D025 Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles & Interpersonal Practice AWM2 Advocacy
Essay Western Governors University
Advocating for Policy Change to Improve Health Outcomes in the Community
Morgan A. Chappuis
College of Health Professions, Western Governors University
D025: Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles & Interpersonal
Practice
Jessica Bechard
, Advocating for Policy Change to Improve Health Outcomes in the
Community
Advanced professional nurses have a responsibility to their community to be
involved in policy change to improve health outcomes for all individuals, especially
those at-risk for health disparities, inequality, or inaccessibility. Policy advocacy can
promote healthcare improvement, greater healthcare equality, and disassemble
barriers faced by a diverse patient population in being able to fully address their
healthcare needs. The purpose of the following essay is to outline how the advanced
professional nurse can serve as an advocate to implement healthcare policy change
through interprofessional collaboration with the advocacy action team, healthcare
professionals, and local policymakers applicable to the policy issue.
Advanced Professional Nurse as Advocate
One of the most meaningful roles of the advanced professional nurse is that of
patient advocate. Within the field of nursing, there are many advocacy opportunities,
both in the clinical and community setting. As nurses are often those involved in the
direct care of the patient and are at the forefront of recognizing health disparities that
negatively impact patient health outcomes, nurses have the responsibility to use their
unique voice, clinical experience, and educational expertise to advocate for applicable
policy change. The advanced professional nurse’s role as a patient advocate will differ
whether the nurse is advocating for an individual patient in the clinical setting versus
advocating for an at-risk or minority population within the community. For example, in
the clinical setting, the nurse is addressing the specific needs of a single patient. The
needs of this one patient may not be the needs of the unit as a whole or directly benefit
any other patient within the nurse’s care. However, when the nurse is advocating for
policy change within the community or on a state or national level, the nurse will need
to identify a pattern of barriers or challenges being faced by a specific patient
, population, using
Essay Western Governors University
Advocating for Policy Change to Improve Health Outcomes in the Community
Morgan A. Chappuis
College of Health Professions, Western Governors University
D025: Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles & Interpersonal
Practice
Jessica Bechard
, Advocating for Policy Change to Improve Health Outcomes in the
Community
Advanced professional nurses have a responsibility to their community to be
involved in policy change to improve health outcomes for all individuals, especially
those at-risk for health disparities, inequality, or inaccessibility. Policy advocacy can
promote healthcare improvement, greater healthcare equality, and disassemble
barriers faced by a diverse patient population in being able to fully address their
healthcare needs. The purpose of the following essay is to outline how the advanced
professional nurse can serve as an advocate to implement healthcare policy change
through interprofessional collaboration with the advocacy action team, healthcare
professionals, and local policymakers applicable to the policy issue.
Advanced Professional Nurse as Advocate
One of the most meaningful roles of the advanced professional nurse is that of
patient advocate. Within the field of nursing, there are many advocacy opportunities,
both in the clinical and community setting. As nurses are often those involved in the
direct care of the patient and are at the forefront of recognizing health disparities that
negatively impact patient health outcomes, nurses have the responsibility to use their
unique voice, clinical experience, and educational expertise to advocate for applicable
policy change. The advanced professional nurse’s role as a patient advocate will differ
whether the nurse is advocating for an individual patient in the clinical setting versus
advocating for an at-risk or minority population within the community. For example, in
the clinical setting, the nurse is addressing the specific needs of a single patient. The
needs of this one patient may not be the needs of the unit as a whole or directly benefit
any other patient within the nurse’s care. However, when the nurse is advocating for
policy change within the community or on a state or national level, the nurse will need
to identify a pattern of barriers or challenges being faced by a specific patient
, population, using
