NR_554 Week 7 Discussion, Resource Appreciation

Resource Appreciation NAME Chamberlain College of Nursing NR 554: Nurse Leader and Healthcare Policy DATE Share your experiences with interdisciplinary, community, state, and national individuals or special interest groups. How are healthcare issues approached? How do the views of non-healthcare professionals contribute to the healthcare policy discussion? Week 7: Resource Appreciation When formulating a healthcare policy, both the healthcare and non-healthcare professionals' views may help in formulating better healthcare policies. Interested groups such as the legislators and policymakers (the government) have a role to play in the making of a healthcare policy which shall be used to set principles and standards that shall be followed nationally. In December 2017 I had a face to face meeting with Congressman David Joyce’s, who represents the 14th district of Ohio, District Director Nick Ciofani at the Congressman’s Twinsburg office. Congressional staffers admit that in-person visits from constituents are the most influential way to communicate with a Senator or Representative who is undecided on an issue (Congressional Management Foundation, 2012). During the meeting, I used a short PowerPoint presentation as a visual aid to keep the district director focused as my policy proposal contains many different parts, provided him with handouts that mirrored the PowerPoint presentation, and a one-page summary placed in clear slide grip report cover for future reference. Clear, concise one to two-page summaries serve as reminders of the policy issue, and they provide staffers and legislators with something to refer to as the issue moves through the legislative process (Congressional Management Foundation, 2012). Using these communication strategies, it is more likely that my policy proposal will be implemented. Any time a nurse or nursing student can play a significant role in healthcare policy, it gives the nursing community more credibility as participants in policy implementation. Ultimately, this leads to the better policy as “realistic nurse-led policy implementation” has advantages over “increasingly complex” health policies that involve multiple government departments (Noyes, Lewis, Bennett, Widdas, & Brombley, 2014). Mr. Ciofani was very impressed with my presentation and was very appreciative that I had provided printed copies of my PowerPoint presentation and a one-page summary for further reference. He also commented on how I presented solutions to a very sensitive subject and not just complaints. Mr. Ciofani did admit that mental health care was not his area of expertise and asked if I could email him a copy of the PowerPoint presentation with the summary page. Mr. Ciofani wants to forward my presentation of optimizing mental health care to his colleague in Washington, DC to review. I emailed Mr. Ciofani with an attachment of the PowerPoint presentation and one-page summary while in his office. Meeting with a congressional staffer can be just as effective as meeting with a legislator because they are often knowledgeable about policy issues and have the trust of the legislator (Congressional Management Foundation, 2012). Meeting with his staff member was an excellent way to share my knowledge and establish a relationship. The insight that I have gained is that you should not expect your first contact with a legislator or staffer to be the only necessary meeting. As I discovered, Mr. Ciofani did not have extensive knowledge about mental health issues or policies but was able to point me in the right direction regarding further contacts and opportunities for networking. The views of the non-healthcare parties may provide information, suggestions, and solutions to the healthcare problems in a country. The legislators or policymakers, for example, play an important duty of formulating the healthcare policies. These are individuals who are also directly affected by the healthcare policy which they formulate. A policy is a set of standards which dictate how the healthcare facilities shall conduct their activities and achieve the quality of care. The input of such parties that are considered as non-healthcare professionals may help in achieving this goal. References Congressional Management Foundation. (2012, December 12). Perceptions of Citizen Advocacy on Capitol Hill. Retrieved from Noyes, J., Lewis, M., Bennett, V., Widdas, D., & Brombley, K. (2014). Realistic nurse‐led policy implementation, optimization and evaluation: novel methodological exemplar. Journal of advanced nursing, 70(1), 220-237. PROFESSOR RESPONSE TO POST: Excellent work Carole. I hope you follow-up with your representative and continue the work that you have started. What are your next steps? Hint: Tapping on coalitions and other agencies advocating for the same issues is good practice. RESPONSE TO PROFESSOR POST: Dr. Fildes, I do plan to follow up with the district director, but I would like to do so with support from an organization like the local chapter of the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI). NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to advocating for effective prevention, diagnosis, treatment, support, and recovery that improves the quality of life for persons suffering from mental illness. NAMI provides education, support, and public awareness to all individuals and families affected by mental illness so that they can build better lives. Coalitions are invaluable in advocacy because they create structures for organizations and individuals to share ownership of common goals. By joining NAMI I can reduce the duplication of effort and resources. Working within the structure of a coalition will provide me access to more stable support networks to assist me in achieving my desired outcomes. Also, by joining forces with a diverse well-organized coalition I will have increased my legitimacy within the community. RESPONSE TO PEER POST: My experience with the community has shown me that the community is concern about better healthcare policies that will produce better healthcare outcomes for people. My experience with the community has shown me that the community want to be involved with the health outcomes of the community. I have had meeting with health activists from the community. I have found that the community engagement have led to a more dynamic relationship and better dialogue with the community. Rosie, The World Health Organization (WHO), argues for the importance of community participation in health care (2002). Promotion of community participation is key to healthy development. A method for achieving community participation is to work through individuals who are able to bring people together and promote action. Political and religious leaders should be involved in their official capacity. It is important to work with people with strong political, religious and commercial influence, to encourage participation from local citizens. Working with the community to explore health issues can progress to discussions of policy development and program responses. Engaging individuals in the community to apply their skills and resources to gain increased influence over the determinants of health, empowers them to address health priorities and meet their respective health needs. The process of participation can empower individuals and communities to understand their own situations and to gain increased control over the factors affecting their lives. This can enhance people’s sense of well-being and overall quality of life. References World Health Organization. (2002). Community participation in local health and sustainable development. Approaches and techniques. Retrieved from