Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Week 1 Discussion
DQ1 What were the major causes of U.S. mortality in the last 100 years, and what public health measures most contributed to improvements in the health of the nation? Include at least two source citations from the readings and/or additional sources to support your answer.
DQ2 What are the major causes of disease and death in the 21st century (e.g., chronic illnesses, communicable diseases, etc.) that continue to affect U.S. citizens in spite of the achievements in public health in the past century? What have been some of the strategies implemented to combat these illnesses on the local and national levels? Have they been successful? Include reference citations where appropriate.
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Week 2 Discussion
DQ1 Select one of the United Nations’ (U.N.) Millennial Development Goals (MDGs). Visit the website and report on the UN’s progress in achieving this goal? How will meeting this goal positively impact the health of the world? What suggestions would you make to help the UN achieve this goal?
DQ2 Select a global health issue from the World Health Organization (WHO) list of health topics available at http://www.who.int/topics/en/ How has globalization influenced this issue from a positive or negative perspective?
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Week 3 Discussion
DQ1 Debate the various social factors associated with the situation of the “underinsured.” Respond to two other classmates’ answers with solid reasoning and support your opinions with appropriate reference citations.
DQ2 Review the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) report “Priority Populations”:
http://www.ahrq.gov/health-care-information/priority-populations/index.html
Select one of the “priority populations” and explain the disparities this population faces. What strategies have been implemented to combat these disparities on the local and national levels? Have they been successful? Include reference citations where appropriate.
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Week 4 Discussion
DQ1 Debate the efficacies of public versus private-based quality initiatives. What roles do each play in the quality of U.S. health care? How would the elimination of one aspect affect the other? Respond to two other classmates and counter their answer, citing references as appropriate.
DQ2 After reading the Kaiser Family Foundation summary on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, state why or why not you believe the act should remain in law, or which pieces should be reversed. Then describe two pieces of the act that you were unaware was part of the act and how that may affect you as a citizen.
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Week 5 Discussion
DQ1 What are the eligibility requirements and coverage of Medicaid for the categories of low-income adults, pregnant women, and the aging/blind/disabled in the state where you live? Do you consider the eligibility requirements reasonable or restrictive? Do you consider the coverage reasonable or liberal? What are the benefits and drawbacks to keeping these populations insured through Medicaid? Consider both direct and indirect factors.
DQ2 Review the CMS.gov 30-Day Mortality and Readmission Data website. Review at least two local hospitals and see how they compare to state and national benchmarks. How and why may a consumer or a health care professional use this data to make decision about their next hospitalization? Will reporting this data have an impact on hospitals bottom line in addition to financial penalties from CMS? Give at least two examples of how this data may be used and what type of impact if may have if at all on the hospitals.
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Week 6 Discussion
DQ1 Debate the question: “Is health care a basic right in the United States?” Answer this question through the lens of your role as RN. Support your response utilizing ethical theories and principles. Respond to two other classmates using respectful communication and solid reasoning. Support your response with appropriate references.
DQ2 Select an ethical dilemma related to health policy from the categories of moral values, professional regulation, health of individuals in society, or distributive justice. What are the controversies surrounding this issue? What are the opposing ethical principles? How has past or current health policy addressed this dilemma? Support your reasoning with reference citations.
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Week 7 Discussion
DQ1 How do spiritual beliefs impact political ideologies and the policy process? How have they affected the health policy reform process? Using respectful communication, debate your response with two other classmates. Give examples and support your reasoning with appropriate references.
DQ2 What is the role of a religious ethic in public policy today? Should a religious ethic or theistic worldview take priority over that of others? How can religious policy decision makers remain true to their personal values while respecting the views of individuals with differing cultural and spiritual beliefs? Respond to two other classmates and cite references as appropriate.
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Week 8 Discussion
DQ1 Select an advanced professional or advanced practice nursing specialty. How has past and current regulation/legislation affected the role and scope of this nursing role? What, if any, discussions are currently underway relative to the scope and role of this specialty? What resources are available to assist nurses in advocating for these roles?
DQ2 Select a professional or specialty nursing association. What impact has this organization had on health care legislation in the past 2 years? Respond to two other classmates and support your answer with appropriate references and specific examples.
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Resource 1: CLC Health Issue Analysis Overview
Group work has benefits and liabilities. EVERYONE assigned to a CLC is expected to equally participate in the work in terms of time and quality of effort. Each participant has strengths and it is reasonable to apportion the work to make best use of this. Some are natural leaders. Our strengths can be our greatest liabilities: No one wants to be bossed around no matter how skilled the boss is.Honest communication is critical to effective group work. The best way to avoid conflict is to set very clear expectations up front.Then, if someone does not do what is expected him/her, he/she can be referred to the original agreement rather than have the confrontation become personal.
Course instructors are able to observe the group process in the CLC forum. If the work takes place outside the forum, this information will be absent. Be certain (even if communicating via e-mail, phone, or face-to-face) to record the communication in the CLC forum.
CLC Project Overview
The purpose of this assignment is to critically analyze a health care issue through the focus of major concepts from each Topic.There are six components to this assignment after the CLC agreement is signed and the topic is identified. It is not expected that every member of the CLC group will contribute to each assignment, but that assignments will be divided fairly and equally among the group. Each of the written components of the CLC project will be 500-1,000 words. These papers should be in APA format with a title and a reference page. An abstract is not required. An introduction is required ONLY for Part 1 and is not required in any parts thereafter. It is the intention that if one were to take the six parts of this assignment and put them together, a comprehensive and cohesive analysis would be produced. Part 1 is worth 3 points and each of the subsequent parts (2-6) are worth 4 points each.
Topic 1
Check into the CLC group and provide contact information and describe prior experience, if any, with health policy. Locate and read the CLC Agreement provided by the instructor, located within the Additional Resources Folder in Canyon Connect. Choose one member to transfer the document to the CLC forum. Decide upon the process needed to fill out the contract. Everyone should participate. Before filling out the agreement, it may be helpful for each student to describe the most difficult, frustrating, helpful, or beneficial apects of working on a collaborative project. Getting this type of information out in the open ahead of time may help to prevent conflict later on. Since no one is angry yet, you can comfortably list what is likely to make you angry and also what would make you satisfied.
Complete the CLC Agreement (except for the final block, which is used at the end). Select someone to submit the CLC Agreement by the end of Topic 1.
Topic 2
Initiate a conversation regarding potential topics of interest. This should be a health issue with national and international relevance that will be the basis for your final project. It may be helpful to identify a number of topics of interest and have individual group members do a quick survey of the literature to be sure that there is current information available. Revise the CLC Agreement with the choice of the topic identified in the title and re-submit the CLC Agreement.There is no formal writing requirement for the topic selection. It is merely a brief paragraph declaring your identified topic.
Topic 3 – Part 1
Research and outline the history of the health issue. Write a formal paper in APA format (500-1,000 words in length), describing the history of the issue. A title, introduction, and a reference page are required, but an abstract and conclusion are not. Include the following:
1. Influences such as determinants of health and socioeconomic status.
2. Past and present initiatives (private and public) to address the issue.
3. Outcomes that have been developed and utilized to measure progress on the issue.
4. The current status of the health issue based on measured outcomes.
Topic 4 – Part 2
Describe the national and international implications of the health issue. Write a formal paper (500-1,000 words in length), using APA format. Include a title page and a reference page. An abstract, introduction, and conclusion are not required. Include the following:
1. Scope and depth of the problem.
2. Countries that are faring better or worse than others.
3. How the U.S. ranks on this issue in relation to other countries.
4. Efforts of the World Health Organization and other agencies on this issue.
5. Existing disparities (include race, age, and gender, as appropriate) in relation to the issue – describe the populations that have emerged as being disadvantaged and why.
Topic 5 – Part 3
Write a formal paper (500-1,000 words in length), using APA format. Include a title and a reference page. An abstract, introduction, and conclusion are not required. Include a title page and a reference page, and the following:
1. Discuss past and present funding for initiatives that address the health issue. Include both public and private sources.
2. Analyze past and present quality initiatives that address the health issue. Include both public and private sources.
3. Differentiate how being insured versus uninsured impacts health outcomes relative to this issue;
4. Compare health outcomes for the issue between the U.S. and a country with universal health coverage.
Topic 6 – Part 4
Write a formal paper (500-1,000 words in length), using APA format. A title page and a reference page are required, but an abstract, introduction, and conclusion are not. Include the following:
1. Examine the previously addressed aspects of health policies, finance, global/national prevention, and/or treatment initiatives related to the health issue by identifying applicable ethics principles.
2. Differentiate how application of the identified ethics principles to the health issue has resulted in population disparities.
3. Hypothesize how existing disparities might be eliminated using alternate ethics principles.
4. Critique whether the applicable ethics principles are consistent with the ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses.
Topic 7 – Part 5
Write a formal paper (500-1,000 words in length), using APA format. A title page and a reference page are required, but an abstract, introduction, and conclusion are not. Include the following:
1. Discuss cultural beliefs and influences relative to the health issue.
2. Differentiate any religious/spiritual beliefs and values relative to the issue.
3. Appraise how religious/spiritual beliefs and values have influenced progress in addressing the issue – either negatively or positively.
4. Compare differences in ideologies related to the issue across political party lines, geographic regions, and countries of the world.
Topic 8 – Part 6
Write a formal paper (500-1,000 words in length), using APA format. A title page, conclusion, and a reference page are required, but an abstract and introduction are not. Include the following:
1. Assess the past and present impact nurses, including advanced professional/ advanced practice nurses, have made in addressing this health issue.
2. Describe how nurses can become more broadly involved with influencing health policy related to this issue. Include available resources.
3. Hypothesize how nurses can positively impact future outcomes related to the provision of care for persons affected by the health issue.
4. Synthesize all aspects of the health care issue through a summary conclusion, concisely tying up Parts 1-8 of the CLC project.
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Week 2 Assignment
Benchmark Assignment – Nursing Leadership Health Policy Paper
The IOM Future of Nursing report calls for an increase in leadership from nurses at all levels. One way nurses demonstrate their role as a leader, is through public policy change. A leader does not always carry an official title or position, but demonstrates leadership through the work and the stance the leader takes to make a change for the good of others. Nurses have been noted by the Gallop poll year after year as the most trusted professionals.
This assignment requires thought about a public policy that is needed or needs to be changed that relates to nursing, health care, or the public. Policy changes can occur by working with members of your legislature, and state or national nurses associations, to introduce a new bill and/or change to a current law in your state or federal government.
Examples of public policy includes any component of the current legislation governing health care, Medicare Part D, Medicaid, nursing regulation, medication technicians, etc.
In 750-1,000 words, propose a health policy change (that is currently a bill, a law, or may not exist at all) at the state or federal level that you believe needs to change and why.
The policy must not be a clinical care policy for individual care. The policy involved may include public or community health, legislative or regulatory, professional organization (nursing-oriented), advanced nursing practice, health plan, or hospital plan.
Include a specific section for the exact wording for the bill or change in wording of the law.
Include the plan for the implementation of your policy development, to lobbying for passage, to next steps after passage.
Discuss who would be the champion for the bill/law change from your state advocates (legislators, federal legislators, local or national state nursing organizations). Are these individuals also influential in making changes occur? Did you vote for the individual in office that you want to help you make this change?
Resources:
Review different pieces of legislation for ideas on wording.
Visit your state’s legislative governmental affairs website site to understand the process your policy change could take if you wanted to introduce to into legislation.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
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. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Week 5 Assignment
Cost and Quality Analysis
In a paper of 500-1,000 words, describe the relationship between health care cost and quality. Address the following:
Select one public agency and one private agency and differentiate their roles and major activities in addressing cost and quality in health care. See Topic 4 readings for sources regarding health care agencies.
Analyze current and projected initiatives to improve quality while simultaneously controlling costs. Describe any unintended consequences.
Synthesize implications for staff nurses and advanced practice nurses, including evidence-based practice, relative to cost and quality.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
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. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.
NUR508 Ethics, Policy and Finance in Health Care System
Week 7 Assignment
Health Policy Values
Write a paper of 750-1,000 words examining your personal values and beliefs. Include the following:
Describe your personal values and spiritual beliefs.
Using the elements of cost, quality, and social issues to frame your description, differentiate your beliefs and opinions about health care policy. Give examples of relevant ethical principles, supported by your values.
Analyze how factors such as your upbringing, spiritual or religious beliefs/doctrine, personal and professional experiences, and political ideology affect your current perspective on health care policy.
Examine any inconsistencies you discovered relative to the alignment of your personal values and beliefs with those concerning health policy. Discuss what insights this has given you.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
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. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.
