NURS 8100 Discussion: Selecting a Policy Analysis Framework

The Well-Being of Care Providers and Quality Patient Care Health Policy

Successful leaders must strive to foster a community of practice that focuses on the well-being of nurses, physicians, and other health care providers across the organization. Illuminating the negative impact of this issue on the quality of patient care and the health care workforce requires a laser-like focus on developing, enacting, and implementing the policy of meeting the urgent need of well-being of health care professionals. Rasool et al. (2021) underscore that supporting employee well-being influences work and organization engagement behaviors. Common health issues that demonstrate the need for well-being include apprehension, illness, depression, and fatigue (Rasool et al., 2021). In order to achieve their goals, high-performing organizations must prioritize employees’ well-being to promote performance input, diminish waste, and reduce poor health insurance costs (Rasool et al., 2021). Finally, elevating the workforce’s well-being demands a healthy work environment that ensures health and safety outcomes for nurses, physicians, and other hea

lth professionals (Geiger-Brown and Lipscomb, 2010).

Policy Framework and Rationale

The need for prioritizing the well-being of care professionals has become a critical issue in advancing the health care delivery system. Protecting nurses, physicians, and other care providers’ overall well-being and safety influences patient outcomes and meets the organizational goals. Therefore, it is essential to foster a positive work environment that elevates the overall well-being of the health care workforce through holistic institutional initiatives.

The Centers for Disease Control Prevention’s (CDCs) Policy Analytical Framework outlines the step-by-step guidelines in prioritizing health improvement policies that include: 1). Identifying the problem or issue; 2). identifying an appropriate policy situation; 3). identifying and describing policy options by assessing and prioritizing policy options; and, 4) developing a strategy for furthering the adoption of a policy solution (CDC, 2013). This framework provides a structured method that begins with problem identification to adopt a suitable policy development. The policy framework forms the capstone that guides policy development. It exemplifies the organizational mission and examines the potential impact of the health policy on the public and health care. (CDC, 2013). In addition, it articulates the political and operational feasibility of the health policy (CDC, 2013). Furthermore, this model in policy development considers the financial and economic implications by examining whether there is value-added to the organization. (CDC, 2013).

Stages in the Policy Process and Analysis Framework Guidance

A critical phase in the process is determining the deterrents to policy development that impacts the budget (CDC, 2013). The process of policy development takes time and resources. Therefore, organizational leaders must be adept at scrutinizing the cost-benefits of the health policy. Operationalizing a health policy requires effective strategies to educate stakeholders and disseminate salient information about the health policy (CDC, 2013). For example, nurse leaders and policymakers must promote buy-in among care providers by considering their learning needs. Furthermore, research and evidence-based practice must support the health development policy.

References

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). CDC’s Policy Analytical Framework. US Department of Health and Human Services.

htttp://www.cdc.gov.policy

Forstag, E. H., & Cuff, P. A. (2018, October 11). A design thinking, systems approach to well-being within education and practice: Proceedings of a workshop. National Center for

Biotechnology Information. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31063291/

Geiger-Brown, J., & Lipscomb, J. (2010). The health care work environment and adverse health and safety consequences for nurses. Annual Review of Nursing Research. 28, 191-231.

Rasool, S. F., Wang, M., Tang, M., Saeed, A., & Iqbal, J. (2021, February 22). How Toxic Workplace Environment Effects the Employee Engagement: The Mediating Role of

Organizational Support and Employee Wellbeing. International Journal of Environmental

Research and Public Health.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33652564/

The selected policy is the implementation of state agency worksite wellness programs, as directed by Texas Government Code, Section 664.053. The health of state employees affects the state’s healthcare expenditures and the productivity of state agencies. For example, obese individuals cost employers an average of $5,555 per year in covered medical, sick days, short-term disability, and workers’ compensation claims combined, whereas the average cost for an employee of recommended weight is $3,839 per year (Texas Department of State Health Services, 2020). Texas Government Code, Section 664.053 requires the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to designate a statewide wellness coordinator to create and promote a model wellness program for state agencies. The statute also directs DSHS to study the implementation and participation rates of state agency worksite wellness programs and report the findings to the Legislature biennially. In 2020, DSHS conducted two surveys, one asking agency wellness liaisons from across Texas state agencies about wellness programs at their respective worksites, and a second asking state employees about their use of wellness-related resources. Of the wellness liaisons surveyed, 65 out of 188 responded to the survey (a 35 percent response rate). Of the responding wellness liaisons, 99 percent reported that their agency has a wellness policy and 55 percent reported a wellness plan that involved implementing activities. However, 46 percent of liaisons reported their agency did not have a wellness budget. Most wellness activities implemented among state agencies required minimal resources so as to work within limited funds, time, agency size, and space. A total of 5,840 state employees out of 145,645 responded to the survey (a 4 percent response rate). A majority of respondents found wellness services and benefits useful but are not aware of the breadth of opportunities available. This indicates more work is needed to raise awareness of these benefits. DSHS leadership and the Statewide Wellness Coordinator will continue to provide technical assistance to wellness liaisons as they implement wellness programs at their agencies. They will also carry out statewide initiatives that align with the objectives of the model wellness program, Work Well Texas (Texas Department of State Health Services, 2020).

The framework is John Kingdon’s multiple streams theory. John Kingdon’s Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies advance theoretically by proposing a differentiation between the concepts of governmental agendas and decision agendas. The agenda is the list of subjects or problems to which governmental officials, and people outside of government closely associated with those officials, are paying some serious attention at any given time. For the author, an issue is placed on the governmental agenda when it catches the attention and the interest of policymakers. Kingdon expands the set of actors related to agenda-setting, considering not only decision-makers within the state but also individuals and groups related to them. In addition, given the complexity and the volume of questions facing policymakers, Kingdon reminds us that only a few issues are seriously considered within the governmental agenda at any given time. These issues correspond to the decision agenda: a subset of the governmental agenda where issues are ready for an active decision (Capella, 2020). In the highly competitive agenda-setting process, few issues move from the government agenda to the decision agenda. In his words, we should also distinguish the governmental agenda, the list of subjects that are getting attention, and the decision agenda, or the list of subjects within the governmental agenda that are up for an active decision. Kingdon explains how agendas change from time to time, proposing an explanatory model organized around three streams, the problems stream, the policy stream, and the political stream. The multiple streams model proposed by the author seeks to analyze the pre-decisional stages of the policy process by explaining policy formulation through three streams connected by a public policy entrepreneur who plays an important role when windows of opportunity make changes possible (Capella, 2020).

The policy is in the implementation stage. DSHS will focus on implementing statewide initiatives that align with the objectives of the model wellness program and will continue to support wellness liaisons as they implement related activities in their agencies. Additionally, DSHS plans to initiate demonstration projects at state agencies that currently do not participate in wellness programming. Such projects may include promoting lactation support policies, partnering with cafeteria/vending operators to increase healthy food options in state buildings, and maintaining annual initiatives such as the fitness challenge and wellness conference. Evidence-based, ready-to-implement activities will decrease the time and effort other agencies need to spend developing their own activities. State agencies would only need to make minor logistical changes to integrate activities into their system. Finally, through ongoing collaboration with the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS), DSHS will continue to address state-level issues related to improving employee health, raising awareness of available benefits, building wellness infrastructure across all agencies, and providing resources and technical assistance.

References

Capella, A. C. N. (2020). Policy agenda-setting studies: an overview of Brazilian research. Revista de Administração Pública, 54, 1498-1512.

Texas Department of State Health Services (2020). Implementation and Participation in State Agency Worksite Wellness

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Important information on Writing a Discussion Question

• Your response needs to be a minimum of 150 words (not including your list of references)
• There needs to be at least TWO references with ONE being a peer reviewed professional journal article.
• Include in-text citations in your response
• Do not include quotes—instead summarize and paraphrase the information
• Follow APA-7th edition
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Participation –replies to your classmates or instructor

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• Follow APA 7th edition
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