Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Course Outcome covered in this Assignment:
MN507-1: Examine U.S. healthcare policy structures and the role of the nursing leader as a
change agent at the public policy table.
Directions
You will decide on a policy issue that needs to be addressed. You may choose a policy issue that
interests you. Below are suggested topics for proposed policy change, however if you wish to address another topic please contact your instructor for approval: Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

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Treatment of veterans after deployment and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Cost of end of life care.
Costs of drugs in the United States as compared to other countries.
Quarantine of health care workers that have been exposed to communicable diseases.
Medical care for illegal immigrants.
Right to die with euthanasia methods.
Disclosure of medical records of pilots and other safety sensitive professionals and HIPAA
violations.
Restrictions of roles of nurse practitioners and advanced practice nurses in certain states.
Health care reform.
Requirements of meaningful use to meet core measures.
ICD-10 issues.
Entry into practice issues.
Mandatory vaccination of children.
Allowing nurses educated in other countries to practice in the United States.
Faculty shortages in U.S. nursing education programs.
You will write a letter using professional business format to one of your Federal legislators
outlining what the issue is and why it is important. The letter will address: Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

The current policy structure.

The need for the change.
The suggested change.
Cost implications if the change is implemented.
The role the nurse as a change agent will take at the policy table.
Assignment Requirements
Before finalizing your work, you should:
be sure to read the Assignment description carefully (as displayed above);
consult the Grading Rubric (under the Course Resources) to make sure you have included
everything necessary; and
utilize spelling and grammar check to minimize errors.
Your writing Assignment should:
follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and
use APA formatting and citation style Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Student Number: 3226029

AHP_6_011 Leadership for Allied Health Professionals

At the opening ceremony of the Singapore Healthcare Management Congress 2013, Singapore Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said that strong management capabilities and leadership quality in the healthcare sector are extremely crucial to lead the growing healthcare needs of an ageing population, constant threat of global pandemics and rising non-communicable diseases. There is a need to constantly innovate and find ways to keep the population healthy and deliver the healthcare services more effectively (Gan, 2013). Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

“One of the things that a leader needs to learn is that the traditional models of leading change are not very effective.” (Kent, 2014). The context for healthcare is changing due to changing expectations, changing disease profile and greater emphasis on ‘predict and prevent’ (Hartley, et al., 2008). Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Definition of Leadership

Leadership in healthcare can be viewed in many different ways. Clinical leadership can come from hands-on care, from maintaining clinical expertise and may sometimes be separated from management with the goal of leading staff through transformational change to develop better services for the local community (Bishop, 2009). In the recent years, leadership is seen as something to be used by all but at different levels (National Leadership Council (NLC) Clinical Leadership workstream, 2011). It can be described to be a team effort (The King’s Fund, 2012) or also known as “sharedness” of leadership processes (Wang, et al., 2013) in an organisation. Shared leadership is displayed in terms of mutual influence, shared responsibility among the staff and leading each other towards the goal achievements. Shared leadership expands the extent of leader prototypicality (Wang, et al., 2013) as team members are given a chance to take on decision-making process and leadership role. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

“Gone is the heroic individual with a monopoly on the vision; it is replaced by a commitment to building shared visions with a range of stakeholders.” (The King’s Fund, 2012).

Wang, et al., (2013) divided shared leadership into 3 categories which are shared traditional leadership, shared new-genre leadership and cumulative, overall shared leadership. The subgroups on the types of leadership under each category such as

transactional, visionary and transformational leadership can be seen in Appendix A. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Shared traditional leadership is where the leader uses methods such as contingent rewards towards staff to achieve team goals and satisfy staff’s needs (Wang, et al., 2013). Shared new-genre leadership emphasizes transformational, visionary and charismatic leadership which empowers the staff towards development and change (Wang, et al., 2013). Cumulative, overall shared leadership is displayed within the team level, in which each individual team member demonstrate a degree of leadership. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Importance of leadership

Leadership is important as it can determine the functionality of a basic team unit as it strongly influences key team processes. It can determine and clarify the objectives of the team, giving the team a clear view on the goals and the pathways to take to achieve the goals (Hartley, et al., 2008) such as improving patient experience and outcome (NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, 2011). Having leadership can encourage participation from the staff, allowing the staff to contribute and pool great ideas, supporting innovation in the team. It also enhances the commitment to quality, as having a leader ensures primary quality objectives are met in the day to day workings within the staff (Hartley, et al., 2008). Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Guidance to the changes in the healthcare in many aspects

There are many aspects of healthcare that are constantly changing such as new techniques and technologies in healthcare. As such, there is a constant need to find new ways of working within and across teams, and with patients (Hartley, et al., 2008). Therefore, strong leadership that support a vision for change with a clear articulation of what needs to be achieved, by whom and with what, would likely to succeed in healthcare organisations (Gifford, et al., 2013). Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Leadership is also crucial when it comes to finding new approaches to continuous improvement which rely a lot on ‘people management’ (Hartley, et al., 2008). Bishop, (2009, p. 83) stated that leadership in Allied Health is no longer just about ‘managing’ the service and being a ‘therapy lead’, it is about leading the staff and the service to a new position. To achieve this, clinical leaders such as nurse educators, clinical nurse specialist and practice developers are to influence research use through their roles in mentoring, providing information and assisting in the development of policies and procedures to support professional practice (Gifford, et al., 2013). Leaders have to constantly think of methods to support staff so as to make and sustain improvement efforts in order to improve service to the patient. This is important because patient’s expectations have increased as the healthcare industry develops over the years. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Future-looking system

There are new challenges in healthcare such as the kinds of illnesses or even trends are changing (Hartley, et al., 2008). Leadership is important to anticipate rather than just react to changes in demographic and disease profiles (Hartley, et al., 2008). Leaders have to anticipate the multiple diseases associated with a larger elderly population and chronic diseases due to lifestyle choices such as obesity. For example, the rising numbers of cancer cases in Singapore as reported in The Straits Times (Lai, 2014) was made known to awareness among the public. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Networking

Gantz, et al., (2012) stated that collective leadership complements healthcare globalisation. They recognised healthcare globalisation as a way to close disparity gaps and improve public health on a global scale through resource and information sharing. There are new health goals where ‘treatment’ is not the only goal now but also ‘predict and prevent’ illnesses for the public health (Hartley, et al., 2008). As such, there are more hospitals that network with each other and disseminate evidence-based practices throughout their regional and local communities (MacPhee, et al., 2013). Therefore, leadership is important to shape these new goals and to ensure that there is a close link between ideas and practice on the front-line and between different partners. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

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Clinical decision making

According to Hartley, et al., (2008), leadership clarity is associated with better team processes, and with actual innovation – and ambiguity about leadership was associated with low levels of innovation. This corroborates the view of the role of leadership in helping to create compelling direction and ensure participation of team members in decision-making (Hartley, et al., 2008).

One of the thing that a leader needs to do is to make good decision based on in-depth understanding of all the constituent parts, all the tradition and cultures that accompany the existing professional structures and values (Bishop, 2009, p. 83). Therefore, it is important for a leader to have good decision-making skill so as to have a smooth efficient workflow and quality service. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

In Singapore’s healthcare setting, although the decisions made are largely based on the patients’ choice, their family members still exercise significant influence over the level of revelation of prognosis information and final action taken (Foo, et al., 2012). Familial-centred approach is common in Asian setting especially if it involves poor prognosis. As such, a leader in this situation has to consider the various views and make a final decision that gives the best outcomes for the patient and family, even if it means that they have to withhold information about patient’s expected poor clinical outcomes to the patients (Foo, et al., 2012). Good decision-making is achieved based on the good understanding of the culture and tradition of the context. The need for decision-making may arise at any one point while in a clinical setting. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

For example, the below anecdotal incident (see Appendix B) about clinical decision-making is analysed using Gibb’s reflective cycle (Waugh, 2013) (see Appendix C). The incident is about a disagreement I had with a senior colleague about him deviating from the treatment protocol regarding the verification of the treatment area. I felt frustrated that I was the only one wanting to do the right thing and find a solution despite voicing out my concerns. After the incident, I felt sad and unjust that my colleague was angry at me for refusing to proceed with the treatment. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

The positive experience was that my decision prevented an incident report and an inaccurate delivery of radiation dose. I stepped out of my comfort zone and voiced out my concerns to the oncologists. Conversely, my long decision-making time resulted in a queue of patients and delayed appointments.

According to the Fielder’s contingency model (see Appendix D), I am a task-oriented leader, and the incident calls for a leader with a low Least-Preferred Co-Worker (LPC). As such, I’m a fitting leader for the task as I handled the situation which prevented errors from being made in the treatment. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

On the whole, I took a long time to make my decision waiting for my colleague to share his opinions, which turned out to be fruitless. Such disagreements can be avoided if there are mutual understanding and better treatment protocol knowledge. I should have sought assistance from the other seniors right away. After the incident, we had a discussion on the treatment protocols, directing more focus on the importance of protocols and the adherence to them should any similar incidents occur in the future. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Future leadership

Nobody stays stagnant in the workforce. For example, a radiation therapist from North Carolina realised that he needed more leadership skills when he progressed from the treatment aspect to administration and then managing (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2013). The King’s Fund (2012) refers to leadership as a ‘cognitive catalyst’, where the leader’s choice of actions and ideas are focused on as learning points in order to spur learning in the work place by the other team members. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

In order to change an organisation, leaders need to change themselves first and be open to changes. “If our leaders grow and help others to grow, our organisation will not only succeed in their changes efforts- they will be an example for other leaders and organisations around the world.” (Kent, 2014). Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

More leaders are required in Singapore because the healthcare service is expanding rapidly so as to cater for the aging population (Bishop, 2009). As such, the Ministry Of Health Singapore has launched a SingHealth Graduate Diploma in Healthcare Management and Leadership programme in Singapore Management University. It aims to groom a new generation of healthcare professionals who excel in both healthcare management and business leadership which is a skill that is high in demand in today’s evolving healthcare industry (Gan, 2013). Additionally, the Ministry Of Healthcare has also provide sponsorships such as the Healthcare Administration Scholarship (HAS) where outstanding scholars will be given opportunities to be developed for top leadership position within the public healthcare sector (MOH Holdings Pte Ltd, 2013). Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Competency frameworks have also become a widely used approach to thinking about the skills of leadership. For example, the healthcare in UK are using the NHS Leadership Qualities Framework (see Appendix E) (National Leadership Council (NLC) Clinical Leadership workstream, 2011). It sets out the key skills or competencies for leaders in healthcare (Hartley, et al., 2008).

Leadership skills are seen to be very important in the healthcare industry worldwide so much so there are many studies and programmes to train future leaders to meet the demands of the ever changing and growing industry. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Health care policy has important implications for all of us who rely on our health care system. We continually search for ways to make health care affordable and efficient for everyone. Behind this pursuit are talented nursing professionals who advocate for specific policies they believe will benefit us. To become well-versed in this type of decision-making, nurses must gain professional and educational experience. This article discusses the impact and responsibilities of nurse practitioners, how nursing influences health care policy, and how to leverage experience and education into greater roles for nurses. For individuals interested in careers that can influence the future of health care policy, the discussion may inspire you to action. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

The Role of Nurses in Shaping Health Care Policy
Nursing influences health care policy through a nurse’s daily role in health care delivery. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, nursing is the largest health care profession in the United States, with more than 3.8 million registered nurses (RNs) nationwide. It’s an independent field of medicine, and a nurse is not merely an assistant to other medical professionals. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of nurses will increase by 15% between 2016 and 2026, which is faster than the national average for all occupations. The median annual pay for nurses is $71,730 in the U.S. Clearly, nursing is an important component of the health care system. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Since RNs spend a lot of time working directly with patients, they know the specific needs of the communities they serve. In turn, RNs are excellent advocates for public policy development. Groups such as the Association of Public Health Nurses encourage RNs to advocate for health care policies and provide resources on how to do so. The APHN breaks advocacy into three components: “creating policies where they are needed when none exist, reforming harmful or ineffective policies, [and] ensuring good policies are implemented and enforced.” Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

The Journal for Nurse Practitioners indicates that nurses play an integral role in changing health policy on multiple levels. For one, nurses can conduct quality improvement projects on the job. They can also attend local meetings, such as parent-teacher association or school board meetings, to share their expertise and advice. Finally, nurses can write to their political representatives to advise them on key health-related issues.

Roles and Responsibilities of Nurse Practitioners
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who have received specialized training in a particular field. As such, they are better equipped to make larger-scale changes to the health care system through their mastery in areas such as policy, finance, and leadership. The following responsibilities are associated with nurse practitioners: Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

● Write prescriptions
● Diagnose and provide treatment for infection, injury, and illness
● Conduct diagnostic tests, such as X-rays
● Monitor patient medical history, diagnoses, and symptoms
● Communicate with patients about their health, as well as assist in setting up appropriate treatment plans and follow-up care
● Guide patients who are taking medication, including counseling on side effects and interactions
Since specializations differ among nurse practitioners, their day-to-day focus can shift between roles. For instance, some NPs are more involved in counseling and preventive care, while others spend their time making diagnoses and treating conditions. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Leveraging Experience for a Greater Impact
A nursing professional’s level of experience and education can have a large impact on his or her income and autonomy. For instance, licensed practical nurses need only one or two years of training and must work exclusively under the supervision of a doctor or registered nurse. Individuals who want their nursing to affect health care policy need to acquire valuable experience to increase their responsibilities. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

An effective way for nurses to signal to employers they are ready to move forward in their careers is to acquire a higher degree or certification, such as a Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, or post-master’s graduate certificate. As large hospitals seek to reduce costs, many medical responsibilities that used to be exclusively performed by doctors are delegated to highly trained nurses. Moreover, the demand for nurses continues to rise in the U.S. Nurses will be at the forefront of health care policy through their continued interaction with and advocacy on behalf of patients. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay

Help Influence the Future of Health Care
Nurse practitioners have an opportunity to serve as advocates for patients, families, communities, other nurses, and health care organizations. Through this advocacy, nurses can influence health care policy. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of and specialization in particular areas of health care, nurse practitioners are uniquely situated to support positions that will benefit our communities. If becoming a nurse practitioner appeals to you, Regis College offers fully online Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-master’s certificate programs for nurses who want to make a difference and advance their careers. Because the coursework is completely online, nurses can continue to practice while they gain knowledge and experience. Healthcare Policy Structures in the U.S. and Role of Nursing Leader Essay