AWM3: Advocating for Policy Change 1
WGU D025 AWM3: Advocating for Policy Change to Improve Health Outcomes in the
Community | Latest 2026 Update with complete solutions.
Advocating for Policy Change to Improve Health Outcomes in the Community
Student name
College of Health Professions, Western Governors University
D025: Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles & Interpersonal Practice
Gina Loveitt
October 14, 2025
,AWM3: Advocating for Policy Change 2
Advocating for Policy Change to Improve Health Outcomes in the Community
Advanced Professional Nurse as Advocate
Across the United States, communities and populations experience a range of health
disparities and inequities that Advanced Practice Nurses can address by lobbying and advocating
for policy changes to improve health outcomes. More specifically, the advanced professional
nurse (APN) can serve as an advocate for population health in the state of Connecticut (CT) in
regard to the opioid crisis. According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health (n.d.),
residents of CT are more likely to die from an unintentional drug overdose than from a motor
vehicle accident, and the “Connecticut age-adjusted rate for unintentional drug-induced mortality
was 33.3 per 100,000 population compared to the 2023 national rate of 29.1.” This data
demonstrates a stark need for CT professionals, such as APNs, to become more involved in
statewide initiatives targeted towards decreasing opioid use among the population. The APN can
look upon the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Domain 3, which identifies
nurses’ role in advocating for and supporting population health. Two specific AACN
competencies that can guide the APN are Competency 3.1, Manage population health, and
Competency 3.2, Engage in effective partnerships.
Competency 3.1: Manage population health — In this competency, it is vital for the
APN to assess a system’s competence in serving a subpopulation’s healthcare needs and use data
analysis to determine if the healthcare system is effective in meeting those needs (AACN, 2023).
Further under this competency, the APN should determine the priorities of care for a given
population, adjust care priorities in response to what the community needs, and analyze the
feasibility of implementing varying changes to leave a positive impact. An example of this
, AWM3: Advocating for Policy Change 3
would be an APN assessing the current needs of opioid users within the state of CT. These needs
could include access to mental health services, the amount of Narcan in circulation within the
community, and availability and affordability of suboxone. The APN would assess what each of
CT’s eight counties’ needs are and prioritize care based upon population feedback.
Competency 3.2: Engage in effective partnerships — This competency is rooted in
developing collaborative relationships with individuals and organizations that are stakeholders
within a given population’s needs (AACN, 2023). Within this competency, it is important for the
APN to continually evaluate these partnerships for their effectiveness in achieving health
outcomes through proper data analysis. Additionally, the APN should learn how to nurture these
relationships to sustain long-term partnerships and have the ability to delegate tasks and
responsibilities to varying partners. An example of an APN in Connecticut engaging in effective
partnerships is collaborating with local public health directors to discuss plans for addressing the
opioid crisis in their communities. Additionally, the APN could identify stakeholders within each
community who are already involved in opioid crisis work and foster close relationships with
these individuals and/or groups to design and implement evidence-based interventions.
Interprofessional Professionalism Assessment
The Interprofessional Professionalism Assessment (IPA) is a tool the APN can utilize to
gain a broader understanding of their professional behavior when working with other members
of health teams. This test is broken into six sections: communication, respect, altruism and
caring, excellence, ethics, and accountability. This Registered Nurse’s (RN) understanding of
each category and the results of the assessment is as follows:
1. Communication: The ability for professionals to exchange thoughts and ideas with each
other and patients. Employs active listening, the ability to coordinate communication
WGU D025 AWM3: Advocating for Policy Change to Improve Health Outcomes in the
Community | Latest 2026 Update with complete solutions.
Advocating for Policy Change to Improve Health Outcomes in the Community
Student name
College of Health Professions, Western Governors University
D025: Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles & Interpersonal Practice
Gina Loveitt
October 14, 2025
,AWM3: Advocating for Policy Change 2
Advocating for Policy Change to Improve Health Outcomes in the Community
Advanced Professional Nurse as Advocate
Across the United States, communities and populations experience a range of health
disparities and inequities that Advanced Practice Nurses can address by lobbying and advocating
for policy changes to improve health outcomes. More specifically, the advanced professional
nurse (APN) can serve as an advocate for population health in the state of Connecticut (CT) in
regard to the opioid crisis. According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health (n.d.),
residents of CT are more likely to die from an unintentional drug overdose than from a motor
vehicle accident, and the “Connecticut age-adjusted rate for unintentional drug-induced mortality
was 33.3 per 100,000 population compared to the 2023 national rate of 29.1.” This data
demonstrates a stark need for CT professionals, such as APNs, to become more involved in
statewide initiatives targeted towards decreasing opioid use among the population. The APN can
look upon the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Domain 3, which identifies
nurses’ role in advocating for and supporting population health. Two specific AACN
competencies that can guide the APN are Competency 3.1, Manage population health, and
Competency 3.2, Engage in effective partnerships.
Competency 3.1: Manage population health — In this competency, it is vital for the
APN to assess a system’s competence in serving a subpopulation’s healthcare needs and use data
analysis to determine if the healthcare system is effective in meeting those needs (AACN, 2023).
Further under this competency, the APN should determine the priorities of care for a given
population, adjust care priorities in response to what the community needs, and analyze the
feasibility of implementing varying changes to leave a positive impact. An example of this
, AWM3: Advocating for Policy Change 3
would be an APN assessing the current needs of opioid users within the state of CT. These needs
could include access to mental health services, the amount of Narcan in circulation within the
community, and availability and affordability of suboxone. The APN would assess what each of
CT’s eight counties’ needs are and prioritize care based upon population feedback.
Competency 3.2: Engage in effective partnerships — This competency is rooted in
developing collaborative relationships with individuals and organizations that are stakeholders
within a given population’s needs (AACN, 2023). Within this competency, it is important for the
APN to continually evaluate these partnerships for their effectiveness in achieving health
outcomes through proper data analysis. Additionally, the APN should learn how to nurture these
relationships to sustain long-term partnerships and have the ability to delegate tasks and
responsibilities to varying partners. An example of an APN in Connecticut engaging in effective
partnerships is collaborating with local public health directors to discuss plans for addressing the
opioid crisis in their communities. Additionally, the APN could identify stakeholders within each
community who are already involved in opioid crisis work and foster close relationships with
these individuals and/or groups to design and implement evidence-based interventions.
Interprofessional Professionalism Assessment
The Interprofessional Professionalism Assessment (IPA) is a tool the APN can utilize to
gain a broader understanding of their professional behavior when working with other members
of health teams. This test is broken into six sections: communication, respect, altruism and
caring, excellence, ethics, and accountability. This Registered Nurse’s (RN) understanding of
each category and the results of the assessment is as follows:
1. Communication: The ability for professionals to exchange thoughts and ideas with each
other and patients. Employs active listening, the ability to coordinate communication
