Program/Policy Evaluation
RNs and APRNs need to be involved in the evaluation process of policies and programs to ensure they are functioning and accomplishing the intended goals. This practice is an essential piece of the policy implementation process that nurses and even policymakers forget (Laureate Education, 2018b). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed in 2010 required healthcare facilities to evaluate and plan their programs and policies. Part of this requirement focuses on the leadership roles of nurses and meeting what is considered the quadruple aim (Milstead & Short, 2019). The quadruple aim consists of improved quality of care, reduced costs, improved population health, and job satisfaction of the healthcare employees (Milstead & Short, 2019) NURS 6050 Discussion Essay.
RNs and APRNs should look to actively participate in policy reviews to assess how and if the quadruple aim is meeting expectations. Nurses use assessment and evaluation skills in their day-to-day practice. There are informal and formal evaluation processes. Informal evaluation occurred in small groups and is more gossip than an evaluation. This informal evaluation can cause information gathered to be inaccurate (Milstead & Short, 2019). Formal evaluations involve standardized processes that keep all stakeholders involved in the process and assess the effectiveness of the program or policy overall (Milstead & Short, 2019). An ongoing evaluation must begin during the planning stage of the policy change (Laureate Education, 2018a). Nurses should be consistently assessed for improvement and challenges while planning and implementing policy and program changes (Milstead & Short, 2019) NURS 6050 Discussion Essay.
Policy evaluation does not come without its challenges. Sometimes policy changes can happen too quickly or too slowly. Policy changes may be rushed due to pressure from the government. It is essential to be aware of the economic conditions of a sample population, public awareness of the policy change, and the influence of social media outlets and ongoing political campaigns (Milstead & Short, 2019). Nurses must ensure that evaluation reports contain carefully collected data, analyzed, and released by reputable sources and if the answer regarding the desired outcomes is clear (Milstead & Short, 2019).
Nurses can be involved with policy evaluation by being active in professional nursing organizations such as the American Nurses Association (ANA). The ANA is active in the policy-making process by lobbying for improvements to the nursing profession. They are involved in ongoing data collection and disseminating the results to the public and interprofessional networks (Milstead & Short, 2019). As stated above, nurses are constantly assessing and re-assessing the effectiveness of nursing interventions, and the same process is used for policy evaluation (Milstead & Short, 2019). During the entire process of policy planning, implementation, and evaluation, nurses should monitor and gather data and present it to and educate stakeholders on whether the data shows the policy is working or not working (Yoder-Wise, 2020) NURS 6050 Discussion Essay.
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References
Laureate Education (Producer). (2018a). The Importance of Program Evaluation [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2018b). Program Policy and Evaluation [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Yoder-Wise, P. S. (2020). A framework for planned policy change. Nursing Forum, 55(1), 45-53 NURS 6050 Discussion Essay.
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