Scenario
Your nurse manager has asked you to partner with the nurse educator that coordinates orientation for new nursing hires. The nurse educator suggests that the following areas (policy, economics, and legal) are not well-represented in nursing orientation materials and that your input would be welcome. You are told that the orientation materials should be brief, as they are part of the notebook that each nurse is given regarding hospital and nursing policies and procedures, as well as tips for best practice.
Instructions
Part A
Prepare resource insert sheets for the nursing orientation manual that contains the following:
Part One – Policy Section
• Examines the importance of staying up to date with federal and state health policy.
• Provides resources for staying up to date.
• Illustrates ways nurses can get involved in the policy process.
Part Two – Economics Section
• Identifies key economic principles for nursing.
• Explains the concept of HCACPS Scoring and CMS payment.
• Summarizes ways nurses can be stewards of resources.
• Discusses the revenue sources and budgeting.
Part Three – Legal Section
• Identifies the basic principles of malpractice.
• Assesses best practices for avoiding nursing malpractice.
• Summarizes the State Board of Nursing Disciplinary Process and resources to find Nursing Practice Standards.
• Provides stated ideas with professional language and attribution for credible sources with correct APA citation, spelling, and grammar in the nursing orientation resource insert sheets.
Part B
Reflect on the course competencies, explaining how each course competency was achieved. Use detailed and specific examples of learning, growth, and the application of competencies in clinical practice. Illustrate advanced critical thinking, insight, and self-awareness.
Sample Answer
Nurse Orientation Resource Insert Sheets
Part One: Health Policy and the Professional Nurse 🏛️
The Importance of Staying Up-to-Date with Federal and State Health Policy
Staying current with federal and state health policy is crucial because policies directly impact the scope of practice, resource allocation, and quality mandates nurses must follow (Milstead, 2020). Policy changes dictate:
Reimbursement Rules: How and what services hospitals are paid for (e.g., shifts to value-based purchasing).
Safety Requirements: Mandates for nurse-to-patient ratios, infection control, and technology use.
Public Health: State-level mandates on vaccination, reporting infectious diseases, and community health initiatives.
In short, policy defines the legal and economic environment in which nursing care is delivered.
Resources for Staying Up-to-Date
State Board of Nursing (BON) Website: Official source for changes to the state's Nurse Practice Act and scope of practice regulations.
Professional Nursing Organizations: American Nurses Association (ANA) or specialty organizations (e.g., AORN, AACN) provide policy briefs and legislative alerts relevant to practice.
Government News: Subscribing to updates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).
Ways Nurses Can Get Involved in the Policy Process
Nurses, as the largest group of healthcare professionals, are powerful advocates (Milstead, 2020):
Political Action: Contacting local state representatives to advocate for specific legislation (e.g., safe staffing bills).
Institutional Policy: Participating in hospital committees (e.g., Quality, Ethics, or Evidence-Based Practice) to translate federal/state mandates into effective bedside protocols.
Grassroots Advocacy: Participating in legislative days hosted by state nursing associations or volunteering for political campaigns that support public health initiatives.