Policy & Advocacy for Improving Population Health NURS 6050 Course Description
Course Description
NURS 6050 – Policy & Advocacy for Improving Population Health
(5 credits)
In today’s rapidly changing healthcare delivery system, decisions made within the political arena significantly impact the future of health delivery systems, healthcare professionals, and the populations they serve. This course examines the policy process and its influence on healthcare delivery, cost, quality, and access. Students analyze how healthcare issues reach federal and state agendas, explore governmental responses through legislation and regulation, and identify strategic opportunities for nurses to advocate for positive outcomes in policy design, implementation, and evaluation.
Through discussions, case studies, grid analyses, advocacy statements, and comparative projects, students evaluate policies affecting healthcare structure, financing, and quality. The course also addresses healthcare delivery from a global perspective, examining the role of the nurse as advocate in addressing population health challenges, including ethical issues, regulatory processes, and international comparisons. Emphasis is placed on developing practical advocacy skills to influence health policy at local, state, national, and global levels.
Prerequisites: NURS 6002N or NURS 6003N (or equivalent foundational course).
Course Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
Analyze the influence of policy and politics on the cost, quality, and access to healthcare.
Evaluate how healthcare issues are placed on policy agendas and addressed through legislation/regulation.
Develop advocacy strategies, including fact sheets, talking points, and program design recommendations.
Compare U.S. healthcare policies with those of other nations and assess global health implications.
Examine ethical, regulatory, and professional nursing roles in policy-making and advocacy.
Weekly Schedule Overview and Assignment Topics
The course is typically organized into modules spanning 11 weeks, with weekly discussions (main post + responses) and major assignments due in selected weeks. Below is a detailed outline of weekly topics and assignments, synthesized from standard Walden NURS 6050 structures.
Module 1: Weeks 1–2 – Agenda Setting in Health Policy
Topics: Introduction to health policy and politics; the policy process (agenda setting, formulation, adoption); presidential and congressional agendas; how issues gain traction on the policy agenda; role of nurses in agenda setting.
Weekly Discussion (Week 1): Presidential Agendas – Compare recent presidential healthcare priorities and their potential impact on population health.
Major Assignment (Week 2): Agenda Comparison Grid and Fact Sheet or Talking Points Brief
Students create a grid comparing how two or three U.S. presidents (or administrations) addressed a chosen healthcare issue (e.g., opioids, mental health, prescription drug costs, or access to care).
Develop a one-page fact sheet or talking points brief to advocate for placing the issue on the current agenda. Guide: Select a timely population health issue, use evidence-based data, address economic/political context, and propose nurse-led advocacy strategies. Include APA citations and focus on impact on cost, quality, and access.
Module 2: Weeks 3–4 – Legislation and the Policy Process
Topics: How bills become law; the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and subsequent reforms; politics of healthcare legislation; legislative grid analysis; advocacy statements.
Weekly Discussion (Week 3): Politics and the ACA – Analyze how political factors have influenced the implementation or modification of key provisions.
Major Assignment (Week 4): Legislation Grid and Testimony/Advocacy Statement
Complete a legislation comparison grid for a current or proposed health bill.
Write a short advocacy statement or testimony (e.g., for a congressional committee) supporting or opposing the legislation with a focus on population health outcomes. Guide: Identify a specific bill, summarize its provisions, analyze pros/cons for equity and access, and articulate the nurse’s role in supporting or improving the policy.
Module 3: Weeks 5–6 – Regulation, Nursing Boards, and Professional Organizations
Topics: Regulatory processes; state Boards of Nursing vs. professional nurse associations (e.g., ANA, specialty organizations); scope of practice issues; impact of regulation on nursing practice and population health.
Weekly Discussion (Week 5): Regulation and its effects on healthcare delivery or a related policy topic.
Major Assignment (Week 6): Understanding the Role of Boards of Nursing and Professional Nurse Associations
Compare and contrast the functions of a state Board of Nursing and a professional nursing association.
Discuss how each influences policy, advocacy, and population health. Guide: Include examples of regulatory vs. advocacy activities, such as licensure, continuing education, or legislative lobbying. Analyze implications for advanced practice nurses.
Module 4: Weeks 7–8 – Developing Advocacy Campaigns and Programs
Topics: Designing and implementing advocacy campaigns; program design and evaluation; opportunities and challenges in policy-making; nurse-led initiatives for population health improvement.
Weekly Discussion (Week 7 or 8): Opportunities and challenges in health policy-making or ethical considerations in advocacy.
Major Assignment (Week 8): Advocating for the Nursing Role in Program Design and Implementation
Develop a proposal or presentation advocating for greater nursing involvement in the design and implementation of a specific population health program (e.g., addressing childhood obesity, telehealth access, or chronic disease management).
Include rationale, stakeholder analysis, potential barriers, and evaluation metrics. Guide: Emphasize evidence from policy literature and demonstrate how nursing expertise improves outcomes in cost, quality, and equity.
Module 5: Weeks 9–11 – Global Health, Ethical Issues, and Nurse Advocacy
Topics: Global health comparisons; ethical issues in policy (e.g., aging populations, resource allocation); what nurses can do to influence global and domestic policy; synthesis of advocacy skills.
Weekly Discussion (Week 10): Ethical Issues with an Aging Population or similar global/domestic ethical dilemma.
Weekly Discussion (Week 11): What Can Nurses Do? – Reflect on actionable steps for nurses in policy and advocacy.
Major Assignment (Week 11): Global Health Comparison Matrix (or final synthesis project)
Compare a U.S. healthcare policy/issue with the approach taken in another country.
Analyze impacts on population health outcomes and propose advocacy recommendations for improvement. Guide: Use data on cost, quality, access, and equity; discuss lessons for U.S. policy and the nurse advocate’s role in global health contexts.
Additional Course Elements
Grading: Typically includes weekly discussions (main post + peer responses), module assignments, and a final project or reflection. Rubrics emphasize critical analysis, evidence-based writing, APA formatting, and application to population health.
Required Resources: Textbook (e.g., Health Policy and Politics: A Nurse’s Guide), peer-reviewed articles, government websites (Congress.gov, CDC, WHO), and media on current policy issues.
Skill Development: Students build portfolios of advocacy tools (grids, fact sheets, statements) useful for real-world policy engagement.
This course equips MSN students—especially those in Nurse Practitioner or other advanced practice tracks—with the knowledge and skills to influence health policy as leaders and advocates, ultimately improving population health outcomes.
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