You will develop a paper that outlines a health advocacy campaign designed to promote policies to improve the health of a population of your choice.
First part:
Identifying a Problem
To prepare:
Select a population health issue of interest to you and identify the population affected by the issue.
Locate two scholarly articles, each of which provides a description of an effective health advocacy program that addresses your issue.
Analyze the attributes of the programs to determine what made them effective.
Reflect on a policy you could propose or a change to a current policy to further improve the health of the population you selected with regard to the issue.
Consider how you could develop an advocacy program, applying the attributes identified in similar, effective programs.
To complete:
For this section of your paper (approximately 3–4 pages in length) address the following:
• Describe your selected population health issue and the population affected by this issue.
• Summarize the advocacy programs you researched in this area.
• Explain the attributes that made those programs effective.
• Develop a plan for a health advocacy campaign that seeks to create a new policy or change an existing policy with regard to the issue and population you selected. Be sure to include in your plan:
• A description of the public health issue and proposed policy solution
• Specific objectives for the policy you want to be implemented
• The means by which you will convey information to various stakeholders on the need for this policy change
• Be sure your proposed need is substantiated by data and evidence.
• Methods of establishing support for the policy, including how to influence policymakers
• Explain how the attributes of the effective advocacy programs you researched could be applied to your proposed advocacy campaign.
Second part:
Legal Considerations
To prepare:
• Review Chapter 3 of Health Policy and Politics: A Nurse’s Guide (3rd ed.) to determine methods of influencing the political process.
• Reflect on whether the policy you would like to promote could best be achieved through the development of new legislation, or a change in an existing law or regulation.
• Contemplate in what ways existing laws or regulations may impact how you proceed in advocating for your proposed policy.
• Consider how you could influence legislators or other policymakers to enact the policy you would like to propose.
• Think about the obstacles of the legislative process that may prevent your proposed policy from being implemented as intended.
To complete:
For this section of your paper (approximately 3–4 pages in length) address the following:
• Explain whether your proposed policy could be enacted through a modification of existing law or regulation or the creation of new legislation/regulation.
• Explain how existing laws or regulations could impact your advocacy efforts.
• Provide an analysis of the methods you could use to influence legislators or other policymakers to support your policy. In particular, explain how you would use the “three legs” of lobbying in your advocacy efforts.
• Summarize the obstacles you anticipate arising in the legislative process and how you could overcome these hurdles.
Third part:
To prepare for this final portion of your paper:
• Review provisions 7, 8, and 9 of the ANA Code of Ethics in relation to advocacy for population health.
• Reflect on the ethical considerations you may need to take into account in your advocacy campaign.
• Research the ethical considerations, laws, and reporting requirements (with respect to lobbying) that are relevant to the location where your advocacy campaign will occur.
• Consider potential ethical dilemmas you might face in your campaign.
To complete:
For this section of your paper (approximately 3–4 pages in length), address the following:
• Explain any ethical dilemmas that could arise during your advocacy campaign, and how you would resolve them.
• Describe the ethics laws and reporting requirements that are applicable to your advocacy campaign.
• Evaluate the special ethical challenges that are unique to the population you are addressing.