Select a policy initiative at a professional nursing organization of your choice. Nurse.org has a list of professional organizations. Most professional nursing organizations will have a yearly policy agenda describing areas of focus and efforts to advance nursing practice, nursing education, or nursing research. Please feel free to choose a professional organization of your choice. The following are some examples:
NLN Public Policy
ENA Public Policy Agenda
APNA Advocacy
ANA Advocacy
Introduction and Justification
Introduce and summarize your chosen professional policy initiative. Discuss why you chose this policy initiative, why you chose this professional organization, and why you feel it is important to advocate for this policy initiative.
Local Policy Identification
Identify an existing policy or new policy that should be developed at your place of employment, your local public health office, or another identified local place where nurses practice that aligns with your chosen professional nursing policy initiative. Outline the main components of your existing or proposed policy.
If a policy currently exists, explain how the current local policy aligns or misaligns with the professional policy initiative.
If the policy is being proposed, explain the gap in the policy structure that led you to decide to propose a new policy.
Policy Improvement
Suggest revisions to the existing policy you chose that would improve its alignment with your chosen professional policy initiative or explain how your proposed policy will be developed to ensure alignment with the chosen professional policy initiative.
Discuss both positive and negative financial implications of your proposed policy.
Outline the policy review process and procedures at your local
Given the opportunity to make revisions to your existing or proposed policy, outline next steps, considerations, timeline, and resources.
Provide evidence supporting local policy improvement and include at least two sources.
Conclusion and Reflection
In 1-2 paragraphs:
Summarize your policy justification and identification.
Synthesize your suggested recommendations for policy improvement.
Reflect on the process by discussing the following:
What went well and what didn’t go well?
What is your most important take-away from this experience?
What would you do differently?
How will this experience influence your practice?