NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Sample Answer for NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis Included After Question

Description:

Select a current or proposed health care policy that is designed to provide equitable health care for a diverse population. Create a 12-15-slide PowerPoint presentation discussing the health care policy and how it improves a specific population’s access to quality, cost-effective health care. Create speaker notes of 100-250 words for each slide. Include additional slides for the title and references.

Include the following in your presentation:

  1. Describe the policy selected.
    2. Discuss the diverse population that will be affected by this policy.
    3. Explain how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population.
    4. Discuss why the policy is financially sound and explain how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors. Provide rationale to support your explanation.
    5. Describe what state, federal, global health policies, or goals the policy is related to and explain the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population.
    6. Discuss advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected.
    7. Discuss the professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective.

You are required to cite eight peer-reviewed sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and nursing content.

Refer to the resource, “Creating Effective PowerPoint Presentations,” located in the Student Success Center, for additional guidance on completing this assignment in the appropriate style.

While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

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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. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Benchmark Information

This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies:

MBA-MSN; MSN-Nursing Education; MSN Acute Care Nurse Practitioner-Adult-Gerontology; MSN Family Nurse Practitioner; MSN-Health Informatics; MSN-Health Care Quality and Patient Safety; MSN-Leadership in Health Care Systems; MSN-Public Health Nursing

2.1 : Examine financially sound health care policy that incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors.

2.2 : Determine advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for diverse populations.

4.2 : Integrate appropriate state, federal, and global health policies and goals into the design of equitable health care for populations.

4.3 : Examine the professional and moral obligation of master’s-prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective.

A Sample Answer For the Assignment:  NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Title: NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Introduction

All communities deserve disease-free lives to live productively and healthily. Despite this universal wish, health problems, including mental disorders, continue to affect health outcomes adversely in many communities. Among many interventions, health policies establish guidelines for improving health outcomes for individuals, communities, or the entire healthcare system. The purpose of this presentation is to explore a healthcare issue in my local community that can be addressed through a health policy. The first major section is a problem statement that explains the issue and the importance of intervening through a health policy. Other vital sections include the problem’s background and landscape, policy options, and the most appropriate solution (recommendations).

Problem Statement

The problem that deserves maximum attention from healthcare professionals and stakeholders is obesity. It is a severe public health concern due to its high prevalence and the potential of impacting health multi-dimensionally. A significant number of mental disorders can be prevented by obesity control and management. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022) reported that obesity prevalence in the United States was 41.9% between 2017 and 2020. Health policy is crucial to prevent the loss of productivity and well-being associated with obesity. Since health policies promote health in communities, a similar response will be instrumental in protecting the community from mental disorders and chronic diseases.

Background

A critical reflection of the problem of obesity in my local community shows that the progressive change in lifestyle patterns is the primary cause. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022) also confirmed a positive link between lifestyle and obesity by stating that changes in eating and physical activity patterns are the major causes of obesity. The other causes include illnesses and medications since depression is a risk factor for obesity, and steroids may cause weight gain (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022; Blasco et al., 2020). The implication is that optimal mental health cannot be achieved without addressing the obesity problem. Worse, chronic diseases increase as the obesity rates increase, further increasing healthcare spending.

Landscape

As a public health concern, obesity is a multidimensional problem. It is multidimensional since its causes, effects, and solutions are diverse. A close reflection of its severity and impacts on the community shows that obesity affects all populations. However, ethnic minorities record the highest prevalence (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Health statistics show that obesity rates are likely to continue. Therefore, more people will be affected hence the need for sustainable solutions. It is also crucial to note that obesity hampers nurses’ health and well-being. Generally, the increase in chronic conditions and mental disorders is a leading cause of increased hospital visits (Blasco et al., 2020). As a result, nurses’ workload increases proportionately, exposing them to fatigue and possible burnout.

Options

Numerous policy options can effectively address the obesity problem in the community. The first option is intensive community-wide health education. People should be educated on healthy living and the connection between lifestyles and adverse health outcomes. This requires collaboration between healthcare practitioners and community partners. The other intervention is legislation, including banning fast food advertisements and regulating fast food outlets. It could be an effective strategy since banning fast food advertisements reduces consumption (Wise, 2022). The addition of healthcare professionals in the community health centers is another viable option to help the current workforce address obesity proactively and reactively. Obesity prevention programs such as healthy eating can be implemented in education settings to prevent childhood obesity.

Recommendations

Among the options evaluated and their potential impacts, the most effective include banning fast food advertisements and regulating the number of fast food outlets. Chung et al. (2021) found that unhealthy marketing strategies, such as fast food promotion, influence attitudes and consumption of unhealthy foods. As a result, restricting such promotion would effectively influence healthy eating. The policy intervention is highly effective since it is a legal intervention. Therefore, the chances of success and quick implementation are high. Secondly, banning fast food advertisements is an evidence-based intervention for obesity management. Current research (Chung et al., 2021; Wise, 2022) has found it effective at all levels. Importantly, the policy can be sustained since it is relatively inexpensive to implement.

Summary

Obesity is a significant public health concern that requires a multifaceted approach. It hampers the health and well-being of the entire population and adversely impacts healthcare professionals’ ability to offer optimal health. Policy interventions include legislation, the addition of community health providers, and health education programs. Among them, legislation (laws) that bans fast food advertisements and limits the number of fast food outlets would help to address the obesity menace. Addressing obesity implies success in mental health promotion since obesity is a risk factor for depression. It would also help to reduce chronic diseases and the rising healthcare spending, among other much-needed outcomes.

NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis References

  • Blasco, B. V., García-Jiménez, J., Bodoano, I., & Gutiérrez-Rojas, L. (2020). Obesity and depression: Its prevalence and influence as a prognostic factor: a systematic review. Psychiatry Investigation17(8), 715-724. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2020.0099
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Adult obesity facts. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Causes of obesity. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/basics/causes.html
  • Chung, A., Zorbas, C., Riesenberg, D., Sartori, A., Kennington, K., Ananthapavan, J., & Backholer, K. (2022). Policies to restrict unhealthy food and beverage advertising in outdoor spaces and on publicly owned assets: a scoping review of the literature. Obesity Reviews23(2), e13386. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13386
  • Wise, J. (2022). Junk food advertising bans do help reduce obesity, say researchers. BMJ2022; 378 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.o1930

Description:

Select a current or proposed health care policy that is designed to provide equitable health care for a diverse population. Create a 12-15-slide PowerPoint presentation discussing the health care policy and how it improves a specific population’s access to quality, cost-effective health care. Create speaker notes of 100-250 words for each slide. Include additional slides for the title and references.

Include the following in your presentation:

  1. Describe the policy selected.
    2. Discuss the diverse population that will be affected by this policy.
    3. Explain how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population.
    4. Discuss why the policy is financially sound and explain how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors. Provide rationale to support your explanation.
    5. Describe what state, federal, global health policies, or goals the policy is related to and explain the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population.
    6. Discuss advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected.
    7. Discuss the professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective.

You are required to cite eight peer-reviewed sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and nursing content.

Refer to the resource, “Creating Effective PowerPoint Presentations,” located in the Student Success Center, for additional guidance on completing this assignment in the appropriate style.

While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

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. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Benchmark Information

This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies:

MBA-MSN; MSN-Nursing Education; MSN Acute Care Nurse Practitioner-Adult-Gerontology; MSN Family Nurse Practitioner; MSN-Health Informatics; MSN-Health Care Quality and Patient Safety; MSN-Leadership in Health Care Systems; MSN-Public Health Nursing

2.1 : Examine financially sound health care policy that incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors.

2.2 : Determine advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for diverse populations.

4.2 : Integrate appropriate state, federal, and global health policies and goals into the design of equitable health care for populations.

4.3 : Examine the professional and moral obligation of master’s-prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective.

Click here to ORDER an A++ paper from our Verified MASTERS and DOCTORATE WRITERS: NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Topic 8 DQ 1

Description:

Discuss the role of translational research in advancing equitable access to health care and preventative services and policies based on population health. Provide an example of a local health care policy that has been recently enacted and or is awaiting legislative passage that has been influenced by research.

Topic 8 DQ 2

Description:

As an advanced registered nurse, discuss your future role in advocating for equitable population health services and policies. Do you anticipate any challenges or barriers to “population advocacy”? How would you meet these challenges?

Topic 8 Participation

Description:

NA

Topic 8: Using Research to Support Health Policy, Advocacy, and Policy Development

Description

Objectives:

  1. Discuss the role of translational research in advancing equitable access to health care and prevention services and policies based on population health.
    2. Evaluate the role of the advanced practice nurse in advocating for equitable population health services and policies.
    Study Materials

Advanced Practice Nursing: Essential Knowledge for the Profession

Description:

Read Chapters 13 and 24 in Advanced Practice Nursing: Essential Knowledge for the Profession.

Population Health: Creating a Culture of Wellness

NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis
NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Description:

Read Chapters 11, 13, and 14 in Population Health: Creating a Culture of Wellness.

Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare

Description:

Review Chapter 23 in Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare.

Lessons for Achieving Health Equity Comparing Aotearoa/New Zealand and the United States

Description:

Read “Lessons for Achieving Health Equity Comparing Aotearoa/New Zealand and the United States,” by Chin et al., from Health Policy (2018).

The Future of Maternal and Child Health

Description:

Read “The Future of Maternal and Child Health,” by Lu, from Maternal and Child Health (2019).

Nurse Advocacy: Adopting a Health in All Policies Approach

Description:

Read “Nurse Advocacy: Adopting a Health in All Policies Approach,” by Williams, Phillips, and Koyama, from Online Journal of Issues in Nursing (2018).

Achieving Health Equity: Examining Telehealth in Response to a Pandemic

Description:

Read “Achieving Health Equity: Examining Telehealth in Response to a Pandemic,” by Smith and Raskin, from The Journal for Nurse Practitioners (2021).

Climate Change and Population Health: Incorporating Stages of Nursing’s Political Development

Description:

Read “Climate Change and Population Health: Incorporating Stages of Nursing’s Political Development,” by Nicholas et al., from Nursing Outlook (2021).

Writing Center

Description:

Refer to the resources located in the Writing Center for PowerPoint guidelines, APA style, writing and library tutorials, and research and writing assistance.

Course Code Class Code Assignment Title Total Points
NUR-550 NUR-550-O503 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis 100.0

Criteria Percentage Unsatisfactory (0.00%) Less Than Satisfactory (80.00%) Satisfactory (88.00%) Good (92.00%) Excellent (100.00%)
Content 100.0%
Description of Policy Designed to Provide Equitable Health Care 5.0% The policy is not described. The policy is only partially described. The policy is summarized. Some aspects are unclear or inaccurate. The policy is adequately described. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. The policy is clearly and accurately described.

Diverse Population Affected by Policy 10.0% Discussion of how a diverse population is affected by this policy is not presented. Discussion of how a diverse population is affected by this policy is presented but is incomplete. It is unclear how the population will be affected by this policy. Discussion of how a diverse population is affected by this policy is general. More information and support are needed. Discussion of how a diverse population is affected by this policy is adequate. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. Discussion of how a diverse population is affected by this policy is thorough. The narrative is well-supported and insightful.

Policy Design (Cost-effectiveness and health care equity) 10.0% Explanation of how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population is not presented. Discussion of how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population is incomplete. Discussion of how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population is general. More information and support are needed. Discussion of how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population is adequate. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. A thorough explanation for how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population is clearly presented.

“Evaluation of Financial Soundness of Policy; Incorporation of Nursing Perspective; and Relevant Ethical, Legal, and Political Factors

(C2.1)” 10.0% A discussion of why the policy is financially sound and how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is not presented. A discussion of why the policy is financially sound and how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is incomplete. A discussion of why the policy is financially sound and how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is general. Some rationale is offered for support. More information and support are needed. A discussion of why the policy is financially sound and how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is adequate. Adequate rationale is provided for support. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. A thorough discussion of why the policy is financially sound and how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is clearly presented, and strong rationale is offered for support.

“Integration of State, Federal, and Global Health Policies and Goals in Design of Equitable Care

(C4.2)” 10.0% The state, federal, and global health policies or goals the policy is related to and the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population are not discussed. The state, federal, and global health policies or goals the policy is related to and the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population are only partially discussed The state, federal, and global health policies or goals the policy is related to and the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population are summarized. Some aspects are unclear or inaccurate. The state, federal, and global health policies or goals the policy is related to and the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population are adequately discussed. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. The state, federal, and global health policies or goals the policy is related to and the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population are thoroughly explained. The narrative is accurate and well-supported.

“Advocacy Strategies for Improving Access, Quality, and Cost-Effective Health Care

(C2.2)” 10.0% Advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are not discussed. Advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are incomplete. General advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are summarized. More information and support are needed. Advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are discussed. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. Well-developed advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are discussed. NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis Assignment Essays

“Examination of Responsibilities of Master’s Prepared Nurses

(C4.3)” 10.0% The professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective are not discussed. The professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective are only partially discussed. The professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective are summarized. Some aspects are unclear. Rationale or support is needed.

The professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective are adequately discussed. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. “Well-developed advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are discussed.
The professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective are thoroughly discussed. The narrative is insightful and well supported.”

Presentation of Content 15.0% The content lacks a clear point of view and logical sequence of information. Includes little persuasive information. Sequencing of ideas is unclear. The content is vague in conveying a point of view and does not create a strong sense of purpose. Includes some persuasive information. The presentation slides are generally competent, but ideas may show some inconsistency in organization or in their relationships to each other. The content is written with a logical progression of ideas and supporting information exhibiting a unity, coherence, and cohesiveness. Includes persuasive information from reliable sources. The content is written clearly and concisely. Ideas universally progress and relate to each other. The project includes motivating questions and advanced organizers. The project gives the audience a clear sense of the main idea. NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis Assignment Essays

Layout 10.0% The layout is cluttered, confusing, and does not use spacing, headings, and subheadings to enhance the readability. The text is extremely difficult to read with long blocks of text, small point size for fonts, and inappropriate contrasting colors. Poor use of headings, subheadings, indentations, or bold formatting is evident. The layout shows some structure, but appears cluttered and busy or distracting with large gaps of white space or a distracting background. Overall readability is difficult due to lengthy paragraphs, too many different fonts, dark or busy background, overuse of bold, or lack of appropriate indentations of text. The layout uses horizontal and vertical white space appropriately. Sometimes the fonts are easy to read, but in a few places the use of fonts, italics, bold, long paragraphs, color, or busy background detracts and does not enhance readability. The layout background and text complement each other and enable the content to be easily read. The fonts are easy to read and point size varies appropriately for headings and text. The layout is visually pleasing and contributes to the overall message with appropriate use of headings, subheadings, and white space. Text is appropriate in length for the target audience and to the point. The background and colors enhance the readability of the text.

Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use) 5.0% Slide errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but they are not overly distracting to the reader. Slides are largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. Writer is clearly in control of standard, written, academic English.

Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style) 5.0% Sources are not documented. Documentation of sources is inconsistent or incorrect, as appropriate to assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors. Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some formatting errors may be present. Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is mostly correct. Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error.

A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment:  NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Title: NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

There exist different healthcare policies meant to enhance the delivery of quality healthcare. Some of the current healthcare policies include Affordable Care Policy, Medicare program, Medicaid, Children’s health insurance program, Patient Safety, and Quality Improvement Act. The main purpose of healthcare policies and procedures is to facilitate standardization in healthcare operational activities. Healthcare policies are critical or essential in providing correct procedures to be followed when dealing with issues as well as activities that are important to health and safety. The Affordable Care Act is one of the major current healthcare policies that has transformed the healthcare industry. The Affordable Care Act was passed and signed into law in the year 2010 (Barr, 2016).

The policy aimed at providing affordable health insurance coverage to the entire American population. Affordable Care Policy was also created to protect healthcare consumers from costly private insurance companies and would sometimes put restrictions on the healthcare services for the patients. Over the years, millions of Americans have been able to benefit from the Affordable Care policy. Millions of Americans have experienced a significant reduction in healthcare costs. Before the implementation of the Affordable Care Policy, poor Americans could not get effective insurance coverage.  The purpose of the paper is therefore to examine the ACA and its attendant cost-effectiveness, relationship to other policies and advocacy strategies.

How the Affordable Care Policy Was Designed to Improve Cost-Effectiveness

And Health Care Equity for the Population

The Affordable Care Act was designed to enhance healthcare equity. The affordable Care policy was mainly designed to significantly reduce the differences in health outcomes among ethnic, racial, as well as primary language groups (Eichten, 2018). In other words, the policy was meant to address disparities in healthcare delivery and enhance the provision of healthcare to all the population irrespective of the level of income. The major goals of the Affordable Care Act included a reduction in healthcare costs, expansion of healthcare coverage, general improvement in healthcare quality, and population health. These factors were incorporated to reduce health disparities. With the reduced costs and expansion of coverage, ACA was meant to achieve healthcare equity for all the population. Different provisions of the Affordable Care Act directly impact insurers who have been forced to expand the number of people under the cover as well as the conditions under coverage.

To expand healthcare coverage and ensure reduced costs, Affordable Care Act created marketplaces called exchanges where people from different social-economic statuses could purchase health insurance and define their financial aid or assistance eligibility. There are three major types of marketplaces in ACA (Glied & Jackson, 2017). These marketplaces include state-based marketplaces, federal-based marketplaces, as well as state-partnership marketplaces. Since its inception in the healthcare industry, millions of Americans have been able to obtain medical services at a reduced cost. Also, the treatment of some diseases has been fully covered by Obamacare.

Financial Sustainability

Affordable Care Policy is financially sound. Before implementation, it was estimated that Obamacare would reduce the national debt by $140 billion. Also, it was established that the whole policy cost $940 billion considering all the factors that were to be included (Laureate Education, 2018). After the analysis, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office established the policy was effective given its ability to reduce the national budget. Also, The Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act passed Obama taxes as well as budget cuts in different areas, which generally generated more funds for implementing ACA. Given the effective balance of the budget, there were more funds available to offset the cost of the plan. Affordable Care policy accounts for relevant ethical, legal, and political factors as well as nursing perspectives. All these considerations need to be put in place during the implementation. Specifically, the policy advocates for quality healthcare delivery, application of research and evidence-based practices in the treatment processes, as well as dignity and racial sensitivity in the treatment processes. Through continuous legislations, the policy account for the political factors as well as nursing perspectives. All these issues ought to be considered in the implementation process.

Significance of Affordable Care Policy

The Affordable Care Act is related to different state, federal, and global health policies or goals that have been created over the years. In particular, the Affordable Care policy is related to the Global Health Policy (GHP). Global Health Policy mainly facilitates the allocation of resources in different nations and organizations to ensure access to quality healthcare services. Global Health Policy was formulated to address health challenges for the interdependent nations, sectors, and regions with multiple cultures and races, various levels of development, coexistent values, and a variety of capacities. In other words, Global Health Policy was formulated to address disparities when it comes to the management of population health.

Similarly, the Affordable Care Policy was formulated to address disparities in the healthcare delivery processes. Also, both the Affordable Care policy and Global Health Policy aimed to improve healthcare delivery quality through research and innovation (Béland et al., 2019). The two organizations are more concerned with the qualification of healthcare professionals. During the formulation of ACA and GHP, there were considerations of different challenges in the healthcare systems, including costs and emerging diseases. Affordable Care Act is also related to the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (PSQIA), a federal policy passed in the year 2005. Just like PSQIA, the Affordable Care Policy was meant to protect both patients and healthcare workers who are likely to report unsafe conditions. Affordable Care Policy was meant to address the goals of GHP and PSQIA through the allocation of enough resources and an increase in access to healthcare systems.

Advocacy Strategies

To ensure that the entire population benefit from the Affordable Care Policy, there is the need to create awareness and inform potential patients and healthcare professionals about the policy’s benefits. Giving patients a voice by informing them about their rights to healthcare services ensures that they can benefit from ACA. Besides, educating patients on the healthcare insurance policies will enable them to understand the requirements in the Affordable Care Policy and how they can benefit from it. In most cases, patients lack knowledge about different insurance policies, especially how they can draw benefits from them (Scott & Scott, 2020). From a Christian perspective, nurses have the responsibility of creating awareness geared towards ensuring quality health outcomes. Also, there is the need for patients from all races to have just and affordable healthcare services. An advanced registered nurse’s professional and moral obligation to advocate for and promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations. When it comes to the provision of quality care geared towards preventing diseases, nurses need to act as advocates to ensure equal treatment and benefits for all. Therefore, through advocacy, patients or different populations will be able to benefit from the Affordable Care Policy.

Conclusion

The Affordable Care Act is one of the major current healthcare policies that has transformed the healthcare industry. The Affordable Care Act was passed and signed into law in the year 2010. Affordable Care policy was mainly designed to significantly reduce the differences in health outcomes among ethnic, racial, as well as primary language groups. In other words, Affordable Care Act was meant to address disparities in healthcare delivery and enhance the provision of healthcare to all the population irrespective of the level of income. Affordable Care Policy is financially sound. Before implementation, it was estimated that Obamacare would reduce the national debt by $140 billion. To ensure that the entire population benefit from the Affordable Care Policy, there is the need to create awareness and inform potential patients and healthcare professionals about the policy’s benefits.

NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis References

Barr, D. A. (2016). Introduction to US Health Policy: the organization, financing, and delivery of health care in America. Johns Hopkins University Press.

Béland, D., Rocco, P., & Waddan, A. (2019). Policy feedback and the politics of the Affordable Care Act. Policy Studies Journal47(2), 395-422. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/psj.12286

Eichten, Z. (2018). Poison Pills: How Subtle Differences in Processes, Public Opinion, and Leadership Doomed the American Health Care Act and Passed the Affordable Care Act. https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/honors_thesis/56/

Glied, S., & Jackson, A. (2017). The future of the Affordable Care Act and insurance coverage. American journal of public health107(4), 538-540. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2017.303665

Laureate Education (Producer). (2018). Introduction to Health Policy and Law with Joel Teitelbaum [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Scott, S. M., & Scott, P. A. (2020). Nursing, advocacy and public policy. Nursing Ethics, 0969733020961823. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0969733020961823

A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment:  NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Title: NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Introduction

All communities deserve disease-free lives to live productively and healthily. Despite this universal wish, health problems, including mental disorders, continue to affect health outcomes adversely in many communities. Among many interventions, health policies establish guidelines for improving health outcomes for individuals, communities, or the entire healthcare system. The purpose of this presentation is to explore a healthcare issue in my local community that can be addressed through a health policy. The first major section is a problem statement that explains the issue and the importance of intervening through a health policy. Other vital sections include the problem’s background and landscape, policy options, and the most appropriate solution (recommendations).

Problem Statement

The problem that deserves maximum attention from healthcare professionals and stakeholders is obesity. It is a severe public health concern due to its high prevalence and the potential of impacting health multi-dimensionally. A significant number of mental disorders can be prevented by obesity control and management. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022) reported that obesity prevalence in the United States was 41.9% between 2017 and 2020. Health policy is crucial to prevent the loss of productivity and well-being associated with obesity. Since health policies promote health in communities, a similar response will be instrumental in protecting the community from mental disorders and chronic diseases.

Background

A critical reflection of the problem of obesity in my local community shows that the progressive change in lifestyle patterns is the primary cause. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022) also confirmed a positive link between lifestyle and obesity by stating that changes in eating and physical activity patterns are the major causes of obesity. The other causes include illnesses and medications since depression is a risk factor for obesity, and steroids may cause weight gain (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022; Blasco et al., 2020). The implication is that optimal mental health cannot be achieved without addressing the obesity problem. Worse, chronic diseases increase as the obesity rates increase, further increasing healthcare spending.

Landscape

As a public health concern, obesity is a multidimensional problem. It is multidimensional since its causes, effects, and solutions are diverse. A close reflection of its severity and impacts on the community shows that obesity affects all populations. However, ethnic minorities record the highest prevalence (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Health statistics show that obesity rates are likely to continue. Therefore, more people will be affected hence the need for sustainable solutions. It is also crucial to note that obesity hampers nurses’ health and well-being. Generally, the increase in chronic conditions and mental disorders is a leading cause of increased hospital visits (Blasco et al., 2020). As a result, nurses’ workload increases proportionately, exposing them to fatigue and possible burnout.

Options

Numerous policy options can effectively address the obesity problem in the community. The first option is intensive community-wide health education. People should be educated on healthy living and the connection between lifestyles and adverse health outcomes. This requires collaboration between healthcare practitioners and community partners. The other intervention is legislation, including banning fast food advertisements and regulating fast food outlets. It could be an effective strategy since banning fast food advertisements reduces consumption (Wise, 2022). The addition of healthcare professionals in the community health centers is another viable option to help the current workforce address obesity proactively and reactively. Obesity prevention programs such as healthy eating can be implemented in education settings to prevent childhood obesity.

Recommendations

Among the options evaluated and their potential impacts, the most effective include banning fast food advertisements and regulating the number of fast food outlets. Chung et al. (2021) found that unhealthy marketing strategies, such as fast food promotion, influence attitudes and consumption of unhealthy foods. As a result, restricting such promotion would effectively influence healthy eating. The policy intervention is highly effective since it is a legal intervention. Therefore, the chances of success and quick implementation are high. Secondly, banning fast food advertisements is an evidence-based intervention for obesity management. Current research (Chung et al., 2021; Wise, 2022) has found it effective at all levels. Importantly, the policy can be sustained since it is relatively inexpensive to implement.

Summary

Obesity is a significant public health concern that requires a multifaceted approach. It hampers the health and well-being of the entire population and adversely impacts healthcare professionals’ ability to offer optimal health. Policy interventions include legislation, the addition of community health providers, and health education programs. Among them, legislation (laws) that bans fast food advertisements and limits the number of fast food outlets would help to address the obesity menace. Addressing obesity implies success in mental health promotion since obesity is a risk factor for depression. It would also help to reduce chronic diseases and the rising healthcare spending, among other much-needed outcomes.

NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis References

  • Blasco, B. V., García-Jiménez, J., Bodoano, I., & Gutiérrez-Rojas, L. (2020). Obesity and depression: Its prevalence and influence as a prognostic factor: a systematic review. Psychiatry Investigation17(8), 715-724. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2020.0099
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Adult obesity facts. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Causes of obesity. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/basics/causes.html
  • Chung, A., Zorbas, C., Riesenberg, D., Sartori, A., Kennington, K., Ananthapavan, J., & Backholer, K. (2022). Policies to restrict unhealthy food and beverage advertising in outdoor spaces and on publicly owned assets: a scoping review of the literature. Obesity Reviews23(2), e13386. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13386
  • Wise, J. (2022). Junk food advertising bans do help reduce obesity, say researchers. BMJ2022; 378 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.o1930

Description:

Select a current or proposed health care policy that is designed to provide equitable health care for a diverse population. Create a 12-15-slide PowerPoint presentation discussing the health care policy and how it improves a specific population’s access to quality, cost-effective health care. Create speaker notes of 100-250 words for each slide. Include additional slides for the title and references.

Include the following in your presentation:

  1. Describe the policy selected.
    2. Discuss the diverse population that will be affected by this policy.
    3. Explain how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population.
    4. Discuss why the policy is financially sound and explain how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors. Provide rationale to support your explanation.
    5. Describe what state, federal, global health policies, or goals the policy is related to and explain the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population.
    6. Discuss advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected.
    7. Discuss the professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective.

You are required to cite eight peer-reviewed sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and nursing content.

Refer to the resource, “Creating Effective PowerPoint Presentations,” located in the Student Success Center, for additional guidance on completing this assignment in the appropriate style.

While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

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. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Benchmark Information

This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies:

MBA-MSN; MSN-Nursing Education; MSN Acute Care Nurse Practitioner-Adult-Gerontology; MSN Family Nurse Practitioner; MSN-Health Informatics; MSN-Health Care Quality and Patient Safety; MSN-Leadership in Health Care Systems; MSN-Public Health Nursing

2.1 : Examine financially sound health care policy that incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors.

2.2 : Determine advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for diverse populations.

4.2 : Integrate appropriate state, federal, and global health policies and goals into the design of equitable health care for populations.

4.3 : Examine the professional and moral obligation of master’s-prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective.

Click here to ORDER an A++ paper from our Verified MASTERS and DOCTORATE WRITERS: NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Topic 8 DQ 1

Description:

Discuss the role of translational research in advancing equitable access to health care and preventative services and policies based on population health. Provide an example of a local health care policy that has been recently enacted and or is awaiting legislative passage that has been influenced by research.

Topic 8 DQ 2

Description:

As an advanced registered nurse, discuss your future role in advocating for equitable population health services and policies. Do you anticipate any challenges or barriers to “population advocacy”? How would you meet these challenges?

Topic 8 Participation

Description:

NA

Topic 8: Using Research to Support Health Policy, Advocacy, and Policy Development

Description

Objectives:

  1. Discuss the role of translational research in advancing equitable access to health care and prevention services and policies based on population health.
    2. Evaluate the role of the advanced practice nurse in advocating for equitable population health services and policies.
    Study Materials

Advanced Practice Nursing: Essential Knowledge for the Profession

Description:

Read Chapters 13 and 24 in Advanced Practice Nursing: Essential Knowledge for the Profession.

Population Health: Creating a Culture of Wellness

NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis
NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Description:

Read Chapters 11, 13, and 14 in Population Health: Creating a Culture of Wellness.

Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare

Description:

Review Chapter 23 in Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare.

Lessons for Achieving Health Equity Comparing Aotearoa/New Zealand and the United States

Description:

Read “Lessons for Achieving Health Equity Comparing Aotearoa/New Zealand and the United States,” by Chin et al., from Health Policy (2018).

The Future of Maternal and Child Health

Description:

Read “The Future of Maternal and Child Health,” by Lu, from Maternal and Child Health (2019).

Nurse Advocacy: Adopting a Health in All Policies Approach

Description:

Read “Nurse Advocacy: Adopting a Health in All Policies Approach,” by Williams, Phillips, and Koyama, from Online Journal of Issues in Nursing (2018).

Achieving Health Equity: Examining Telehealth in Response to a Pandemic

Description:

Read “Achieving Health Equity: Examining Telehealth in Response to a Pandemic,” by Smith and Raskin, from The Journal for Nurse Practitioners (2021).

Climate Change and Population Health: Incorporating Stages of Nursing’s Political Development

Description:

Read “Climate Change and Population Health: Incorporating Stages of Nursing’s Political Development,” by Nicholas et al., from Nursing Outlook (2021).

Writing Center

Description:

Refer to the resources located in the Writing Center for PowerPoint guidelines, APA style, writing and library tutorials, and research and writing assistance.

Course Code Class Code Assignment Title Total Points
NUR-550 NUR-550-O503 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis 100.0

Criteria Percentage Unsatisfactory (0.00%) Less Than Satisfactory (80.00%) Satisfactory (88.00%) Good (92.00%) Excellent (100.00%)
Content 100.0%
Description of Policy Designed to Provide Equitable Health Care 5.0% The policy is not described. The policy is only partially described. The policy is summarized. Some aspects are unclear or inaccurate. The policy is adequately described. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. The policy is clearly and accurately described.

Diverse Population Affected by Policy 10.0% Discussion of how a diverse population is affected by this policy is not presented. Discussion of how a diverse population is affected by this policy is presented but is incomplete. It is unclear how the population will be affected by this policy. Discussion of how a diverse population is affected by this policy is general. More information and support are needed. Discussion of how a diverse population is affected by this policy is adequate. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. Discussion of how a diverse population is affected by this policy is thorough. The narrative is well-supported and insightful.

Policy Design (Cost-effectiveness and health care equity) 10.0% Explanation of how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population is not presented. Discussion of how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population is incomplete. Discussion of how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population is general. More information and support are needed. Discussion of how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population is adequate. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. A thorough explanation for how the policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the diverse population is clearly presented.

“Evaluation of Financial Soundness of Policy; Incorporation of Nursing Perspective; and Relevant Ethical, Legal, and Political Factors

(C2.1)” 10.0% A discussion of why the policy is financially sound and how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is not presented. A discussion of why the policy is financially sound and how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is incomplete. A discussion of why the policy is financially sound and how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is general. Some rationale is offered for support. More information and support are needed. A discussion of why the policy is financially sound and how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is adequate. Adequate rationale is provided for support. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. A thorough discussion of why the policy is financially sound and how the policy incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is clearly presented, and strong rationale is offered for support.

“Integration of State, Federal, and Global Health Policies and Goals in Design of Equitable Care

(C4.2)” 10.0% The state, federal, and global health policies or goals the policy is related to and the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population are not discussed. The state, federal, and global health policies or goals the policy is related to and the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population are only partially discussed The state, federal, and global health policies or goals the policy is related to and the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population are summarized. Some aspects are unclear or inaccurate. The state, federal, and global health policies or goals the policy is related to and the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population are adequately discussed. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. The state, federal, and global health policies or goals the policy is related to and the degree to which each helps achieve equitable health care for the diverse population are thoroughly explained. The narrative is accurate and well-supported.

“Advocacy Strategies for Improving Access, Quality, and Cost-Effective Health Care

(C2.2)” 10.0% Advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are not discussed. Advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are incomplete. General advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are summarized. More information and support are needed. Advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are discussed. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. Well-developed advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are discussed. NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis Assignment Essays

“Examination of Responsibilities of Master’s Prepared Nurses

(C4.3)” 10.0% The professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective are not discussed. The professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective are only partially discussed.

The professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective are summarized. Some aspects are unclear. Rationale or support is needed. The professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective are adequately discussed. Some detail is needed for clarity or accuracy. “Well-developed advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for the diverse population selected are discussed.
The professional and moral obligation of master’s prepared nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective are thoroughly discussed. The narrative is insightful and well supported.”

Presentation of Content 15.0% The content lacks a clear point of view and logical sequence of information. Includes little persuasive information. Sequencing of ideas is unclear. The content is vague in conveying a point of view and does not create a strong sense of purpose. Includes some persuasive information. The presentation slides are generally competent, but ideas may show some inconsistency in organization or in their relationships to each other. The content is written with a logical progression of ideas and supporting information exhibiting a unity, coherence, and cohesiveness. Includes persuasive information from reliable sources. The content is written clearly and concisely. Ideas universally progress and relate to each other. The project includes motivating questions and advanced organizers. The project gives the audience a clear sense of the main idea. NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis Assignment Essays

Layout 10.0% The layout is cluttered, confusing, and does not use spacing, headings, and subheadings to enhance the readability. The text is extremely difficult to read with long blocks of text, small point size for fonts, and inappropriate contrasting colors. Poor use of headings, subheadings, indentations, or bold formatting is evident. The layout shows some structure, but appears cluttered and busy or distracting with large gaps of white space or a distracting background. Overall readability is difficult due to lengthy paragraphs, too many different fonts, dark or busy background, overuse of bold, or lack of appropriate indentations of text.

The layout uses horizontal and vertical white space appropriately. Sometimes the fonts are easy to read, but in a few places the use of fonts, italics, bold, long paragraphs, color, or busy background detracts and does not enhance readability. The layout background and text complement each other and enable the content to be easily read. The fonts are easy to read and point size varies appropriately for headings and text. The layout is visually pleasing and contributes to the overall message with appropriate use of headings, subheadings, and white space. Text is appropriate in length for the target audience and to the point. The background and colors enhance the readability of the text.

Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use) 5.0% Slide errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but they are not overly distracting to the reader. Slides are largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. Writer is clearly in control of standard, written, academic English.

Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style) 5.0% Sources are not documented. Documentation of sources is inconsistent or incorrect, as appropriate to assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors. Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some formatting errors may be present. Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is mostly correct. Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error.

A Sample Answer 4 For the Assignment:  NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Title: NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

There exist different healthcare policies meant to enhance the delivery of quality healthcare. Some of the current healthcare policies include Affordable Care Policy, Medicare program, Medicaid, Children’s health insurance program, Patient Safety, and Quality Improvement Act. The main purpose of healthcare policies and procedures is to facilitate standardization in healthcare operational activities. Healthcare policies are critical or essential in providing correct procedures to be followed when dealing with issues as well as activities that are important to health and safety. The Affordable Care Act is one of the major current healthcare policies that has transformed the healthcare industry. The Affordable Care Act was passed and signed into law in the year 2010 (Barr, 2016). The policy aimed at providing affordable health insurance coverage to the entire American population. Affordable Care Policy was also created to protect healthcare consumers from costly private insurance companies and would sometimes put restrictions on the healthcare services for the patients. Over the years, millions of Americans have been able to benefit from the Affordable Care policy. Millions of Americans have experienced a significant reduction in healthcare costs. Before the implementation of the Affordable Care Policy, poor Americans could not get effective insurance coverage.  The purpose of the paper is therefore to examine the ACA and its attendant cost-effectiveness, relationship to other policies and advocacy strategies.

How the Affordable Care Policy Was Designed to Improve Cost-Effectiveness

And Health Care Equity for the Population

The Affordable Care Act was designed to enhance healthcare equity. The affordable Care policy was mainly designed to significantly reduce the differences in health outcomes among ethnic, racial, as well as primary language groups (Eichten, 2018). In other words, the policy was meant to address disparities in healthcare delivery and enhance the provision of healthcare to all the population irrespective of the level of income. The major goals of the Affordable Care Act included a reduction in healthcare costs, expansion of healthcare coverage, general improvement in healthcare quality, and population health. These factors were incorporated to reduce health disparities. With the reduced costs and expansion of coverage, ACA was meant to achieve healthcare equity for all the population. Different provisions of the Affordable Care Act directly impact insurers who have been forced to expand the number of people under the cover as well as the conditions under coverage.

To expand healthcare coverage and ensure reduced costs, Affordable Care Act created marketplaces called exchanges where people from different social-economic statuses could purchase health insurance and define their financial aid or assistance eligibility. There are three major types of marketplaces in ACA (Glied & Jackson, 2017). These marketplaces include state-based marketplaces, federal-based marketplaces, as well as state-partnership marketplaces. Since its inception in the healthcare industry, millions of Americans have been able to obtain medical services at a reduced cost. Also, the treatment of some diseases has been fully covered by Obamacare.

Financial Sustainability

Affordable Care Policy is financially sound. Before implementation, it was estimated that Obamacare would reduce the national debt by $140 billion. Also, it was established that the whole policy cost $940 billion considering all the factors that were to be included (Laureate Education, 2018). After the analysis, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office established the policy was effective given its ability to reduce the national budget. Also, The Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act passed Obama taxes as well as budget cuts in different areas, which generally generated more funds for implementing ACA. Given the effective balance of the budget, there were more funds available to offset the cost of the plan. Affordable Care policy accounts for relevant ethical, legal, and political factors as well as nursing perspectives. All these considerations need to be put in place during the implementation. Specifically, the policy advocates for quality healthcare delivery, application of research and evidence-based practices in the treatment processes, as well as dignity and racial sensitivity in the treatment processes. Through continuous legislations, the policy account for the political factors as well as nursing perspectives. All these issues ought to be considered in the implementation process.

Significance of Affordable Care Policy

The Affordable Care Act is related to different state, federal, and global health policies or goals that have been created over the years. In particular, the Affordable Care policy is related to the Global Health Policy (GHP). Global Health Policy mainly facilitates the allocation of resources in different nations and organizations to ensure access to quality healthcare services. Global Health Policy was formulated to address health challenges for the interdependent nations, sectors, and regions with multiple cultures and races, various levels of development, coexistent values, and a variety of capacities. In other words, Global Health Policy was formulated to address disparities when it comes to the management of population health. Similarly, the Affordable Care Policy was formulated to address disparities in the healthcare delivery processes. Also, both the Affordable Care policy and Global Health Policy aimed to improve healthcare delivery quality through research and innovation (Béland et al., 2019). The two organizations are more concerned with the qualification of healthcare professionals. During the formulation of ACA and GHP, there were considerations of different challenges in the healthcare systems, including costs and emerging diseases. Affordable Care Act is also related to the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (PSQIA), a federal policy passed in the year 2005. Just like PSQIA, the Affordable Care Policy was meant to protect both patients and healthcare workers who are likely to report unsafe conditions. Affordable Care Policy was meant to address the goals of GHP and PSQIA through the allocation of enough resources and an increase in access to healthcare systems.

Advocacy Strategies

To ensure that the entire population benefit from the Affordable Care Policy, there is the need to create awareness and inform potential patients and healthcare professionals about the policy’s benefits. Giving patients a voice by informing them about their rights to healthcare services ensures that they can benefit from ACA. Besides, educating patients on the healthcare insurance policies will enable them to understand the requirements in the Affordable Care Policy and how they can benefit from it. In most cases, patients lack knowledge about different insurance policies, especially how they can draw benefits from them (Scott & Scott, 2020). From a Christian perspective, nurses have the responsibility of creating awareness geared towards ensuring quality health outcomes. Also, there is the need for patients from all races to have just and affordable healthcare services. An advanced registered nurse’s professional and moral obligation to advocate for and promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations. When it comes to the provision of quality care geared towards preventing diseases, nurses need to act as advocates to ensure equal treatment and benefits for all. Therefore, through advocacy, patients or different populations will be able to benefit from the Affordable Care Policy.

Conclusion

The Affordable Care Act is one of the major current healthcare policies that has transformed the healthcare industry. The Affordable Care Act was passed and signed into law in the year 2010. Affordable Care policy was mainly designed to significantly reduce the differences in health outcomes among ethnic, racial, as well as primary language groups. In other words, Affordable Care Act was meant to address disparities in healthcare delivery and enhance the provision of healthcare to all the population irrespective of the level of income. Affordable Care Policy is financially sound. Before implementation, it was estimated that Obamacare would reduce the national debt by $140 billion. To ensure that the entire population benefit from the Affordable Care Policy, there is the need to create awareness and inform potential patients and healthcare professionals about the policy’s benefits.

NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis References

Barr, D. A. (2016). Introduction to US Health Policy: the organization, financing, and delivery of health care in America. Johns Hopkins University Press.

Béland, D., Rocco, P., & Waddan, A. (2019). Policy feedback and the politics of the Affordable Care Act. Policy Studies Journal47(2), 395-422. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/psj.12286

Eichten, Z. (2018). Poison Pills: How Subtle Differences in Processes, Public Opinion, and Leadership Doomed the American Health Care Act and Passed the Affordable Care Act. https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/honors_thesis/56/

Glied, S., & Jackson, A. (2017). The future of the Affordable Care Act and insurance coverage. American journal of public health107(4), 538-540. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2017.303665

Laureate Education (Producer). (2018). Introduction to Health Policy and Law with Joel Teitelbaum [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Scott, S. M., & Scott, P. A. (2020). Nursing, advocacy and public policy. Nursing Ethics, 0969733020961823. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0969733020961823

A Sample Answer 5 For the Assignment:  NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

Title: NUR 550 Benchmark – Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis

POLICY DESCRIPTION 

  • Policy name: S.Res. 254- Supporting the designation of “Mental Health Awareness Month.” 
  • Background: toll on the mental well-being due to COVID-19 
  • Policy Interventions 
  • The Senate to support awareness month to fight stigmatization  
  • Emphasize scientific findings regarding mental health recovery 
  • Declare mental health a national priority  

With population health needs varying profoundly and impacting diverse populations differently, it is important to have practical interventions to improve access, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care. Such policies are usually structured in a way that addresses specific population needs (McKenzie et al., 2021). Generally, S.Res. 254 proposals are based on the premise that COVID-19 has affected many lives adversely, with mental pressures rising over time. Accordingly, the policy obliges the Senate to support awareness month to fight stigmatization associates with mental health. Other focus areas include emphasizing scientific findings regarding mental health recovery and declaring mental health a national priority. These interventions will reduce the toll on mental well-being due to COVID-19 and ensure that mental health patients receive the attention and care they deserve. 

Diverse Population Affected By The Policy 

  • Population of Interest: mental health patients 
  • Demographics: US adults and children 

Defining Characteristics 

  • Struggling with mental health 
  • Vulnerable to substance abuse 
  • Highly stigmatized 
  • Often misunderstood and undertreated  
  • Social isolation and psychological stress  

As the policy states, the population of focus is people with mental health problems. S.Res. 254 addresses the need for both adults and children. This population struggle with mental health well-being and are vulnerable to substance abuse (Carbonell et al., 2020). Given this, their problems and vulnerability to other health issues and complications increase proportionately. Vaccari et al. (2020) further found that people with mental health problems are highly stigmatized since their conditions are not sufficiently understood. They need support as much as possible. Loades et al. (2020) also noted that people with mental health problems are victims of social isolation and psychological stress. Awareness programs and prioritizing their needs will reduce the overall impact of COVID-19 and related problems. 

Affordability and access to health care services have been real concerns affecting population health. Cost-effectiveness is a reliable indicator of feasible policies and programs. The policy focuses on preventing the gradual increase in mental health issues, implying that it will be instrumental in reducing the financial burden associated with treating mental health problems. Baumgartner et al. (2020) found that the annual spending towards mental health in the United States is over $200 billion annually. Awareness reduces this cost and the overall illness burden in hospitals and families. Importantly, increased awareness will ensure that resources used for mental health treatment and services can be used in other ways, such as promoting healthy eating. 

Despite populations varying in terms of needs, geographical locations, and socioeconomic status, all people deserve health care services when needed and in the manner needed. Health care equity is primarily about delivering health care services fairly and properly and not according to patient or population group characteristics (Brown et al., 2019; Butler, 2021). Recognizing mental well-being as important as others health aspects such as physical health is a practical way of promoting health care equity since it ensures that mental health is not treated differently. As a result, mental health patients can receive the deserved services when needed. In the same case, the policy also obliges the Senate to ensure access to appropriate services of care and continuously support the overall quality of life for people with mental illnesses. 

Solutions to population health needs apply different perspectives and consider many factors. The nursing perspective is among the highly applied in delivering the best outcomes. The policy applies the nursing perspective by providing a mechanism to make people with mental health problems more functional and free from illness and disability. A nursing perspective is centered on health promotion and reducing adverse outcomes such as suffering and dying in the individual, family, and community contexts (Fu et al., 2020). Ethically, harm reduction is an ethical consideration while promoting equal health services as a right is a legal consideration. Politically, the policy relies on Senate support for implementation and continuous support. 

Health policies aim to achieve different goals. State, federal, and global health goals are common reference points. The main state goal applicable to the policy is reducing health disparities across populations, which ensures that all populations get the health care services deserved. Two federal goals relate to the policy. The first goal is improving mental health by ensuring access to appropriate services and support. The other goal is implementing health reforms that prioritize mental health and personal well-being. Several global health goals relate to the policy. They include integrating clinical, research, and educational efforts to address mental health, alleviate mental suffering through prevention, treatment, and care, and reducing premature mortality of non-communicable diseases. 

Each goal helps to achieve equitable health care for people with mental health needs in different proportions. The state goal helps to a significant degree. The main reason behind this inference is the fact that there is a lot of focus on vulnerable populations to ensure that they are protected from mental pressures associated with COVID-19. Federal goals help to achieve equitable health care for people with mental health problems to a considerable degree. This is because more improvement is required to ensure equal access to appropriate mental health services, although there is some effort. Global health goals help to a fair extent. The current effort is yet to match mental health needs, but a significant proportion still suffers from mental health challenges worldwide. 

People with mental health needs require close attention, protection from abuse, and everyday support in other ways. Advocacy is one way of ensuring that this critical population get the required services, stay informed, and are protected from mistreatment. Advocacy strategies include addressing mental health providers’ shortages. Addressing providers’ shortages ensures that patient needs are addressed timely and optimally (Erickson et al., 2020). The same case applies to mental health provision. Other strategies include patient education on mental health, increased awareness of mental health problems, formulation of policies to promote mental health care, and expanding health organizations’ capacity to provide comprehensive care. All health care organizations should be adequately resourced to provide mental health services besides other health care services. 

Advocacy is primarily about ensuring different populations get some support to get health care services that match their needs. It ensures that there is more focus on population problems and efforts to address the health challenges appropriately. Mental health should be declared a national priority. Its prioritization will increase commitment to address it and help people with mental health needs better than before. Outcomes can be further improved by dedicating special months for mental health support and recovery. The current month under the current policy is May. Other advocacy strategies include instituting community support programs, enacting laws to protect mental health patients from stigma, and liaising with local, national, and faith-based organizations to support families of people with mental health problems. 

Master’s prepared nurses have a professional and moral obligation in helping to achieve different health outcomes from a Christian perspective. Applying the Christian perspective implies that the nurse is empathetic, sympathetic, and genuinely concerned about people’s health problems. Accordingly, such nurses have an obligation to promote awareness of health issues and advocate for organizational and community policies to promote equality and equity and protect vulnerable populations to ensure that their dignity is preserved. Nurses should also collaborate with colleagues to improve the quality of care in organizations, families, and communities and remain active in organizational and community health support teams. 

With health care issues changing their dynamics over time, new health care models and knowledge to improve current outcomes are needed. As a result, engaging in EBP projects to generate new knowledge is part of nurses’ roles. As times and situations necessitate, nurses should also be involved in disease detection programs such as screening. In this case, they should do everything within their means to ensure that individuals and communities live disease-free lives. Other efforts include continuous research, serving as a reliable resource, and serving as a role model. Combined efforts are necessary since population needs are highly diverse hence the need for a multifaceted approach. 

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