The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Policies
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2018) works towards improving the state of healthcare in the United States. The foundation explores many spheres of healthcare, including nursing. In its initiative, called “Charting Nursing’s Future,” the foundation examines and prioritizes a number of issues. First of all, nursing education is the central sphere of interest for policymaking. As nurses’ performance directly impacts the quality of care for patients, nursing education should be continuously improved.
The foundation’s reports state that clinical education should be transformed to improve quality. The foundation also outlines the collaboration of nurses and interprofessional communication as a way to influence healthcare. Nursing leadership is prioritized as well. The foundation also argues for the diversity of nursing staff to accommodate different populations and communities.
The practice of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) is also highlighted as a sphere, where policy has to be changed (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2018). The foundation argues that APRNs should be allowed to provide their patients with a full scope of services. Thus, all restrictions and regulations that currently limit their practice should be removed. The topic of innovation is also present in the discussion, as the foundation seeks to improve the patient’s safety through healthcare technology.
Nurses should be able to influence the path to innovation in hospitals as they are the primary users of all new devices. Here, the foundation highlights the importance of evidence-based practice (EBP). Finally, the organization tries to provide nurses with a broader reach of its programs to different communities through public initiatives and advocacy.
The Role of PAC in the Policy Process
The process of creating a policy has multiple steps (Rambur, 2015). First of all, it is necessary to identify the issue for which a change is needed. Second, the problems need to be defined and assessed. Next, the policy has to be formulated to address all details and possible actions for improvement appropriately. During the adoption phase, the refined version of the proposal is approved. The policy is then implemented and evaluated to see whether it is efficient and helpful. Political action committees (PAC) provide financial resources to support the policy process. Such organizations as the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (2018) often have their own PACs to promote government workers with interests in improving healthcare.
Mentoring in Nursing
Nursing education does not stop when nurses graduate from a learning course and continue during their practice. Therefore, mentorship becomes an integral part of every nurse’s life. According to Eller, Lev, and Feurer (2014), mentors guide students and working nurses and provide support in situations where new specialists may lack experience. Moreover, they help new nurses to adjust to an unfamiliar setting and promote professional development. Nurses have to adhere to a set of moral and ethical principles, and mentors often become role models for new workers to help them discover their professional identity. Finally, the nursing profession may be stressful for new workers, and mentorship provides moral guidance and support.
How a Bill Becomes Law
A bill can become law in multiple steps (Rambur, 2015). First, Members of Congress present an idea for a new bill and establish whether it is public or private. When the bill’s details are determined, Members of Congress can sponsor it to be reviewed by other Members. Then, after the bill’s introduction to the House, it becomes assigned to a particular committee and a subcommittee that is interested in promoting a specific area of interest. The bill goes through revisions to be accepted by the committee. Members of the House and the Senate vote to pass the bill and send it to the President, who signs or vetoes it. The Houses’ votes can overrule the veto.
References
American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2018). Political action committee (PAC). Web.
Eller, L. S., Lev, E. L., & Feurer, A. (2014). Key components of an effective mentoring relationship: A qualitative study. Nurse Education Today, 34(5), 815-820.
Rambur, B. (2015). Health care finance, economics, and policy for nurses: A foundational guide. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2018). Charting Nursing’s Future. Web.