Healthcare policy is an important aspect of the advanced practice nurse profession. Health policy allows APNs to make decisions and plans of care for patients to achieve their health care goals. Nursing is at the forefront of patient care offering the ability to provide an expert viewpoint into multiple areas of the healthcare system (ANA, n.d.) As leaders in the healthcare industry, advanced practice nurses can influence health policy to increase access to safe and quality care, improving the public’s health (ANA, n.d.). It is essential that APN’s be involved in the decision making that guides policy standards (ANA, n.d.). APN’s can impact policy throughout every level in the system sphere of influence. At the micro and meso level, APNs improve health outcomes through effective education (Hughes, Pollitt, Coke & D’Aoust, 2019). At the macro level APN’s impact the delivery of care through cost management (Hughes, Pollitt, Coke & D’Aoust, 2019). Being involved in policy changes is an integral part of patient advocacy. APN’s have the responsibility to speak for their patients, ensuring that their needs are being met (Hughes, Pollitt, Coke & D’Aoust, 2019). Being a patient advocate ensures their rights, health, and safety are protected (Hughes, Pollitt, Coke & D’Aoust, 2019). Through strong lobbying of policy, APN’s can work towards practice independence and prescriptive authority to increase access to quality health care (Hughes, Pollitt, Coke & D’Aoust, 2019). Advanced practice nurses have an obligation to their patients to influence policy change for improved population health (Hughes, Pollitt, Coke & D’Aoust, 2019). The four pillars of transformational leadership are professionalism, inspirational motivation, interpersonal relationships, and business skills (DeNisco & Barker, 2015). Professionalism requires APNs to be self-aware of their leadership skills and values (DeNisco & Barker, 2015). Through awareness of one’s values and attitude, a leader with professionalism gains feedback from others to identify their strengths and weaknesses to influence policy change (DeNisco & Barker, 2015). A transformational leader who possesses inspiration can motivate peers and subordinates to follow positive changes in policies (DeNisco & Barker, 2015). Having interpersonal relationships can influence policy change by actively listen to all members to ensure group empowerment. (DeNisco & Barker, 2015). Developing interpersonal relationships ensures each member’s skills and competencies are being utilized to promote effective change. Finally, to be an effective leader for change an APN must have an understanding, or business competency, of the health care delivery system in order to cultivate policy change (DeNisco & Barker, 2015). References This study source was downloaded by 100000882596535 from CourseHero.com on 04-11-2024 08:39:47 GMT -05:00 https://www.coursehero.com/file/67010600/Healthcare-policy-leaders-DBdocx/ American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Health Policy - American Nurses Association (ANA). Retrieved August 18, 2020, from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/health-policy/ DeNisco, S.M., & Barker, A. M. (2015). Advanced practice nursing: Essential knowledge for the Profession. (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
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