Description of the Assignment This assignment provides a PowerPoint presentation that summarizes the healthcare policy presentation to the elected official. Criteria for Content 1. Overview of healthcare policy in the nursing profession: This section provides an overview of healthcare policy advocacy as it relates to advanced practice. It should contain the following elements: • • Explanation of how healthcare policy can impact the nursing profession Explanation of why advocacy is considered an essential component of the advance practice nurse's role • Impact of healthcare policy on population health 2. Selected healthcare policy concern and resolution: This section provide an identification of the selected healthcare concern and its proposed resolution. It should contain the following elements: o Provide a comprehensive description of the healthcare concern o Describe the impact of the concern upon the population group and community o Describe, with detail, the proposed solution to healthcare concern o Clearly identify the slides provided to the elected official 3. Description of the meeting with the elected official: This section provides a detailed description of the meeting with the elected official. It should contain the following elements: • • • The name and position of the elected official Explanation of why this individual was selected Description of the meeting by including information as: o Day/time of meeting o Location of meeting o Materials/handouts used during the presentation • Describe the response of the elected official to your presentation and proposed solution 4. Self-reflection: This section provides an opportunity to self-reflect upon the healthcare concern, the proposed solution, and presentation to the elected official. It should contain the following elements: • Identify the new insights you have gained regarding your selected healthcare concern • Identify the new insights you have gained regarding your proposed solution to the healthcare concern • Identify the revisions you would make regarding your presentation to the elected official • Identify the insights you have gained regarding healthcare policy and the importance to the nursing profession 5. Future plans regarding selected healthcare concern: This section provides an opportunity to discuss way to foster ongoing or future advocacy regarding the selected healthcare concern and proposed resolution. It should contain the following elements: • Describe possible future opportunities to be an advocate for your selected healthcare concern and proposed solution • Identify the revisions you would make in the proposed solution • Select a professional nursing organization and discuss how this organization could be helpful in fostering or supporting your proposed solution 6. Conclusion: This section requires a summary of the key points regarding the healthcare concern, proposed solution and presentation to the elected official Preparing the assignment Criteria for Format and Special Instructions: 1. A PowerPoint™ presentation of a maximum of 20 slides (does not include the title slide and reference slides) is prepared. 2. Title slide, text slides and reference slide (s) must follow APA guidelines as found in the current edition of the manual. 3. Speaker's notes are required for all slides except the title and reference slides. 4. A minimum of five (5) appropriate research-based scholarly references must be used. These may include references from previous NR 506 assignments. 5. Required textbook for this course, dictionary and Chamberlain College of Nursing lesson information may NOT be used as scholarly references for this assignment. For additional assistance regarding scholarly nursing references, please see the course Library Guide. Be aware that information from .com websites may be incorrect and should be avoided. References are current within a 5-year time frame unless a valid rationale is provided and the instructor has approved them prior to submission of the assignment. 6. Ideas and information from scholarly, peer reviewed, nursing sources must be cited and referenced correctly. 7. Rules of grammar, spelling, word usage, and punctuation are followed and consistent with formal, scientific writing. 8. Rules regarding PowerPoint™ presentations are to be followed. This includes but not limited to the presentation of information with limited text, use of graphics, and balance of space on the slide. POLICY ON HEALTHCARE 1 Policy on Healthcare Kim Menges Chamberlain University Dr. Tyson NR506 July 2021 POLICY ON HEALTHCARE 2 Policy on Healthcare There is considerable evidence that incidences of hypertension, lung cancer, and pneumonia are more prevalent in smokers than in non-smokers. This can be attributed to the damage done to the lungs by the tobacco-based compounds such as nicotine. However, people exposed to the smoke from cigarettes can also be at risk even if they don’t smoke. The secondhand smoking, as it is known, can equally affect the health of individuals. For instance, it exacerbates asthma attacks, and for health implications can be dire to the vulnerable groups, such as children, immunocompromised, and elderly. This is why it is important to advocate for individuals, communities and populations by calling for the implementation of the policy focused on the mitigation of the health issues which stem from this (Heffernan, 2016). It is imperative to explore this issue, and recommend a policy development and implementation approach that can help resolve it. Overview of Healthcare Policy Definition of the Policy and Its Implications The proposed policy involves the enforcement of the smoke-free zones. It includes regulations and directives which bar people from smoking in public places and in indoor spaces, such as homes and cars. The policy also includes the legal actions which will be taken against people who flout the directives. Some of these actions include fining and jailing of offenders, and forcing them to do community work for a month. The policy will have a number of implications, and it will particularly help discourage smokers from smoking around those that are not able to decide for themselves (Heffernan, 2016). By implementing the policy, the number of adverse health events linked to second-hand smoking will decline. This is because the policy will cease smoking in confined spaces. POLICY ON HEALTHCARE 3 Defining the Role of Advocacy and Its Impact on the Policy The advocacy seeks to support people who cannot speak for themselves, and an individual who advocates on behalf of others would, in this case, call for the formulation and implementation of initiatives aimed at helping reduce adverse health events among vulnerable groups. It can also help those in position of influence to see the need to act by causing the change in their perspectives in terms of the way they view a particular issue. However, it can bring concerns to the attention of people within the public and political domains, so that they work towards finding a solution. Considering these roles, advocacy will have a number of ramifications to the policy development. For instance, it will lead to the increase in the number of individuals who support the policy. It particularly receives the support of officials who are committed to the improvement of the public safety and health (Mirjana, 2018). Consistency between Role of Advocacy and APN’s Responsibilities The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) can play a crucial role when it comes to improving the health of populations, and their role seem consistent with the role of advocacy. The APN leads efforts focused on the delivery of preventive care, and through their role, they contribute to the reduction of illnesses in communities and at-risk groups. From this description of the APN’s role, it is clear that the APN and advocacy are consistent in terms of their roles. This is because the aim of the advocacy is to promote the adoption of measures that can help reduce health concerns (Mirjana, 2018). In their capacity as APNs, nurses can use their experience, knowledge and the resources they have to advocate for change. The APN’s role emphasizes on improving the health of populations, and in doing so, they help address the divide in access to care. Advocacy also places emphasis on helping the vulnerable and the socially disadvantaged to benefit from the medical care. POLICY ON HEALTHCARE 4 Identification of Selected Healthcare Policy Concern The Selected Policy Concern Second-hand smoking is an issue of concern considering that it has almost the same degree of effect to a person’s health just like first-hand smoking. Lung cancer is a disease that is common among those who smoke, and people exposed to the smoke can equally be at risk of developing this condition. This issue amounts to a public health concern because it causes deaths, and according to the statistical estimates, over 7,000 Americans die yearly because of second-hand smoking. This figure includes the number of people who die because of lung cancer (Frank, 2020). Factoring in other cardiopulmonary conditions which occur because of secondhand smoking, exposure to tobacco smoke can cause as much as 40,000 deaths annually. A lot of resources go into treating people with cardiopulmonary and respiratory illnesses, and this is why it is important to address the policy issue. When productive members of the society become hospitalized, still, this causes a loss of productivity. This can be economically devastating to the country. The People the Concern affect Although the policy affects various groups of individuals, it affects vulnerable people the most. Children, for instance, are some of the victims of this public health issue considering that they spend time in the company of adults or parents. This is particularly noticeable with the preschoolers, and for children within this age bracket, being with a smoking parent can raise their risk of becoming sick with pneumonia. An asthmatic preschooler’s symptoms can worsen if they become exposed to the smoke. The same applies to the elderly considering the weakness in their immune system. However, everyone is at risk, and family members as well as communities can be at risk of developing serious medical problems. However, it can indirectly affect POLICY ON HEALTHCARE 5 communities by diverting health resources to treat conditions linked to exposure to smoke Verma et al., 2020). The issue will equally impact clinicians, and as the new health cases rise, they will have more work to do. Comprehensive Description of the Healthcare Concern (Frequency and Impact on Community) Second-hand smoking is inherently a major concern, and it can start affecting one within five minutes of breathing in of the smoke. It causes the reduction in the flexibility of the arteries, and when this happens, it may predispose one to various heart conditions including arteriosclerosis. A person’s risk of developing such illnesses when exposed to second hand smoke is between 25% and 30%. The respiratory disorders seem prevalent with this health problem as well as considering that shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing are the major clinical manifestations linked to the concern. However, prolonged exposure to the smoke result to the infections of the ear also. Although the risk of death is high for people with Covid-19, the risk is higher if one is a smoker or if they become exposed to the smoke (Cao et al., 2015). Failure to address this problem can put at risk people’s health in jeopardy, and cause a shortage of medical resources. Description of Student-Identified Solution to the Healthcare Policy Concern Description of the Solution The proposed solution is implementing a ban on smoking in cars, indoor homes with compromised individuals, and in high population areas. The ban can include workplaces, parks and learning institutions too. To ensure that the information reaches a wider audience, the television, radio announcement and print media need to be used. The goal is to create awareness so that everyone is educated on the new policy. The awareness campaign should include the POLICY ON HEALTHCARE 6 details of the designated places where people can smoke, and legal ramifications which may occur if people fail to comply with the regulations. To ensure that the process becomes successful, it is imperative that the providers and law enforcement participate in implementing it. Providers’ role in this case entails assessing at risk groups, and reporting if there is evidence of exposure of the patient to smoke (Baskaran et al., 2019). Conversely, the local authorities can enforce the policy by arresting people who disobey the policy guidelines. Possible Outcome from the Implementation of the Solution Implementing the proposed solution will lead to positive outcomes not only to individuals but to communities as well. Paying for the medical services can be a challenge to some individuals, and the economically disadvantaged groups can face problems when it comes to accessing care. For this reason, the adverse health events linked to second-hand smoking can seriously affect this group. The implementation of the recommended solution is likely to bring benefits to this group by discouraging smokers from exposing them to the health risks. Because providers tend to have more workload when the rates of health incidences rise, addressing the concern through the proposed solution will mean healthcare workers will have less work to deal with. Instead, they will channel their efforts to help address other health. Furthermore, resources will be diverted to other healthcare operations (Kuga et al., 2021). In addition to causing the reduction of respiratory diseases, the solution will help hospitals to save on resources. The Necessary Changes in the Community to Foster Implementation For the proposed solution to be successful, there has to be changes within the community. Community members, for example, should be open to changing their behaviors, and this change of behavior is necessary because the lack of it may lead to a scenario in which people do not take the policy guidelines serious. They should also own the change by taking the initiative to educate POLICY ON HEALTHCARE 7 individuals who smoke about the dangers of this behavior. Having the members own this process can encourage them to support the change from inception, implementation and evaluation. To have the community support, the best strategy to use is to employ providers to explain why change is needed (Njomo et al., 2020). They can provide information pertaining to health events which may arise if a solution to the problem is not found. Doing this can help prepare the community to the level where they become aware of the consequences of inaction. By embracing the policy, they will be able to influence change in terms of implementation. The Necessary Changes in the Population to Foster Implementation Change will also be needed at the population level to foster change, and promote success in terms of the implementation. There will need to be the political will for the change to occur, and the lack of this will can hamper the efforts focused on implementing the solution. Another change that can help improve success is having everyone understand the reason why secondhand smoking is a problem. The population should equally be ready to change their behaviors by adopting new ways of thinking. People should also have access to the resources, and understand their responsibilities in terms of the implementation (Njomo et al., 2020). Some of their responsibilities in this case include contributing views on how the policy should be implemented or providing suggestions to be included in the policy. The other change in population that can help optimize the implementation outcomes is change of behavior. Behavior modification can influence the population to respond to the implementation. Measurable Actions which will Demonstrate Success While the implementation of the solution is important, evaluating its impact in terms of the reduction of the health events is important. Conducting interviews, and collecting the views of sampled populations can help measure the policy’s success. Providers, for instance, can be POLICY ON HEALTHCARE 8 interviewed, and the information they provide can be used to determine outcomes. Some of the information they can provide include the number of people who seek treatment because of illnesses linked to the secondhand smoking. Another way to obtain information is by reviewing the hospitals’ financial details that show the amount of money patients spent on treatment of their respiratory conditions. Observation is another means of measuring the policy success, and it involves observing people to see who smoke in the company of others. The tallying method can be used in this case. The decline in the number of people who smoke in public, and the reduction in the rates of respiratory diseases are the measurable actions which will indicate the achievement of the goals (Chang et al., 2016). Two Challenges to Implementation and Solutions The implementation of the policy to address the healthcare concern can be a hectic process, and challenges may arise during this process. The inadequate availability of the resources to implement it, and the lack of clear roles can hamper implementation efforts. Carrying out a successful public awareness campaign depends on the availability of the funds, and if those implementing the policy do not have adequate finance, implementation can be a challenge (Campos & Reich, 2019). Human labor and skills are equally part of the resources, and for the policy implementation to succeed, they have to be available. The materials which can be used to carry comprehensive public awareness campaign are required as well, and the lack of these materials can jeopardize efforts focused on sensitizing the public about the policy. The lack of clarity of the roles of the implementation can be a problem in the sense that it can cause conflicts. This in turn may lead to wastage of time or duplication of tasks. Because the two challenges can delay or hamper implementation, it is important to adopt counteractive measures to address or prevent them. Planning provides an effective means of POLICY ON HEALTHCARE 9 addressing the resource problem, and when planning, the team need to identify all the resources needed. Knowing all the requirements for implementing the policy and any other costs that may arise due to delayed implementation, can help prevent the occurrence of the issue pertaining to inadequate availability of resources Campos & Reich, 2019). Prior to implementing the project, the individual managing the project has to provide clear description of roles. Identification of Elected Official The Official’s Name Kwame Raoul The Official’s Position Illinois State Attorney General Reason for the Selection of the Official The reason for selecting this particular official is that he has worked to establish the Health Care Bureau in Illinois. This was created to assist consumers with difficulties they encounter in obtaining health care services and insurance benefits through mediation, investigation and enforcement actions. Conclusion The adoption of the smoke-free zones policy can help minimize the effects of the secondhand smoking on people’s health. The policy implementation can result to increased awareness of dangers of smoking close to non-smokers, and deter people from exposing others at risk. For the policy implementation to succeed, the community and population have to be prepared to accommodate the changes. However, it is also important to evaluate how well the policy is helping address the purpose for which is created. This can be done by carrying out interview to collect the views of providers, and the public. POLICY ON HEALTHCARE 10 References POLICY ON HEALTHCARE 11 Baskaran, V., Murray, R.L., Hunter, A., Lim, W.S., & McKeever, T.M. (2019). Effect of tobacco smoking on the risk of developing community acquired pneumonia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE 14(7).Doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220204. Campos, P.A., & Reich, M.R. (2019). Political Analysis for Health Policy Implementation. Health System and Reform, 5 (3). 224-235. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2019.1625251. Cao, S., Yang, C., Gan, Y., & Lu, Z. (2015). The Health Effects of Passive Smoking: An Overview of Systematic Reviews Based on Observational Epidemiological Evidence. PLoS ONE 10(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0139907. Chang, J., Ryou, N., Jun, H., Hwang, Sy., Song, J.J., & Chae Sw (2016). Effect of Cigarette Smoking and Passive Smoking on Hearing Impairment: Data from a Population–Based Study. PLoS ONE. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0146608. Frank, R. H. (2020). Under the influence: Putting peer pressure to work. Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press. Heffernan, T. (2016). The Impact of Active and Passive Smoking upon Health and Neurocognitive Function. Lausanne, Switzerland: Frontiers Media. Kuga, K., Ito, K., Chen, W., Wang, P., Fowles, J., & Kumagai, K. (2021). Secondary indoor air pollution and passive smoking associated with cannabis smoking using electric cigarette device–demonstrative in silico study. PLoS Comput Biol 17(5). Doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009004. Mirjana, R. (2018). Smoking Prevention and Cessation. London: IntechOpen. Njomo, D.W., Kimani, B.W., Kibe, L.W., Okoyo, C., Omondi, W.P.,& Sultani. H.M. (2020). Implementation challenges and opportunities for improved mass treatment uptake for POLICY ON HEALTHCARE lymphatic filariasis elimination: Perceptions and experiences of community drug distributors of coastal Kenya. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 14(12). Doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009012. Verma, M., Kathirvel, S., Das, M, Aggarwal, R., & Goel, S. (2020). Trends and patterns of second-hand smoke exposure amongst the non-smokers in India-A secondary data analysis from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) I & II. PLoS ONE 15(6). Doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233861. 12 
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