical scenario at an out-patient family practice. Students will explore potential effects on patient outcomes and implications for members of the heath care team as a result of conflict among the healthcare team.  Students will develop strategies that result in prevention of untoward outcomes that result in a positive practice culture.

Activity Learning Outcomes

Through this discussion, the student will demonstrate the ability to:

Recognize potential areas of conflict in NP clinical practice (CO1)

Determine methods of data collection to assess the conflict (CO3)

Examine corporate compliance and its effect on clinical practice (CO2)

Understand risk management in clinical practice (CO4)

Requirements:

You are a family nurse practitioner working in an outpatient primary care office of a large hospital system. The practice has been operating for over 15 years, and many of the administrative and clinical staff were hired when the practice opened. You have been in the practice for less than 3 months. In that short amount of time, you have witnessed several of the clinical staff engaging in heated arguments with each other, sometimes in patient areas. You overhear an argument occurring today between two staff. You pick up a patient's chart and notice a very low blood pressure that the medical assistant failed to notify you about. When you confront the MA, she states that she was going to report the vital signs to you when she became engaged in the heated argument you overheard and forgot to notify you.

Unfortunately, this pattern of behavior is not unusual in this practice. Working with staff who cannot cooperate effectively can negatively influence your ability to spend time with patients, can impede the flow of patients through the office, and could impact patient safety.

Case Study Responses:

Analyze the case study for potential issues for members of the healthcare team from office conflict. Contrast the potential effects for each member of the healthcare team based upon the required readings from the week. Discuss the potential ethical and legal implications for each of the following practice members:

Medical assistant

Nurse Practitioner

Medical Director

Practice

What strategies would you implement to prevent further episodes of potentially dangerous patient outcomes?

What leadership qualities would you apply to effect positive change in the practice? Focus on the culture of the practice.

A scholarly resource must be used for EACH discussion question each week.

NR506NP Healthcare Policy and Leadership

Week 6 Discussion

Scope of Practice and Patient’s Healthcare Accessibility

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to identify the scope of practice in one’s state including level of independence of practice, prescribing authority, any limitations of practice, process for obtaining licensure in your state, certification and education requirements for licensure.  Next, students will discuss how the level of independence of practice in their state, i.e., reduced, restricted or full practice, affects patient’s access to care in their local community. 

Activity Learning Outcomes

Through this discussion, the student will demonstrate the ability to:

Understand NP practice as defined by law (CO2)

Determine legislation as defined by legislation, statutes and regulations (CO2)

Identify barriers to ensuring patient’s rights (CO3)

Requirements:

Discuss your state NP community in terms of scope of practice. Include the your state’s scope of practice for NPs including:

Level of independence of practice **In California, NPs are required to practice under Standardized Procedure Guidelines. If CA is your intended practice state, please provide details on how Standardized Procedures Guidelines are developed in California and an example of a California SPG.

Prescribing authority

Any limitations of practice

Process for obtaining licensure in your state

Certification and education requirements for licensure.

If you live in a restricted or reduced practice state, how has patient care been impacted in your local community from these barriers?  For instance, is the ED used for primary care?  Are the EDs overcrowded with long wait times?  Are there urgent care clinics readily available? Is there adequate access to primary care?  If you live in a full practice, how has independent practice of the APN resulted in improved patient access to healthcare?  

How does access to NPs impacts any healthcare disparities? 

A scholarly resource must be used for EACH discussion question each week.

NR506NP Healthcare Policy and Leadership

Week 7 Discussion

APNs as Healthcare Policy Leaders

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to discuss healthcare policy of the APN profession and how Transformational Leadership can help to influence policy changes. This week’s assignment focuses on the APN as a Health Policy Leader, one of the nine NONPF NP competencies.  Students will analyze how health policy may affect NP practice and how Transformational Leadership can help to influence policy changes. 

Activity Learning Outcomes

Through this discussion, the student will demonstrate the ability to:

Critically analyze how healthcare systems and APRN practice are organized and influenced by ethical, legal, economic and political factors (CO2)

Demonstrate professional and personal growth concerning the advocacy role of the advanced practice nursing in fostering policy within diverse healthcare settings (CO3)

Advocate for institutional, local, national and international policies that fosters person-centered healthcare and nursing practice (CO4)

Requirements:

Criteria for Content

Explanation of how healthcare policy can impact the advanced practice nurse profession

Explanation of why advocacy is considered an essential component of the advance practice nurse's role

Discuss the four pillars of Transformational leadership and the effect it may have on influencing policy change

A scholarly resource must be used for EACH discussion question each week.

NR506NP Healthcare Policy and Leadership

Week 8 Discussion

Reflection on Achievement of Outcomes

Purpose

The final week will focus on Global Policy Reform and the impact on patient care.  Students read the Berwick article and respond to the required discussions.  In addition, students reflect on what they have learned in NR506NP and how it is applicable to their upcoming clinical courses. 

Activity Learning Outcomes

Through this discussion, the student will demonstrate the ability to:

Understand the role of advanced practice nursing in the International Context (CO2)

Research global aspects of healthcare and the effect on the US healthcare system (CO5)

Discuss the implications of global health on your clinical practice (CO5)

Requirements:

Berwick, D., Snair, M., & Nishtar, S. (2018). Crossing the global health care quality chasm: A key component of universal health coverage. Journal of American Medical Association, 320(13), 1317-1318.

Read the Berwick article and reflect on the concepts and practices you have learned in NR506 on healthcare systems, politics, and health policy. Reflections should include:

How to make informed decisions on nursing practice and patient outcomes on a global basis.? In addition, state how you will apply what you have learned in this course to your upcoming practicum experience.? 

Describe how one will apply content from NR506NP to the upcoming clinical courses.