1
D025 AWM2 Policy Paper - Task 2 Essentials for advanced professional nurse and
professional roles (Reducing Obesity in Low-Income Adults) Western Governors
University
Reducing Obesity in Low-Income Adults
Kathryn J. Rieske
College of Health Professions, Western Governors University
D025: Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles & Interpersonal
Practice
January 28, 2025
, 2
Reducing Obesity in Low-Income Adults
Advanced Professional Nurse as Advocate
The advanced professional nurse (APN) is crucial in healthcare advocacy. Since
the late 19th century, nurses have advocated for vulnerable populations to ensure
access to essential healthcare. An APN can identify risks and advocate for vulnerable
populations in the traditional clinical setting and within the community through public
health.
Public health is how society collectively guarantees the conditions in which
people can be healthy (Nickitas et al., 2018). The APN possesses the skills and
knowledge needed to apply the public health framework within the public and
population health realm. The three core functions of the public health framework are
assessment, policy development, and assurance (Nickitas et al., 2018). The APN is
trained to identify health problems within a community and provide insight on ways to
combat the identified problem during the policy development phase. Nurses are
consistently ranked as the most trustworthy profession and are pivotal in informing and
educating people about health issues (Nickitas et al., 2018). People trust the opinion of
nurses, which is highly influential when developing public health policies.
The APN also serves as a patient advocate in the clinical practice setting. APNs
can focus on the individual and identify health concerns directly impacting a patient. The
APN can then direct preventative care measures to improve individuals' health
outcomes.
Interprofessional Collaboration
Interprofessional collaborations are necessary to provide high-quality healthcare
in clinical and public health settings, and this is critical to improving the accessibility,
, 3
quality, and value of healthcare (Sullivan et al., 2015). Communication is easily the
most crucial strategy in
D025 AWM2 Policy Paper - Task 2 Essentials for advanced professional nurse and
professional roles (Reducing Obesity in Low-Income Adults) Western Governors
University
Reducing Obesity in Low-Income Adults
Kathryn J. Rieske
College of Health Professions, Western Governors University
D025: Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles & Interpersonal
Practice
January 28, 2025
, 2
Reducing Obesity in Low-Income Adults
Advanced Professional Nurse as Advocate
The advanced professional nurse (APN) is crucial in healthcare advocacy. Since
the late 19th century, nurses have advocated for vulnerable populations to ensure
access to essential healthcare. An APN can identify risks and advocate for vulnerable
populations in the traditional clinical setting and within the community through public
health.
Public health is how society collectively guarantees the conditions in which
people can be healthy (Nickitas et al., 2018). The APN possesses the skills and
knowledge needed to apply the public health framework within the public and
population health realm. The three core functions of the public health framework are
assessment, policy development, and assurance (Nickitas et al., 2018). The APN is
trained to identify health problems within a community and provide insight on ways to
combat the identified problem during the policy development phase. Nurses are
consistently ranked as the most trustworthy profession and are pivotal in informing and
educating people about health issues (Nickitas et al., 2018). People trust the opinion of
nurses, which is highly influential when developing public health policies.
The APN also serves as a patient advocate in the clinical practice setting. APNs
can focus on the individual and identify health concerns directly impacting a patient. The
APN can then direct preventative care measures to improve individuals' health
outcomes.
Interprofessional Collaboration
Interprofessional collaborations are necessary to provide high-quality healthcare
in clinical and public health settings, and this is critical to improving the accessibility,
, 3
quality, and value of healthcare (Sullivan et al., 2015). Communication is easily the
most crucial strategy in
