Social Justice Project, Part 2: Literature Review and Evidence-Based Practice Recommendations (20 percent of final grade)

Assignment Information

In the first part of this project, you identified a consumer challenge related to equity, access, affordability, and/or social justice in health care and analyzed the impact of legislation on the problem. Now, you will be searching the literature to identify potential solutions and ways of recommending them.

Searching for evidence is a critical step in evidence-based practice. You must perform this step to be prepared to offer evidence-based solutions. In this assignment, you will conduct a literature review to find evidence-based approaches to address your identified issue.

Completion of this assignment will demonstrate your achievement of the following course outcomes:

• 4. analyze the impact of sociocultural, economic, and environmental influences on health care policies to understand consumer challenges related to equity, access, affordability, and social justice in health care
• 5. evaluate the political advocacy process to identify opportunities for nursing professional involvement

Assignment Guidelines

1. Identify at least five sources pertinent to the consumer challenge you identified in the first part of this project. At least three of the sources must be articles from professional peer-reviewed publications.
2. In a 5–6-page paper, complete the following:
   1. Synthesize your findings from the literature.
   2. Based on your findings, identify evidence-based solutions to the problem.
   3. Describe methods of advocacy that you could use to present your recommendations.
   4. Use APA style for your citations and references.

This activity aligns with:

Course Outcome 3. Discuss how regulatory agencies and professional organizations influence nursing practice and healthcare delivery to support optimal quality patient care.

Course Outcome 4. Analyze the impact of sociocultural, economic, and environmental influences on health care policies to understand consumer challenges related to equity, access, affordability, and social justice in healthcare. 

Course Outcome 5. Evaluate the political advocacy process to identify opportunities for nursing professional involvement. 

Course Outcome 6. Delineate strategies that nurses can use to engage in advocacy for healthcare policy to support equity, access, affordability, and social justice for consumers and in support of the nursing profession. 

AACN BSN Essential I.6: Engage in ethical reasoning and actions to provide leadership in promoting advocacy, collaboration, and social justice as a socially responsible citizen.

AACN BSN Essential V.4: Examine legislative and regulatory processes relevant to the provision of health care.

AACN BSN Essential V.6: Explore the impact of sociocultural, economic, legal, and political factors influencing healthcare delivery and practice.

AACN BSN Essential V.7: Examine the roles and responsibilities of the regulatory agencies and their effect on patient care quality, workplace safety, and the scope of nursing and other health professionals’ practice.

AACN BSN Essential VII.12: Advocate for social justice, including a commitment to the health of vulnerable populations and the elimination of health disparities.

AACN BSN Essential VIII.1: Demonstrate the professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct.

Week 4 Learning Resources – Page 1

To access the readings, right-click the hyperlinks and open in a new tab:

Below are the required learning resources for this week.

What Are Health Disparities and Health Equity?

Read this article to gain a more in-depth understanding of health disparities and health equity.

• http://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.ezproxy.umgc.edu/pmc/articles/PMC3863701/

CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report, 2013 and Strategies for Reducing Health Disparities, 2016

As you read each report, consider which of the findings and data are the most relevant to the work you do and the patient population in your area.

• CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report, 2013
• CDC Strategies for Reducing Health Disparities, 2016

HRSA 2017 Health Equity Report

Take some time to review the findings of the 2017 HRSA Health Equity report:

• HRSA 2017 Health Equity Report

Disparities

As you read this Healthy People 2020 entry, see if you can add anything to your list of the factors that contribute to health disparities.

• Disparities

Determinants of Health

Read this entry from Healthy People 2020 and consider how the United States can address the relationship among health status and biology, individual behavior, health services, social factors, and government policies.

• Determinants of Health

Health Disparities and Health Equity: The Issue Is Justice

Review the following sites related to health disparities and health equity:

• American Psychological Association (2020) Website: Health Disparities
• American Medical Association: Reducing disparities in health care
• Watch the VIDEO: AMA Leadership on Health Equity

Paying for Medical Care

Review this website on paying for medical care from USA.gov Paying for Medical Care

Week 4 Learning Resources – Page 2To access the readings, right-click the hyperlinks and open in a new tab:Below are the required learning resources for this week.National Partnership for Action: Toolkit for Community ActionAs you look through this toolkit, consider whether you would use any of the recommended strategies to advocate for those suffering from health disparities.

• • National Partnership for Action: Toolkit for Community Action

  HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health DisparitiesAs you review the HHS’s plan to combat health disparities in concert with the ACA, think about how you might integrate some of the approaches in this plan into your work as a nurse.

  • HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities

  Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) Initiative: General InformationRead about this new payment plan whereby select health care organizations enter into payment arrangements with Medicare that incorporate financial and performance accountability, with the goal of reducing cost and providing higher-quality care.

  • Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) Initiative: General Information

  National Health InsuranceThis article describes the insurance programs that are in place in some countries and speculates on how these approaches would fare in the United States.After reading the article, consider the argument for our moving to a national health care system. How do you think Americans would respond to such a system?

  • http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/ps/pdfViewer?inPS=true&prodId=GVRL&userGroupName=umd_umuc&docId=GALE%7CCX3045301692&contentSegment=&navContext=none&accesslevel=FULLTEXT&c2c=true&authCount=1&u=umd_umuc#

  Community Health Centers (CHCS)As you read about this type of health care setting, think about how community health centers align with the principles of the ACA.

  • http://ezproxy.umgc.edu/login?url=http://knowledge.sagepub.com/view/healthservices/n79.xml?rskey=IdKMLe&row=2

  Finding Synergy: Reducing Disparities in Health by Modifying Multiple DeterminantsRead this journal article. What strategies does the author recommend for reducing health disparities?

  • http://ezproxy.umgc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=52016587&site=eds-live&scope=site

  Health Equity through ActionAs you read this article, consider what nurses can do to reduce health disparities.

  • Nurses Must Understand Health Disparities to Provide Effective Patient Education

  Increasing Racial/Ethnic Diversity in Nursing to Reduce Health Disparities and Achieve Health EquityThis fact sheet from the AACN discusses the need for diversification in the health care workforce so that it reflects US demographics and suggests strategies to improve recruitment and retention.

  • Enhancing Diversity in the Nursing Workforce

  CMS Quality Measures Development (2019)On this information sheet, the CMS discusses quality measures used in providing quality health care.

  • CMS Quality Measures Development Overview
  • Week 3 Learning ResourcesTo access the readings, right-click the hyperlinks and open in a new tab:Below are the required learning resources for this week.Regulatory OverloadRead pages 12 – 27 from this American Hospital Association (2017) summary related to the regulatory burden on health systems, hospitals, and post-acute care providers.
    • https://www.aha.org/system/files/2018-02/regulatory-overload-report.pdf

    Competition and the Regulation of Advanced Practice NursesRead this ANA Practice Statement that presents the full practice authority for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs).

    • http://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol-21-2016/No2-May-2016/Articles-Previous-Topics/Full-Practice-Authority-for-APRN.html

    Read this article from Brom, Salsberry, and Graham (2019) related to ways to leverage health care reform to enhance nurse practitioner full practice authority.State and Territorial Boards of Nursing: What Every Nurse Needs to KnowRead this National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) brochure to familiarize yourself with the actions that should be taken in the case of a nurse who is not performing in a way that is consistent with the Nurse Practice Act.

    • https://www.ncsbn.org/What_Every_Nurse_Needs_to_Know.pdf

    Assessing Progress on the Institute of Medicine Report The Future of NursingRead this Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, which gives recommendations on expanding the scope, leadership functions, and educational expectations of the nurse.

    • https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21838/assessing-progress-on-the-institute-of-medicine-report-the-future-of-nursing

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