NURS 242- Exam 2 Questions and Correct Answers Latest Update 2025-2026
what is the definition of health policy?
examples? - Answers goal-directed decision making about health that is the result of an authorized,
public decision making process; those actions, nonactions, directions, and/or guidance related to health
that are decided by governments or other authorized entities.
what are some examples?
decisions related to federal subsidies for the education of health professionals, state regulations that
cover insurance benefits
the scope of health policy is ______ and _____.
what are some examples of macro-level? micro-level? - Answers wide and varied
macro level: i.e. medicare program funding
micro: co payments for care
what are the major public authorities operating at the federal, state and local level? (4) - Answers 1.
state and national legislatures
2. state and national and local courts and judiciary
3. executive branches of federal and state governments
4. regulatory agencies
what do legislatures provide for health policy? - Answers -authority to create laws
- determining appropriate funding for legislative act
-providing oversight for policies that are administered by government agencies
what do court systems provide for health policy? - Answers - often staging grounds for determining
rights in health policy disputes through judicial review (ie can include challenging unreasonable
government action, supporting the establishment of newly created rights through legislation, ensuring
protection provided by healthcare law)
what does the executive branch provide for health policy?
who oversees tasks completed by this branch?
jobs of chief executives? - Answers -responsible for execution of laws passed by legislatures
,state governors, US president, chief executive
chief executives- develop and implement institutional budgets, control vast resources of executive
branch and usually able to use veto authority to influence policy changes
what do regulatory agencies do for health policy? - Answers -may be part of executive branch or
independent
implement and enforce laws through a rule-making process
-rules made by these agencies have the force of law (ie decisions related to nursing licensure by state
boards)
What are the 3 major attributes of health policy?
minor attributes (2)? - Answers MAJOR:
1. Decisions are made by authorized government institutions (ie legislatures, courts, government-
authorized entities)
2. decision-making process is subject to public review and public input
3. health policies address a public goal
MINOR:
1. health policies are subject to ongoing review by governing institutions and by the public
2. health policy goals change according to changes in political and social values, trends and attitudes
Explain each stage of the policy process:
agenda setting
policy formation
policy adoption
policy implementation
policy evaluation - Answers 1. agenda setting: health related issue is identified as a problem- nurses can
be helpful in this stage to frame the issue (creating a particular perspective of the issue- ie patients have
the right to assisted suicide bc they have right to make their own decisions)
2. policy formulation- different policy interventions are proposed and considered
, 3. policy adoption- proposed intervention is selected
4. policy implementation- carrying out proposed intervention
5. policy evaluation- determining if policy achieved the desired policy goals.
what are the theoretical links with healthcare policy? - Answers intergovernmental relationships,
participative governance, values, dynamic tension
what are the 2 values that are the heart of most public policy decisions? - Answers fairness and
efficiency
what produces dynamic tension between competing health policy interests? what are the intersections?
- Answers federalism, participative governance, and need to negotiate values produce dynamic tension
access, cost and quality are the intersections
______ ______= relates to decisions that promote the welfare of the public (ie obesity and regulation of
high fat and sugar products available in public schools, Medicare paying for weight loss programs)
_______ ____= governs the workplace (ie a policy developed in workforce that relates to prevention os
obesity, such as exercise facilities onsite
________= the actions of the nurse are judged as substandard to what is expected in 'reasonable and
prudent' standards of practice and result in harm to others - Answers social policy
institutional policy
negligence
Who is tasked with the implementation and administration of nurse practice acts, including issuing
licenses to legally practice nursing? - Answers state regulatory agency and politically appointed board of
nursing- can also make rules that have force of law- also have power to revoke licenses if nurse is
practicing unsafely
name some FEDERAL exemplars of health care policy - Answers FEDERAL:
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
what is the definition of health policy?
examples? - Answers goal-directed decision making about health that is the result of an authorized,
public decision making process; those actions, nonactions, directions, and/or guidance related to health
that are decided by governments or other authorized entities.
what are some examples?
decisions related to federal subsidies for the education of health professionals, state regulations that
cover insurance benefits
the scope of health policy is ______ and _____.
what are some examples of macro-level? micro-level? - Answers wide and varied
macro level: i.e. medicare program funding
micro: co payments for care
what are the major public authorities operating at the federal, state and local level? (4) - Answers 1.
state and national legislatures
2. state and national and local courts and judiciary
3. executive branches of federal and state governments
4. regulatory agencies
what do legislatures provide for health policy? - Answers -authority to create laws
- determining appropriate funding for legislative act
-providing oversight for policies that are administered by government agencies
what do court systems provide for health policy? - Answers - often staging grounds for determining
rights in health policy disputes through judicial review (ie can include challenging unreasonable
government action, supporting the establishment of newly created rights through legislation, ensuring
protection provided by healthcare law)
what does the executive branch provide for health policy?
who oversees tasks completed by this branch?
jobs of chief executives? - Answers -responsible for execution of laws passed by legislatures
,state governors, US president, chief executive
chief executives- develop and implement institutional budgets, control vast resources of executive
branch and usually able to use veto authority to influence policy changes
what do regulatory agencies do for health policy? - Answers -may be part of executive branch or
independent
implement and enforce laws through a rule-making process
-rules made by these agencies have the force of law (ie decisions related to nursing licensure by state
boards)
What are the 3 major attributes of health policy?
minor attributes (2)? - Answers MAJOR:
1. Decisions are made by authorized government institutions (ie legislatures, courts, government-
authorized entities)
2. decision-making process is subject to public review and public input
3. health policies address a public goal
MINOR:
1. health policies are subject to ongoing review by governing institutions and by the public
2. health policy goals change according to changes in political and social values, trends and attitudes
Explain each stage of the policy process:
agenda setting
policy formation
policy adoption
policy implementation
policy evaluation - Answers 1. agenda setting: health related issue is identified as a problem- nurses can
be helpful in this stage to frame the issue (creating a particular perspective of the issue- ie patients have
the right to assisted suicide bc they have right to make their own decisions)
2. policy formulation- different policy interventions are proposed and considered
, 3. policy adoption- proposed intervention is selected
4. policy implementation- carrying out proposed intervention
5. policy evaluation- determining if policy achieved the desired policy goals.
what are the theoretical links with healthcare policy? - Answers intergovernmental relationships,
participative governance, values, dynamic tension
what are the 2 values that are the heart of most public policy decisions? - Answers fairness and
efficiency
what produces dynamic tension between competing health policy interests? what are the intersections?
- Answers federalism, participative governance, and need to negotiate values produce dynamic tension
access, cost and quality are the intersections
______ ______= relates to decisions that promote the welfare of the public (ie obesity and regulation of
high fat and sugar products available in public schools, Medicare paying for weight loss programs)
_______ ____= governs the workplace (ie a policy developed in workforce that relates to prevention os
obesity, such as exercise facilities onsite
________= the actions of the nurse are judged as substandard to what is expected in 'reasonable and
prudent' standards of practice and result in harm to others - Answers social policy
institutional policy
negligence
Who is tasked with the implementation and administration of nurse practice acts, including issuing
licenses to legally practice nursing? - Answers state regulatory agency and politically appointed board of
nursing- can also make rules that have force of law- also have power to revoke licenses if nurse is
practicing unsafely
name some FEDERAL exemplars of health care policy - Answers FEDERAL:
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
