NUR4108 Policy Brief Guideline/Rubric Course Objectives, Program Outcomes, and AACN Essentials:
1. Participate as a nursing professional in political processes and grassroots legislative efforts to influence healthcare policy.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments, including local, state, national, and global healthcare trends.
3. Explore the impact of socio-cultural, economic, legal, and political factors influencing healthcare delivery and practice.
4. Identify the implications of healthcare policy on the issues of access, equity, affordability, and social justice in healthcare delivery.
5. Examine legislative and regulatory processes relevant to the provision of healthcare.
Title: Policy Brief Audience:
General Public/Legislator
Point of view: First Person Format: APA
Template: Template provided,
optional Length: 1-2 pages only
References: Minimum of four (4); one must be a nursing, scholarly journal article from 2014-2109
Assignment Guidelines: For this assignment, you will research and write a scholarly policy brief that will be the foundation for your advocacy letter/email to your Congress-person, Senator, or local Representative on a current bill in progress. A policy brief is a short, neutral summary of what is known about a particular issue or problem. The brief should provide evidence and actionable recommendations. The purpose of the policy brief is to convince the target audience of the urgency of the current problem and the need to adopt the preferred alternative course of action outlined in the brief. Policy briefs are “frontloaded”- this means that your conclusions are on the front page! In preparation for this assignment and during week one, identify your legislators at the federal and state level (including your U.S. Congressional Representative, U.S. Senators, State Senators, and State House Representatives and how to reach them) from the following website: https://www.govtrack.us/ You will follow up this policy brief with a letter/email to your legislator(s) in week seven. Informational web sites: Academic Policy Brief Assignments https://writingcenter.unc.edu/policy-briefs/ Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Health Affairs Policy Briefs https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/collections/health-affairs-briefs.html Health Affairs https://www.healthaffairs.org/ Nursing web sites for supportive information: -American Nurses Association (ANA) Policy and Advocacy. Here you can find state legislative issues the ANA is promoting across the country. http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/Policy-Advocacy -Florida Nurses Association-Nursing, Advocacy, Engagement http://cqrcengage.com/fln/home?0 -Florida Center for Nursing (FCN) and the Action Coalition (FL-AC) https://www.flcenterfornursing.org/FL-ActionCoalition.aspx Governmental web sites to get you started in your research: Florida Senate: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bills/2018 Florida House: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/bills.aspx U.S. Congress: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/ U.S. Senate: https://www.senate.gov/legislative/bills.htm U.S. House of Representatives: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/subjects/house_of_representatives/5947?congre%20ss=115 You must cover all of the following sections in your policy brief: Background: What is the aim of the policy brief? What problem will your brief address? What evidence do you have to support the problem? What are the policy options? What is the likelihood of the policy getting passed?
Issue Summary: Describe the issue and the associated bill. Who is the audience/stakeholders? Why is the problem important to them? Who else might be affected by the policy?
Recommendations: What policy action are you proposing? What are your recommended actions from the evidence presented? Do you have a strong argument supported with evidence?
References: Minimum of four (4); one must be a nursing, scholarly journal article. Include the bill in APA format. A template has been provided to guide your policy brief and it is highly recommended for use.
Important: For the policy brief, select an issue with an associated bill that can be addressed through your local, state, or federal legislators. This policy brief can be the foundation for your advocacy letter/email to be completed later in the course.