Course
NR517 Policy and Economics of Healthcare Delivery
Discussion
Identify one policy regarding a health issue of interest and respond to the following:
- What is the impact on health and/or healthcare delivery as a result of this policy?
- What is the impact on health equity as a result of this policy?
- To what extent have economic factors influenced this policy?
- How might nursing engage in policy implementation and advocacy surrounding this issue?
How To approach it
Step 1: Select a Policy
Choose a health policy that interests you or is relevant to your practice (local, state, or national level).
Examples: Affordable Care Act provisions, vaccination mandates, mental health parity laws, opioid prescribing guidelines, or hospital-specific safety policies.
Step 2: Research the Policy
Look for credible sources: government websites, professional organizations, peer-reviewed articles.
Gather information on:
Purpose of the policy
Who it affects (patients, providers, organizations)
Outcomes it aims to improve
Step 3: Analyze the Impact
Health & Healthcare Delivery:
How has this policy changed patient care, workflow, or service accessibility?
Health Equity:
Who benefits most? Who might still be underserved?
Economic Factors:
Consider costs to patients, healthcare organizations, or the community.
Step 4: Connect Nursing Role
Think about how nurses can:
Advocate for policy implementation
Educate patients or colleagues about the policy
Participate in interdisciplinary teams to support compliance or improvement
Step 5: Organize Your Response
Introduce the policy briefly.
Answer each question in order, using evidence from your research.
Include examples or scenarios from practice if possible.
Step 6: Reference Sources
Use scholarly references (journal articles, government reports, or professional guidelines).
Cite at least one source for each section to support your points.
Sample Solution
- What is the impact on health and/or healthcare delivery as a result of this policy?
The policy that I chose is the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA aims to make insurance affordable, expand Medicaid to cover all adults below the poverty level, and support health care delivery at cheaper costs. This has an impact on health in that more people have access to health insurance.…..Click below to access the full sample solution (PDF)