NR 506 Week 8: Global Policy Reform Discussion

NR 506 Week 8: Global Policy Reform Discussion

NR 506 Week 8: Global Policy Reform Discussion

This class has taught me a lot about how laws are made and the great effort it takes to actually get a law passed.  It’s somewhat frustrating to be a member of the general public because as I found out it is very difficult to get in touch with a lawmaker.  It seems that any law (no matter how straight forward it may seem) will always meet opposition.  Illinois does not have a child bicycle helmet law and I thought to myself that something that protects children is a no-brainer, who could possibly oppose that?  I came to find that many groups did and their reasoning was very eye opening.  I can only imagine the difficulty faced when attempting to pass a controversial issue.  I will definitely be able to apply what was learned in this class to my practice.  Now that I have a better understanding of how laws are made I have a better appreciation for the process and I will feel comfortable contacting lawmakers for something I feel passionate about.  

The article posted above was enjoyable for me but I feel that the topic is a difficult one to tackle.  Personally I feel that we are all fairly educated or at least knowledgeable about the benefits of physical activity and risks associated with a poor diet.  We are far more educated than previous generations, yet we continue to be heavier and more inactive than previous generations.  It has become acceptable for many Americans to be morbidly obese (in their eyes).  I feel that a lot of the American culture contributes to it.  Electronics and increased access to mobile internet and smart phones with ability to connect to social media and stream movies is probably a big contributor to inactivity.  The ability for people to get prescription diet pills and bariatric surgery are fairly easy.  It’s a quicker way to lose unwanted weight without as much activity as diet and exercise alone.  

Reflect on the concepts and practices you have learned in NR506 on healthcare systems, politics, and health policy. Read the article that is linked below and share insights as 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.  Note:  it is welcome but not necessary to post your own references this week in your discussion responses.  Enjoy the reading and simply reflect with us.

Read the article (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. by:

Kohl, H.W., Craig, C. L., Lambert, E.V., Inoue, S., Alkandari, J.R., Leetonngin, G., & Kahlmeier, K. (2012). The

pandemic of physical inactivity: Global action for public health. The Lancet, 380(9838), 294-305. doi:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60898-8.

A systems approach to dealing with the global issue of physical inactivity is discussed.

From reading the article, it reinforced the concept that simply having a policy in place does not mean it is being executed to its fullest potential (Kohl et al., 2016). Issues that are prevalent in one area of the world might not be common in another part of the world; this possibility will have to be considered when developing a global policy (Kohl et al., 2016). No matter the location, any action that a nurse takes must always be with the patient in mind. The nurse must evaluate aspects of the patient’s life that might make him different from the patient right next door with the same medical problem. As nurses we should be able to think on our feet and be flexible when it comes to our solutions for the patient. One treatment we might think is the best in reality might not  be a suitable option for a particular patient.

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From this course, I have learned the importance that nursing has in the political area. Nurses have a

tendency to think they are just products of the system and are told what to do. On the contrary, nurses hold much more power than they realize. We are patient advocates, so we have a duty to change the system if we do not agree with it. We are problem solvers in our daily practice; this skill is vital for public policy. Through this course, I feel I have developed more confidence in feeling capable to speak to someone in policymaking or administration about an issue. We have a responsibility to ourselves and the people we care for to be lifelong learners, and I will try to implement this concept into my own practice one day. We are entrusted to give the patient the best possible care that we can provide. To accomplish this objective, we must strive to better our practice while always safeguarding the rights and integrity of our patients.

References

Kohl, H.W., Craig, C. L., Lambert, E.V., Inoue, S., Alkandari, J.R., Leetonngin, G., & Kahlmeier, K. (2012). The pandemic of physical inactivity: Global action for public health. The Lancet, 380(9838), 294-305. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60898-8.

From reading the article, it reinforced the concept that simply having a policy in place does not mean it is being executed to its fullest potential (Kohl et al., 2016). Issues that are prevalent in one area of the world might not be common in another part of the world; this possibility will have to be considered when developing a global policy (Kohl et al., 2016). No matter the location, any action that a nurse takes must always be with the patient in mind. The nurse must evaluate aspects of the patient’s life that might make him different from the patient right next door with the same medical problem. As nurses we should be able to think on our feet and be flexible when it comes to our solutions for the patient. One treatment we might think is the best in reality might not  be a suitable option for a particular patient.

      From this course, I have learned the importance that nursing has in the political area. Nurses have a tendency to think they are just products of the system and are told what to do. On the contrary, nurses hold much more power than they realize. We are patient advocates, so we have a duty to change the system if we do not agree with it. We are problem solvers in our daily practice; this skill is vital for public policy. Through this course, I feel I have developed more confidence in feeling capable to speak to someone in policymaking or administration about an issue. We have a responsibility to ourselves and the people we care for to be lifelong learners, and I will try to implement this concept into my own practice one day. We are entrusted to give the patient the best possible care that we can provide. To accomplish this objective, we must strive to better our practice while always safeguarding the rights and integrity of our patients.

References

Kohl, H.W., Craig, C. L., Lambert, E.V., Inoue, S., Alkandari, J.R., Leetonngin, G., & Kahlmeier, K. (2012). The pandemic of physical inactivity: Global action for public health. The Lancet, 380(9838), 294-305. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60898-8.

One-to-one nursing provides direct services to patients in need, but one-to one direct nursing has little impact or influence on changing community healthcare goals or healthcare systems and policies. Thinking about community and population health needs calls for nurses to get involved with public policy advocacy. Public policy advocacy has more of a direct influence on implementing community healthcare goals and creating policies that benefit all patient groups.Nurses who train to become public policy health advocates put themselves in unique positions to take on roles as lobbyists for specific health causes, help draft legislation for a needed health policy, speak at conferences, become liaisons for coalitions, even start grass roots health policy organizations and join forces with more established organizations that advocate similar causes. Public policy advocacy is a great way to get community health issues heard on a grand scale to influence system change (Arabi, Rafii, Cheraghi, & Ghiyasvandian, 2014). However, public policy advocacy is not the best method to provide direct services to individual population members in need (Arabi et al., 2014).  Only root causes of the issue will be addressed, such as reviewing the legality and constitutionality of laws and ordinances (Arabi et al., 2014). Both one-to-one nursing and public policy advocacy are effective in their own way.

Reference:

Arabi, A., Rafii, F., Cheraghi, M. A., & Ghiyasvandian, S. (2014). Nurses’ policy influence: A concept analysis. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 19(3), 315–322. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4061635/

The United States is known for many things such as technological advances in social media and healthcare, abundance of food, cultural diversity, etc. Yet, one of the major things the country isn’t known for is good preventative healthcare such as other developed countries around the world. Instead, the US focuses on rehabilitation and maintenance of whatever disorder or disease an individual might possess instead of preventative measures. In the, Physical Activity article, the writers encourage that there should be a global action for public health. They state that physical inactivity is the 4^th largest leading cause of death in the world.

            Therefore, as the one of the power houses in the world: the US should take it upon themselves to lead the world by example and set the standard. Instead of just tossing medications down any individual’s throat and hoping for the best thereafter. There should be a call for universal action to increase physical activity among all individuals in order to decrease mortality rate globally. Change occurs when individuals are willing to take action to offset the face of history. For such implementation of change, there should be a incentive program to drive the goal towards global physical activity, such as a rewards system for those who attempt a physical activity plan and stick with it.

Throughout this course, I have learned how nurses can influence health policies and advocate for change. Nurses have a responsibility and knowledge to improve healthcare consumer’s safety and health. As healthcare providers we need to be informed of the latest knowledge and treatments, therefore we can inform our patients and members of the community. Current evidence-base information is needed to direct the nursing practice. Nurses who are committed to improving patient outcomes beyond the 12 hours shifts are the ones who are guiding the nursing practice. After reading the assigned article, I realized physical inability is truly a global issue. I believe healthcare professionals are unaware of health issue that is share amongst individuals around the world. This barrier prohibits global change. To increase the awareness of physical inability and its debilitating effects locally, nationally, and internationally nursing actions need to be coordinated.  Actively participating in research, seeking educational opportunities, and joining nursing associations locally and nationally will increase nurses’ awareness, who then can educate and bring awareness to patients within the community. This awareness will allow nurses in every country to share valuable knowledge and experience to make informed decisions on nursing practice. The unique position nurses hold will contribute to developing interventions that will have a positive impact on patient outcomes.

As a future nurse educator, I planned on using the knowledge and experience gained in this course to advocate for change to continue supporting nurse educators. Nurse educators have a vital role in the efforts to improve the nursing shortage and patient education. Partnering with other organizations nationally and internationally can implement change and allow one voice to be heard.