NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU

Grand Canyon University NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU-Step-By-Step Guide

This guide will demonstrate how to complete the NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.

How to Research and Prepare for NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU

Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Grand Canyon University NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.

After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.

How to Write the Introduction for NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU

The introduction for the Grand Canyon University NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.

How to Write the Body for NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU

After the introduction, move into the main part of the NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.

Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.

How to Write the Conclusion for NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU

After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.

How to Format the References List for NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU

The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.

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Sample Answer for NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU

Nurses are advocates who champion different healthcare issues that impact patients, the nursing profession, and health system in general. As advocates, they collaborate with other stakeholders like their elected representatives to push for changes aimed at improving care delivery by addressing emerging issues and problems like access to maternal health care, having full practice authority to increase access, and even allocation of more resources for primary health interventions (Hassmiller, 2021). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the need for full practice authority for nurses to increase access to healthcare for different populations, especially those in rural areas.

Problem In no more than 250 words, describe the problem, who is affected, and the current ramifications. Explain the consequences if the issue continues.
The increasing demand for healthcare across the population and patient spectra implies that more healthcare providers will be required to offer specialized care to meet patient needs. Currently, the nursing shortage continues to hamper attempts to provide quality and primary care to different populations. Today, more than 25 states, territories, and Washington D.C. allow nurse practitioners to have full practice authority (FPA) to increase access to health services and ensure that more Americans, especially in rural areas have care services that they require (AANP, 2022). Rural populations, marginalized groups, and racial minorities as well as low-income families and individuals without health insurance will continue to suffer due to limited access to healthcare if states like Illinois do not allow nurse practitioners to have full practice authority and deal with rising prevalence of diseases, epidemics like the opioid crisis, pandemics, and overall improvement in primary care (Hassmiller, 2021). Studies are categorical that FPA will lead to increased access to health care, especially in rural and remote communities, lead to better or healthcare efficiency, reduce the cost of healthcare, and improve levels of patient and provider satisfaction (Poghosyan et al., 2022). The implication is that full practice authority is essential in making healthcare access better and improving quality as NPs with their specialization can deal with diverse populations, including the elderly with chronic diseases due to aging.
Idea for Addressing Solution In no more than 250 words, outline your idea for addressing the issue and explain why legislation is the best course for advocacy.
Attaining full practice authority is essential and requires a two-pronged approach that entail promoting health equity and removal of practice barriers to nursing. The report by the National Academies of Medicine, “The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity,” places nurses at the center of attaining health equity for millions of Americans (Wakefield et al., 2021). The report recommends efforts to improve the profession, including full practice authority, for nurses to help reduce the health disparities and address the ever-rising social determinants of health (SDOH) that hamper efforts to access healthcare. Through state and federal legislations aimed at making changes to states’ Nursing Practice Act (NPA), legislations can be passed to ensure that qualified nurse practitioners practice to the full level of their education and training as well as their specialty. Full practice authority mandates require legislative actions through the actions of elected representatives at state and federal levels. Full practice authority will help attain health equity and lead to reforms in nursing education and curriculum as nurse will advance equity for all patients through cultivating an inclusive environment, offering support and mentorship, and ensuring that nurse practice cultural humility as well as being aware of their biases (Poghosyan et al., 2022). Legislative actions are the most effective approach in advocating the full practice authority mandates since such laws will be mandatory and state nursing boards will have to oblige and develop mechanisms to realize the new practice standards and requirements.
Research the Issue Perform research and compile information for your idea. Present substantive evidence-based findings that support your idea for addressing the problem (studies, research, and reports). Include any similar legislation introduced or passed in other states.
Evidence 1	Evidence from the report by National Academies of Medicine supports full practice authority because of the benefits it shall provide in addressing disparities and attainment of health equity, especially for vulnerable populations. Nurses with FPA will be primary care providers in rural and remote settings and fill the gaps left by the limited number of physicians.
Evidence 2	According to Zwilling et al. (2021) utilization of NPs in states with full practice authority has led to better healthcare access, especially at primary care level. The article notes that deploying NPs with FPA will help reduce access barriers, lead to innovative care provision, and reduce the overall costs of care as well as increasing patients’ satisfaction.
Evidence 3	According to reports by Centers for American Progress (CAP), communities in rural areas will get increased access to healthcare since they are the most affected by any shortage of healthcare providers, including nurses and physicians (Waldrop et al., 2022). Therefore, increasing FPA will address the shortage of primary health providers in rural settings.
Stakeholder Support Discuss the stakeholders who would support the proposed idea and explain why they would be in support.
Stakeholder(s) Supporting 1	Nurses will be the most vocal advocates for FPA, especially those with specialization and in states with reduced or restricted practice authority like Illinois. The support for the FPA will ensure that they practice to full level of their training and specialization, can meet patient needs and do not require supervision from physicians. The move will enhance their status as equal primary care providers and raise their esteem.
Stakeholder(s) Supporting 2	Professional nursing associations that have advocated states to mandate FPA will also welcome such a move as it would improve the overall welfare of nurses and their satisfaction levels. The move will also imply that more NPs will get advanced education and training to meet patient needs and demands.
Stakeholder(s) Supporting 3	Patients and their families, especially in rural and remote areas will welcome the move as it would improve access to quality and affordable care. These stakeholders will also receive customized services due to cultural competent care that will be advocated by the NPs based on their practice settings.
Stakeholder Opposition Discuss the stakeholders who would oppose the proposed idea. Explain why they would be in opposition and how you would prepare to debate or converse about these considerations.
Stakeholder(s) Opposed 1	Physicians may oppose FPA for NPs since it will make them not seek supervision mandates. Physicians stand to lose substantial revenues and may not have the clout since NPs would be equal primary care providers. However, they should understand that having FPA will increase access to quality care and they would also benefit as it will address physician shortage in certain areas.
Stakeholder(s) Opposed 2	State nursing boards may also be opposed to FPA since it will mean more NPs can offer primary care. The boards will also have to comply with these regulations and ensure that nursing curricula capture the new aspects of health care delivery models.
Financial Incentives/Costs In no more than 250 words, summarize the financial impact for the issue and the idea (added costs, cost savings, increased revenue, etc.). Provide support.
The financial incentives of having FPA for NPs are bound based on existing studies and reports. The cost of nursing and physician shortage to the healthcare industry is astronomical as patients spend more to access specialized care in far-flung areas. Again, more healthcare facilities and organizations are investing in health technologies like telehealth to improve accessibility. The recent pandemic and an aging population has pushed the demand for care by 20% and healthcare organizations continue to struggle in filling these gaps. Having FPA will reduce and prevent duplication of services and billing costs related to outdates physician oversight over NP (Wakefield et al, 2021). The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) (2023) asserts that FPA reduces unnecessary repetition of order, physician visits and care services. FPA would also streamline care and make delivery more efficient as it removes delays arising from the regulatory-mandated contracts with physician as a practice condition for the nurses. Therefore, the financial incentives associated with FPA are significant and also the efficiency that will emerge from allowing the NPs to practice based on their training and education levels. States could save up to $872 million by allowing NPs to have full practice. Again, NPs will have more incentives to practice and provide care to patients and populations with full practice authority (Madura et al., 2022). The implication is that the financial incentives arising from FPA will be significant and the expected reduced cost will ensure that patients spend less on care provision.
Legislature: Information Needed and Process for Proposal Discuss the how to advocate for your proposal using legislation. Include the following:
Provide the name and complete contact information for the legislator.
Describe the steps for how you would present this to your legislator.		I would conduct research and develop a proposal on the issue, in this case, need for FPA and the associated benefits. I will present the proposal to the legislator by requesting a formal meeting and if allowed make the presentation developed through slide presentation. I will describe the aspects of the proposal and what it means for the legislator as the main sponsor if he or she decides to present it as a bill in the House or Senate.
Outline the process if your legislator chooses to introduce your idea as a bill to Congress.		The legislator will develop the bill by having professional and expert input. The legislator would then present the bill for first reading on the floor, especially the House. The bill will then be assigned to departmental committees based on the areas it affects. The committees will make necessary changes or amendments and present the bill for a second reading. The House will debate and approve, reject or make more changes before sending back the bill to the committee. Upon making the changes, the committee will bring back the bill for a third reading and debate before members take a vote on it. If passed by majority and move to Senate where upon passage, it will be enacted after a presidential signing.
Christian Principles and Nursing Advocacy In no more than 250 words, discuss how principles of a Christian worldview lend support to legislative advocacy in health care without bias. Be specific as to how these principles help advocate for inclusiveness and positive health outcomes for all populations, including those more vulnerable, without regard to gender, sexual orientation, culture, race, religion/belief, etc.
God calls on people to be ambassadors and advocate issues that affect a majority of individuals in their practice settings and environments. In this case, irrespective of their racial composition, patients need access to healthcare services across states to improve their health conditions. Nurses should make efforts aimed at advocating better care for patients, especially those with chronic condition in rural and remote locations. Legislative advocacy offers a chance for patients to advocate better care and accessibility to health care services. Having full practice authority (FPA) will lead to better access to care and patients, irrespective of their cultural beliefs, sexual orientation, and religious affiliations (Pembroke, 2019). Since all are created in God’s image and likeness, they should access care and having FPA will ensure that such populations and individuals can get services. Christian healthcare is characterized by works of compassion based on Christian ethos that embrace the teaching of human dignity, solidarity and the common good (Poghosyan et al., 2022). Therefore, nurses and other providers should advance Christian-centered approaches that lead to the greater common good for the majority of the population. Biblical values like love, kindness and generosity should override any decisions and approaches by different stakeholders in making choices to improve care delivery and access among different populations.

Conclusion

Advocacy through legislation allows nurses to identify and advance issues of mutual benefit to patients and health populations. Having full practice authority (FPA) is an issue that requires legislative actions and decisions since it will allow nurses to offer more care services and serve as primary care providers in such areas and remote settings. As demonstrated, FPA will lead to increased access, reduce cost of care, and improve the quality of care. As such, through state and federal legislations, nurses, especially nurse practitioners can have full practice authority in their states, beginning with Illinois.

References

American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). (2023). Issues at a Glance: Full Practice Authority.

https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/advocacy-resource/policy-briefs/issues-full-practice-brief

Hassmiller, S. B. (2021). The future of nursing 2020-2030. AJN: The American Journal of Nursing, 121(5), 7.

DOI: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000751020.95176.0c.

Madura, B., Zaletel, C. L., & Lancaster, R. J. (2022). Advocating, implementing, and supporting the journey to full-practice authority

in a large healthcare system. The Nurse Practitioner, 47(12), 10-13. DOI: 10.1097/01.NPR.0000884928.05884.8f

Waldrop, T. & Gee, E. (2022 February 9). How States Can Expand Health Care Access in Rural Communities.

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/how-states-can-expand-health-care-access-in-rural-communities/

Pembroke, N. (2019). Empathic and compassionate healthcare as a Christian spiritual practice. Practical Theology, 12(2), 133-146.

DOI: 10.1080/1756073x.2019.1586343

Wakefield, M., Williams, D. R., & Le Menestrel, S. (2021). The future of nursing 2020-2030: Charting a path to achieve health

equity. National Academy of Sciences.

Zwilling, J., Fiandt, K., & Ahmed, R. (2021). Comparison of rural and urban utilization of nurse practitioners in states with full

practice authority. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 17(4), 386-393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.12.033

Poghosyan, L., Pulcini, J., Chan, G. K., Dunphy, L., Martsolf, G. R., Greco, K., … & Solari-Twadell, P. A. (2022). State responses to

COVID-19: Potential benefits of continuing full practice authority for primary care nurse practitioners. Nursing outlook, 70(1), 28-35. DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2021.07.012

Sample Answer 2 for NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU

Currently, the high cost of health care posse a major challenge on Americans as families are finding increasingly hard to pay for health care. The similar situation is found in the state of California where the rising cost of health care remains a key challenge. According to California Health Care Foundation (2020), California spent approximately $292 billion, which is about 12% of the state’s economy. Moreover, Lown Institute (2019) reports that California has spent nearly 146% in health care between the years 2007 to 2018, which is about 26% of the state’s budget. However, this budget goes directly to the health care and leaving out spending on community conditions. This implies that California is compromising the potential long-term health benefits for short-term health temporary solutions. Therefore, the imbalance between health care and community condition spending requires dialogue and actions based on sound policy. Essentially, the increasing cost of health care in the recent decades have prompted California to forgo much needed investment in community conditions such as public health, social services, education, and environmental protections. Therefore, this policy seeks to improve health in people of California by increasing funds to community condition. This initiative can be funded by reducing excessive expenditure and curbing the waste on health care and redirecting the savings to community conditions.

Idea for Addressing Solution

The idea to advocate for balance in the investment in health care and community condition was informed by the need to avoid the focus on short-term health solutions and embrace long-term health benefits. Essentially, if the state can invest in community conditions such as public health, education, environmental protection, and social services, the citizens will be adequately informed on the health issues, leading to positive outcomes. In turn, expenditure in health care will drastically reduced since the community conditions will emphasize on preventive measures. Moreover, this idea will equally address health disparities because the community interventions will target every member of the society including the economically disadvantaged, minority groups, and people living with disabilities. and seek to provide patient-centered interventions. Therefore, this change can be best realized by changing the policy that governs health care spending in California.

In this case, legislation is deemed the best course of advocacy because it will help in soliciting public support for the idea since formulation of legislations is an open process that needs perspectives, participation, and scrutiny by the people. Moreover, legislation will enhance clarity on the idea and act as a basis for policy’s consistency in application and operation.

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Assessment Description

Nurses often become motivated to change aspects within the larger health care system based on their real-world experience. As such, many nurses take on an advocacy role to influence a change in regulations, policies, and laws that govern the larger health care system.

For this assignment, identify a problem or concern in your state, community, or organization that has the capacity for advocacy through legislation. Research the issue and use the “Advocacy Through Legislation” template to complete this assignment.

You are required to cite a minimum of three sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years, appropriate for the assignment criteria, and relevant to nursing practice.

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.

Sample Answer 3 for NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU

Advocacy entails any action aimed at pleading, or arguing for a course, idea or policy with the aim of increasing awareness and ensuring that stakeholders take necessary measures to address any raised concerns or issues. Nurses are patient advocates who seek to enhance the health of the population through policy changes and transformations at organizational, state, and even federal levels of care provision. Obesity remains a national, state, and even organizational issue because of its adverse effects on individuals, populations and health care system. Obesity increases the risk for comorbidities, especially chronic conditions, like diabetes and hypertension (Wolff-Baker et al., 2019). The purpose of this paper is to explore the issue of obesity and advocate interventions through legislative policies, like early care and education (ECE) to prevent the problem among residents of Maryland.

Problem In no more than 250 words, describe the problem, who is affected, and the current ramifications. Explain the consequences if the issue continues.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2022) asserts that obesity is a complex condition that happens when a person’s weight is higher than what is healthy based on their height. Obesity is a national epidemic in the United States and affects one in every three adults and one in six children. The alarming rise in childhood obesity shows a future burden of chronic conditions that require addressing by the health care system. Obesity prevention is a critical aspect of controlling obesity-associated non-communicable diseases that include diabetes and coronary artery disease. As a state, Maryland has the 24th highest adult obesity rate in the country with about 31.6% of its adult residents having the condition based on their body mass indices (Southern Maryland Chronicle News Desk, 2022). Public health advocates consider obesity as a the “new tobacco” because of its high levels of morbidity and mortality, its effects on healthcare resources, and its connection to psychological, social, and environmental factors. Individuals from low income households, minority populations like Hispanics and Blacks are more susceptible to obesity due to consumption of fast foods that are generally unhealthy. Obese children are more likely to have cardiovascular risk factors, type 2 diabetes and are at an elevated risk for mortality and morbidity, just like adults who have increased risk for developing diverse types of cancer (Wolff-Baker et al., 2019). Obesity impairs the quality of life as it increases one’s susceptibility to heart disease, kidney failure and pulmonary disease. These chronic conditions exacerbate the need for healthcare resources since they lead to increased demand for healthcare services at different levels of care provision. Obesity as a national health concern requires effective legislative policy and measures, not just at the state but also at the federal level.
Idea for Addressing Solution In no more than 250 words, outline your idea for addressing the issue and explain why legislation is the best course for advocacy.
As stated, obesity is a complex issue and no one-size-fits-app approach can be considered as effective. While creating awareness through educational sessions is the most effective way to address the epidemic, other solutions like advocacy through legislation suffice to support the educational strategies. A majority of individuals are not aware of being obese or overweight until they are diagnosed with obesity-associated health issues that include hypertension and type 2 diabetes among others. Over 70 different health conditions are associated with obesity. Stigmatization is a core challenge that hinders healthcare providers from engaging individuals presenting with obesity and overweight condition in their facilities (Blumenthal et al., 2018). Affected individuals, both children and adults, face negative attitudes and are bullied leading to social exclusion and feeling of unworthy. Healthcare providers do not have sufficient skills to handle obese children. Addressing this issue requires having advocacy that focuses on increasing awareness among healthcare providers to handle the obese patients, reduction in stigmatization, and implementation of childhood obesity prevention programs at school and in other areas of interactions. Healthy eating habits are a core part of this early care and education (ECE) initiatives at school and home for children and adults. Using ECE would allow families and providers to offer quality and health interventions to reduce obesity in the state and the country. Close to 25 states dedicate a part of their funding on obesity to ECE programs and initiatives across the country (Wakefield et al., 2022). Legislation is the best advocacy approach to preventing and reducing the rates of obesity as it will increase mandate and regulatory frameworks for initiatives aimed at health food financing, expansion of market food assistance, promotion of local produce and development of grocery stores as well as research on access to healthy foods.
Research the Issue Perform research and compile information for your idea. Present substantive evidence-based findings that support your idea for addressing the problem (studies, research, and reports). Include any similar legislation introduced or passed in other states.
Evidence 1	Studies show that ECE is a critical component of preventing obesity, especially early onset in childhood. Hassnik (2018) asserts that risk factors for obesity in early years are related to obesity in adulthood. These factors include early feeding habits, and activity or inactivity patterns. The study is categorical that preventing obesity in the early stage or age is essential to reducing susceptibility in later years. The article notes that child care centers can implement multi-component interventions to prevent children from gaining excess weight, particularly those with elevated risks who include children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The article notes that children should remain the focus of obesity prevention initiatives since they can inculcate better conduct when they learn early.
Evidence 2	In their article, Jackson et al. (2021) observe that early childhood education and care (ECE) provides the foundation for lifelong learning and development. As such, these centers represent a core setting for the delivery of public health obesity prevention strategies aimed at improving dietary behaviors and physical activity. These interventions and the setting create supportive environments that enhances dietary behaviors to improve one’s health. Multi-component interventions like increasing access to healthier food, promotion of these foods and interactive sessions like taste testing healthier foods and flyers are effective educational approaches that will enhance information and awareness to diverse populations.
Stakeholder Support Discuss the stakeholders who would support the proposed idea and explain why they would be in support.
Stakeholder(s) Supporting 1	Stakeholders’ support is a critical aspect of any successful legislative process. In this case, the prominent stakeholders to support this advocacy intervention include parents and families with obese children and individuals. Child care organizations, especially those advocating healthy eating will also support this idea since it provides practical interventions to address the issue of obesity (Ortiz et al., 2019). These entities help child care providers meet local and state program requirements and implementing of certain measures to promote public health.
Stakeholder(s) Supporting 2	Community health workers, especially nurse practitioners, will also support the initiative as it leads to better ways of managing obesity in the state. Nurses as patient advocates will support the initiative because of its focus on primary care intervention through prevention. Government representatives will also support the initiative through federal and state agencies like Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Stakeholder Opposition Discuss the stakeholders who would oppose the proposed idea. Explain why they would be in opposition and how you would prepare to debate or converse about these considerations.
Stakeholder(s) Opposed 1	Stakeholders who may oppose this idea include businessmen and factory owners who specialize in manufacture and distribution of unhealthy foods, especially fast food establishments. Sugar-sweetened beverage tax increment can hurt businesses and consumers leading to resistance from certain quarters.
Stakeholder(s) Opposed 2	Opposition can also come from politicians if bills aimed at restricting personal choice and raising taxes are introduced into the house. Such initiatives to adopt healthy eating will hurt certain industries whose proprietors may join critics or opponents of the bill.
Financial Incentives/Costs In no more than 250 words, summarize the financial impact for the issue and the idea (added costs, cost savings, increased revenue, etc.). Provided support.
Obesity is a chronic condition that is associated with comorbidities and increased cost of care for affected individuals and communities. The healthcare system across the country and in the state of Maryland spends billions of dollars on expenses related to obesity and associated diseases like hypertension and diabetes (Chan et al., 2021). Obesity is linked to a higher risk for serious conditions that include hypertension, coronary heart diseases, asthma and stroke as well as arthritis and type 2 diabetes. The increase in the prevalence of these conditions also implies that health care systems and individuals will spend more on added costs to attain better outcomes and quality of life or manage the condition at different stages of their life and care continuum. The costs associated with obesity imply that policies like Affordable Care Act (ACA) must consider making insurance premiums more affordable and sustainable to diverse patient and health populations, especially those from low-income households or settings. Severe obesity’s prevalence is about 8% with projections showing a rise if no measures exist for providers and health care systems to institute early interventions in their settings (Blumenthal et al., 2018). The rise in obesity rates across the nation means that Maryland should develop interventions like ECE through their legislative processes to increase early prevention measures for individuals and health populations at the lower levels. The financial incentives provided by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) may not be applicable to the issue of obesity based on rewarding of quality care provision by organizations and healthcare providers.
Legislature: Information Needed and Process for Proposal Discuss the how to advocate for your proposal using legislation. Include the following:
Provide the name and complete contact information for the legislator.
Describe the steps for how you would present this to your legislator.		The initial step would be to collect necessary information and supporting data about the issue. The second step would be to book an appointment with the legislator through his office. Thirdly, when granted the permission, I would make the presentation based on facts and data to convince him to adapt the issue and work with his office to draft a bill for presentation to Congress.
Outline the process if your legislator chooses to introduce your idea as a bill to congress.		Introduction of Bill in Congress Committee Action (vetting by relevant committees) Floor Action (Congress debates) Voting Conference Committees Presidential Action (signature) Creation of Law (The U.S. House of Representatives (2020)
Christian Principles and Nursing Advocacy In no more than 250 words, discuss how principles of a Christian worldview lend support to legislative advocacy in health care without bias. Be specific as to how these principles help advocate for inclusiveness and positive health outcomes for all populations, including those more vulnerable, without regard to gender, sexual orientation, culture, race, religion/belief, etc.
The Christian principles of justice, fairness, equity are at the core of having strategies to reduce obesity and ensure that all people lead better lives. Justice entails being fair in everything that one does to honor God and show love for their neighbors. Obesity is a public health issue that affects millions of Americans; especially those from low-income households and families. Obese individuals, both children and adults, face increased levels of discrimination and stigmatization due to their conditions (Boroumand et al., 2020). As such, efforts like early care and education (ECE) demonstrate the need to transform their perspectives and ensure that they can access care and primary interventions in an equal manner, just like others, who have sufficient resources. Advocacy is a core aspect of the Christian worldview as it means that nurses take the responsibility of helping those in need, just like Jesus who preached the Gospel for the common good of man. Equality and justice mean that all should be treated in the same way without a consideration of their gender or sexual orientation, culture and race because obesity does not discriminate. Nurses are pillars of healthcare advocacy (Ortiz et al., 2019). Like Jesus, they should advocate for others who are voiceless and fear for their self-worth or value. Being engaged and talking to legislators, nurses advocate for changes in health care for the underserved population. By serving others, one serves God and shows their love for the neighbor as guiding principle of the Christian faith and worldview. Christian advocacy implores people to seek and bring justice to those faced with violence, poverty, and discrimination and help them experience God in more profound ways. Health disparities are prevalent among low-income households and it is important to advocate for their common good.

Conclusion

Obesity is a national health concern that requires different stakeholders to focus on mitigation measures and interventions that can be supported through legislative actions. The implementation of early care and education (ECE) interventions in Maryland would help reduce the prevalence of obesity within the state and improve healthcare outcomes. Again, these measures are critical to addressing associated health conditions like hypertension and diabetes among those at increased risk for obesity.

References

Blumenthal, D., & Seervai, S. (2018). Rising obesity in the United States is a public health crisis. The Commonwealth

Fund. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2018/rising-obesity-united-states-public-health-crisis

Boroumand, S., Stein, M. J., Jay, M., Shen, J. W., Hirsh, M., & Dharamsi, S. (2020). Addressing the health advocate role in medical

education. BMC Medical Education, 20, 1-5. DOI: 10.1186/s12909-020-1938-7.

Chan, C. D., & Litam, S. D. A. (2021). Mental Health Equity of Filipino Communities in COVID-19: A Framework for Practice and

Advocacy. Professional Counselor, 11(1), 73-85. https://doi.org/10.15241/cdc.11.1.73

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2022). Causes of Obesity.

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/basics/causes.html

Hassink, S. G. (2017). Early child care and education: A key component of obesity prevention in infancy. Pediatrics,140(6),

e20172846. doi:10.1542/peds.2017-2846

Jackson, J. K., Jones, J., Nguyen, H., Davies, I., Lum, M., Grady, A., & Yoong, S. L. (2021). Obesity prevention within the early

childhood education and care setting: a systematic review of dietary behavior and physical activity policies and guidelines in high income countries. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(2), 838. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18020838

Southern Maryland Chronicle News Desk (2022). This Is Where Maryland Ranks Among the Most Obese States in America.

This Is Where Maryland Ranks Among the Most Obese States in America

Ortiz, J., Hofler, R., Bushy, A., Lin, Y. L., Khanijahani, A., & Bitney, A. (2018, June). Impact of nurse practitioner practice

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Wakefield, M., Williams, D. R., & Le Menestrel, S. (2021). The future of nursing 2020-2030: Charting a path to achieve health

equity. National Academy of Sciences.

Wolff-Baker, D., & Ordona, R. B. (2019). The expanding role of nurse practitioners in home-based primary care: Opportunities and

challenges. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45(6), 9-14. DOI: 10.3928/00989134-20190422-01.

Sample Answer 4 for NRS 440 Advocacy Through Legislation GCU

Problem

Idea for Addressing Solution

Research the Issue

Evidence 1

The rising health care cost in America is a threat to the economy the spending on other sectors is likely to decline considerably to accommodate for the increases in health care spending. As a result, the government is under intense pressure and has resorted to implement various techniques and initiatives to check the high health care expenditure (Brown, 2016). One of such initiative includes health promotion and transformation of health care industry, which may be achieved through empowering community conditions as advanced in this proposed legislation.

Evidence 2

The proposed idea has been supported by many scholars and researchers. For instance, the report by (Lown Institute (2019) acknowledges that California focus mostly on health care funding at the expense of community conditions. However, the impact of community conditions on the health of population is considerable. For instance, the report states that the deaths caused by social discrimination, poor education, and ineffective social support are akin to death from stroke, heart attack, and cancer. Based on the influence of community conditions on health, it is improper to prioritize health care over community conditions such as social programs, education, environment protection, and public health. Consequently, the political dialogue on health at all levels of government should not be confined on access and affordability of health care but also framed on community conditions.

Supporting 1

The idea is likely to be supported by the government because it seeks to reform the health care system, which is in line with the governmental objective to enable citizens get quality health care.

Supporting 2

The idea will also be supported by the nurses and other health care provider because its success will lead to significant reduction in number of patients seeking secondary health care services. In turn, work burden clinicians are currently facing will reduce.

Opposed 1

The pharmaceutical manufacturers may oppose this legislation due to fear of losing market for their products because of the reduction in patients seeking secondary care. However, the manufactures will be encouraged to tap into the opportunities available.

Opposed 2

The private health care players will oppose the legislation as they may perceive the idea as a threat to their already flourishing business. However, there are still more opportunities in health care delivery that they opt for.

Financial incentives

The legislation is cost effective because it advocates on health promotion to help in reducing the rising health cost.

Legislature

The steps that be used is to organize a dialogue with the legislator and present the benefits of the legislation reducing health care cost and promoting population health including the current information indicating why the legislation should be adopted now.

Process

The process of introduce this proposal as a bill to Congress include presenting the proposal seeking support from other members of Congress. The bill is officially introduced by first reading. The bill then goes to committee on health where it is examined and necessary changes are made. After endorsement by committee, it is take floor for debate. If amendment is proposed during debate, they are fixed. The second and third reading is conducted and the voting is done to pass or reject the bill. If the bill is passed, it is taken to President to sign it into law (Oleszek, Oleszek, Rybicki & Heniff Jr, 2015).

Christian worldview

As a Christian, this legislation is crucial in advancing the financing of community conditions to help in promoting health and healing as Jesus did throughout His ministry. Everyone is equal before God and this legislation enhances by equality by advocating community conditions that target every individual alike.

References

Brown, E. C. (2016). The double-edged sword of health care integration: consolidation and cost control. Ind. LJ, 92, 55.

California Health Care Foundation. (2020). Health Care Costs – California Health Care Foundation. California Health Care Foundation. Retrieved 7 July 2020, from https://www.chcf.org/topic/health-care-costs/.

Lown Institute. (2019). California’s Health Care Paradox: Too much Health Care Spending may Lead to Poor Community Health. Lowninstitute.org. Retrieved 7 July 2020, from https://lowninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/californias-health-care-paradox.pdf.

Oleszek, W. J., Oleszek, M. J., Rybicki, E., & Heniff Jr, B. (2015). Congressional procedures and the policy process. CQ press.

Attachments

Advocacy Through Legislation – Rubric
Criteria Description

Problem, Those Affected, Current Ramifications, and Consequences if Problem Continues

5. Excellent

23.25 points

A well-develop discussion of the problem, those affected, current ramifications, and consequences if the issue continues is presented. Strong and compelling rationale is provided. Insight into the problem and consequences is demonstrated.

4. Good

20.69 points

A discussion of the problem, those affected, current ramifications, and consequences if the issue continues is presented. Some rationale is needed.

3. Satisfactory

18.37 points

A summary of the problem, those affected, current ramifications, and consequences if the issue continues is presented. There are some omissions and inaccuracies. Rationale is needed.

2. Less Than Satisfactory

17.44 points

A partial or vague discussion of the problem, those affected, current ramifications, and consequences if the issue continues is presented. Why the problem would be best addressed through legislation is unclear.

1. Unsatisfactory

0 points

A description of the problem, those affected, current ramifications, and consequences if the issue continues is omitted.

Criteria Description

Idea for Addressing Solution

5. Excellent

15.5 points

A logical and well-developed idea for addressing the issue is outlined. Why legislation is the best course for advocacy is thoroughly explained. Strong and compelling rationale is provided.

4. Good

13.8 points

Idea for addressing the issue is outlined. Why legislation is the best course for advocacy is generally explained. Some rationale is needed.

3. Satisfactory

12.25 points

Idea for addressing the issue is generally outlined. Why legislation is the best course for advocacy is summarized. There are some minor omissions. Rationale is needed.

2. Less Than Satisfactory

11.63 points

Idea for addressing the issue is vague. Why legislation is the best course for advocacy is unclear. There are major omissions.

1. Unsatisfactory

0 points

Idea for addressing the issue and why legislation is the best course for advocacy is omitted.

Criteria Description

Research Supporting Solution for Problem

5. Excellent

23.25 points

Substantive evidence-based findings that support the idea for addressing the problem, including similar legislation in other states, are presented and demonstrate strong and compiling support for the idea.

4. Good

20.69 points

Idea for addressing the issue is outlined. Why legislation is the best course for advocacy is generally explained. Some rationale is needed. Substantive evidence-based findings that support the idea for addressing the problem, including similar legislation in other states, are presented. There are minor inaccuracies. Some detail is needed.

3. Satisfactory

18.37 points

2. Less Than Satisfactory

17.44 points

Some support for the idea and its effectiveness in addressing the problem is presented. Findings presented are not substantiated, or do not provide evidence-based support for the idea.

1. Unsatisfactory

0 points

Substantive evidence-based findings that support the idea for addressing the problem, including similar legislation in other states, are omitted.

Criteria Description

Stakeholder Support

5. Excellent

15.5 points

All significant stakeholders in support of the proposed idea are presented and a well-supported explanation of why they are in support of the idea are provided.

4. Good

13.8 points

Key stakeholders in support of the proposed idea are presented. It is generally clear why they are in support of the idea. Some detail or rationale is needed.

3. Satisfactory

12.25 points

Substantive evidence-based findings that support the idea for addressing the problem, including similar legislation in other states, are generally presented. More information is needed. There are some inaccuracies.General stakeholders in support of the proposed idea are presented. It is unclear why they are in support of the idea. More information is needed.

2. Less Than Satisfactory

11.63 points

At least one stakeholder in support of the proposed idea is presented. The assignment criteria are largely incomplete.

1. Unsatisfactory

0 points

Stakeholders in support the proposed idea are omitted.

Criteria Description

Stakeholder Opposition

5. Excellent

15.5 points

All significant stakeholders in opposition to the proposed idea are presented. A well-supported explanation for why they are opposed to the idea and strategies for debating or conversing with opposing stakeholders is presented.

4. Good

13.8 points

Key stakeholders in opposition to the proposed idea are presented. A general explanation for why they are opposed to the idea and strategies for debating or conversing with opposing stakeholders is presented.

3. Satisfactory

12.25 points

General stakeholders in opposition to the proposed idea are presented. Explanation for why they are opposed to the idea and strategies for debating or conversing with opposing stakeholders is vague.

2. Less Than Satisfactory

11.63 points

At least one stakeholder in support of the proposed idea is presented. The assignment criteria are largely incomplete.At least one stakeholder in opposition to the proposed idea is presented. The assignment criteria are largely incomplete.

1. Unsatisfactory

0 points

Stakeholders in opposition to the proposed idea are omitted.

Criteria Description

Financial Incentives and Costs

5. Excellent

15.5 points

The financial impact for the issue and idea is clearly summarized. Strong rationale and support for claims is provided.

4. Good

13.8 points

The financial impact for the issue and idea is summarized. Support for claims is generally supported.

3. Satisfactory

12.25 points

The financial impact for the issue and idea is outlined. More information or support is needed for claims.

2. Less Than Satisfactory

11.63 points

The financial impact for the issue and idea is only partially presented. The assignment criteria are largely incomplete.

1. Unsatisfactory

0 points

The financial impact for the issue and idea is omitted.

Criteria Description

Legislature Process and Information for Proposal

5. Excellent

15.5 points

Legislative information needed and process to advocate for proposal are clearly and logically presented. The legislative process is clearly understood and insight into legislative advocacy is demonstrated.

4. Good

13.8 points

The financial impact for the issue and idea is summarized. Support for claims is generally supported.Legislative information needed and process to advocate for proposal are presented. Information or detail is needed in some areas for accuracy or clarity.

3. Satisfactory

12.25 points

Legislative information needed and process to advocate for proposal are generally outlined.There are some inaccuracies or omissions.

2. Less Than Satisfactory

11.63 points

Legislative information needed and process to advocate for proposal are largely incomplete.

1. Unsatisfactory

0 points

Legislative information needed and process to advocate for proposal are omitted.

Criteria Description

Christian Principles and Nursing Advocacy

5. Excellent

15.5 points

A well-developed discussion of how Christian principles support unbiased advocacy for health care legislation is presented. The discussion demonstrates an ability to act impartially and in the interest of promoting inclusive patient care without regard to gender, sexual orientation, culture, race, religion, or belief.

4. Good

13.8 points

A discussion of how Christian principles support unbiased advocacy for health care legislation is presented. The discussion generally demonstrates how the principles support positive patient outcomes and inclusiveness for all populations. Some detail or information is needed for clarity.

3. Satisfactory

12.25 points

A summary of how Christian principles support unbiased advocacy for health care legislation is presented. Some rationale or information is needed to demonstrate how the principles support positive patient outcomes and inclusiveness for all populations.

2. Less Than Satisfactory

11.63 points

A discussion of how Christian principles support unbiased advocacy for health care legislation is incomplete. It is unclear how the principles support positive patient outcomes and inclusiveness for all populations.

1. Unsatisfactory

0 points

A discussion of how Christian principles supporting unbiased advocacy for health care legislation is omitted.

Criteria Description

Research

5. Excellent

7.75 points

Research is supportive of the rationale presented. Sources are distinctive. Addresses all of the issues stated in the assignment criteria.

4. Good

6.9 points

Research is timely and relevant, and addresses all of the issues stated in the assignment criteria.

3. Satisfactory

6.12 points

Research is adequate. Sources are standard in relevance, quality of outside sources, and/or timeliness.

2. Less Than Satisfactory

5.81 points

Few outside sources were used to support the assignment. Limited research is apparent.

1. Unsatisfactory

0 points

No outside sources were used to support the assignment.

Criteria Description

Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, and language use)

5. Excellent

3.1 points

The writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English.

4. Good

2.76 points

Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. The writer uses a variety of effective sentence structures and figures of speech.

3. Satisfactory

2.45 points

Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but they are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct and varied sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are employed.

2. Less Than Satisfactory

2.33 points

Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register) or word choice are present. Sentence structure is correct but not varied.

1. Unsatisfactory

0 points

Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice or sentence construction is employed.

Criteria Description

Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style)

5. Excellent

4.65 points

Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error.

4. Good

4.14 points

Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is mostly correct.

3. Satisfactory

3.67 points

Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some formatting errors may be present.

2. Less Than Satisfactory

3.49 points

Documentation of sources is inconsistent or incorrect, as appropriate to assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors.

1. Unsatisfactory

0 points

Sources are not documented.

Total 155 points