Advocacy to Impact Population Health Through Written Testimony
Discussion
Purpose
This discussion aims to demonstrate advocacy skills in health policy related to the selected population and practice problem. This week, you discovered that the DNP-prepared nurse needs to develop an advocacy plan to impact healthcare policy, emphasizing population health. In this discussion, you will create written testimony that can be used to advocate for change to improve the outcomes for your selected population and practice problem. Advocacy to Impact Population Health Through Written Testimony
Instructions
Review the lesson and readings about advocacy, especially the Jurns (2019) article on ISBAR. Then, using the population, population problem, and policy from previous weeks, prepare written testimony advocating for policy change or implementation. Using the ISBAR format presented by Jurns (2019), provide written testimony about the policy change you would like to propose. You may address any policymaker from the local to the national level, but please identify your audience.
(I) Identify
- Address the person to whom you are speaking.
- Introduce yourself and provide credentials.
- Present expertise/experience and interest in the issue.
(S) Situation
- Describe the issue.
- Identify the policy and provide the bill name and number if applicable.
- Present the consequences if the policy is not enacted using data.
(B) Background
- Acknowledge the decisionmaker’s interests.
- Restate your expertise and ability to comment on the issue.
- Share a personal note of interest or a brief story.
(A) Assessment
- Give your expert professional assessment of the situation.
- Provide evidence supporting how the policy positively affects stakeholders.
- Identify support from stakeholders, special interest groups, and/or coalitions.
(R) Recommendation/Request
- Offer your recommendation for a course of action.
- Thank the policymaker for their time/attention.
- Offer your assistance and expertise.
Salutation
- Your name and title
- Credentials
- Contact information
-
Program Competencies
This discussion enables the student to meet the following program competencies:
- Analyzes health care policies to advocate for equitable health care and social justice to all populations and those at risk due to social determinants of health. (POs 2, 9)
- Translates a synthesis of research and population data to support preventative care and improve the nation’s health. (PO 1)
- Leads others in professional identity, advanced clinical judgment, systems thinking, resilience, and accountability in selecting, implementing, and evaluating clinical care. (PO 1)
Course Outcomes
This discussion enables the student to meet the following course outcomes:
- Critically analyze the history, formation, and implementation of local, state, and national health policies from the perspectives of stakeholders and the nursing profession. (PC 5; PO 2)
- Synthesize ethical and legal principles to advocate for value-based, equitable, and ethical health policies at the micro, meso, and macrosystem levels. (PC 5; PO 9)
- Assimilate epidemiology principles and interventions to impact the social determinants of health, Global Burden of Disease, and population health outcomes. (PCs 7, 8; PO 1)
- Formulate strategies for providing culturally relevant and high-quality healthcare to vulnerable and high-risk populations to address social injustice and health inequities. (PCs 7, 8; PO 1)
- Demonstrate collaborative interprofessional leadership and political competency to develop and implement healthcare policy to improve healthcare delivery and population health outcomes. (PC 5; PO 2)