Policy Analysis Paper [Major Assessment 2]

In previous Discussions and Application Assignments, you have examined various aspects of the policy process: exploring the unintended consequences of policies, agenda setting, and analyzing policy recommendations. In this Application Assignment, you will have the opportunity to further develop your analysis skills by working through the policy analysis process. To be an effective agent for social change, you must be able to logically and critically analyze policy from multiple perspectives and contexts and then present your insights in a succinct and professional manner. This exercise will afford such an experience.

For this Application Assignment, you will examine a particular policy of interest to you (perhaps the one you selected for this week’s Discussion), and apply a policy analysis framework to understand the impact associated with the implementation of the policy. You will then develop a policy analysis paper, which is due the end of Week 11. This paper will also serve as your Major Assessment for this course.

To prepare:

Select a health care policy and a policy analysis framework to utilize for this Application. You may use the policy and framework you identified in this week’s Discussion or change your selection.  I introduced a policy that would include breastfeeding and breast milk as a “point” in patient acuity in the neonatal intensive care. Nurses are assigned to patients according to their acuity score.  Breastfeeding mothers or breast milk for feeding are not considered and yet it takes a lot of time, more than giving blood yet blood is accounted for in the acuity and not breast milk or breastfeeding.  You get the picture. 

To complete:

Write an 8- to 10-page analysis paper (including references) in which you succinctly address the following:

·  Part 1:

·  Define the policy issue.

·  How is the issue affecting the policy arena?

·  What are the current politics of the issue?

·  At what level in the policy making process is the issue?

·  Part 2: Apply a policy analysis framework to explore the issue using the following contexts:

·  Social
Ethical

·  Legal

·  Historical

·  Financial / economic

Theoretical underpinnings of the policy

Include in this section:

·  Who are the stakeholders of interest?

·  Is there a nursing policy/position statement on this health care issue? If so, who developed it?

Part 3: Policy options/solutions

·  What are the policy options/solutions for addressing the issue? Include at least three levels of options/solutions: no change; partial change; radical change or maximum change.

·  What are the theoretical underpinnings of the policy options/solutions?

·  What are the health advocacy aspects and leadership requirements of each option?

·  How does each option/solution provide an opportunity or need for inter-professional collaboration?

·  What are the pros and cons of each suggested change? Include the cost benefits, effectiveness, and efficiency of each option along with the utility and feasibility of each option.

·  Part 4: Building Consensus

·  Outline a plan for building consensus around your recommended option/solution for solving the policy issue.

·   

·  Part 5: References

·  Limit your references so this section is no more than 2 pages. Your written assignments must follow APA guidelines. Be sure to support your work with specific citations from appropriate Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association to ensure that your in- text citations and reference list are correct.