Discussion post Nurs 6050 Walden: RNs and APRNs
Discussion post Nurs 6050 Walden: RNs and APRNs
Revisit the Congress.gov website provided in the Resources and consider the role of RNs and APRNs in policy-making.
Reflect on potential opportunities that may exist for RNs and APRNs to participate in the policy-making process.
Post an explanation of at least two opportunities that exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy-making. Explain some of the challenges that these opportunities may present and describe how you might overcome these challenges. Finally, recommend two strategies you might make to better advocate for or communicate the existence of these opportunities to participate in policy-making. Be specific and provide examples.
APA format with at least 3 citations within 5 years
Discussion – Week 7 Sample Student Approach
Health policies are established to support patient care and protect their safety. According to Stevens, in order to improve patient outcomes, new knowledge needs to be translated into clinically useful types efficiently applied throughout the entire care team with all program contacts, and measured in terms of meaningful impact on results and health outcomes (2013). Implementing evidence-based safety practices are difficult and need strategies that address the complexity of a system of care, individual practitioners, senior leadership, and ultimately change in healthcare cultures to be evidenced-based safety practice environment (Titler, M., 2013). It has long been known that public healthpolicy, in the form of laws, regulations, and guidelines, has a profound effect on health status. (Brownson, Chrisui, and Stamatakus, 2009).
As we know opioid abuse has been a continuing problem causing millions of deaths over the years. The miss-use and addiction continues to rise. On October 24, 2018, President Trump signed into policy/law, The Substance Use Disorder Prevention Act that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for patients. This policy/law was passed by both the Senate and the House. The Act is intended to help with the opioid epidemic by including treatment, prevention, recovery, and enforcement (Musumeci & Tolbert, 2018). This new policy helps states provide coverage and service to people who have Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and especially helps those in need of opioid treatment. Working in the hospital I have seen a decrease in the use of opioids.
The hospitals that I work for, MS Contin has been completely eliminated from our Pyxis. The support act now requires that states have drug utilization review safety edits in place for refills, monitor concurrent prescribing opioids and other drugs, and monitor antipsychotic prescribing being four children (Musumeci & Tolbert, 2018). Now Medicaid providers check prescription drug monitor programs before prescribing. I agree having a closer eye and being more restrictive on controlled substances will benefit the public making it harder to obtain. Hopefully, the result will be that the opioids only going to the people who actually need them. I personally have seen a dramatic change in the decreased amount of prescriptions written for opioids. Discussion post Nurs 6050 Walden: RNs and APRNs
References:
Brownson, R., Chriqui, J., and Stamatakis, K.(2009) American Journal of Public Health. Understanding Evidence-Based Public Health Policy.
Musumeci, M. and Tolbert, J. (2018) Medicaid. Federal Legislation to Address the Opioid Crisis: Medicaid Provisions in the Support Act. Retrieved from
Stevens, K. (2013). The Online Journal of Issuers in Nursing. The Impact of Evidenced-Based Practice in Nursing and the Next Big Ideas. 18:4;4.DOI: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol18No02Man04
Titler, M. (2013) NCBI. Chapter 7. The Evidence-Based Practice Implementation. Retrieved from