NRSG 612 Ethics, Law, and Policy for Advocacy in Healthcare
Master Resource Outline
Credits: 3 (lecture)
Semester Offered: Fall, Spring
Prerequisites: none
Degree: MN, DNP
AACN Core Competencies for Advanced Level Nursing Education 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
MRJCON Graduate Program Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Course Description
The graduate nursing student will integrate knowledge of bioethics, current legal issues, ethical comportment, professional standards, clinical decision-making, functions of law and policy analysis as applied to clinical practice. Principles of accountability, responsibility, autonomy, and interdisciplinary collaboration within a dynamic healthcare environment will be integrated throughout the course.
Catalog Course Description
Integrate knowledge of bioethics, current legal issues, ethical comportment, professional standards, clinical decision-making, functions of law and policy analysis as applied to clinical practice. Principles of accountability, responsibility, autonomy, and interdisciplinary collaboration within a dynamic healthcare environment will be integrated.
Course Objectives: Upon Completing this course the student will be able to:
- Advocate for social justice, equity, and ethical policies within all healthcare arenas.
- Advocate for the nursing profession within the policy and healthcare communities.
- Critically analyze ethical cases and issues relevant to healthcare using a systematic
- Examine philosophical and moral bases of issues related to RN and APRN practice.
- Demonstrate understanding of legal and regulatory issues as they relate to RN and APRN practice.
- Analyze past, current, and proposed issues related to the law and healthcare practices.
- Critically analyze health policy proposals, health policies, and related issues from the perspective of consumers, nursing, other health professions, and other stakeholders in policy and public forums.
- Develop, evaluate, and provide leadership for health policy at institutional, local, state, federal, and/or international levels.
Exemplars for Course Learning Outcomes
- Health Policy Issue Analysis & Advocacy Letter
- Advocate for policies/practice that promote social justice and health equity.[CLO 2, CLO 6, CLO 7, CLO 9]
- Evaluate the effect of legal and regulatory policies on nursing practice and healthcare outcomes. [CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO3, CLO 5, CLO 9]
- Analyze current policies and practices in the context of an ethical framework. [CLO 1, CLO 7,]
Recommended Content, Competencies, Curricular Threads, Core Values
AACN Sub-competencies: This course introduces the following AACN Sub-competencies:
1.2h Employ ethical decision making to assess, intervene, and evaluate nursing care.
2.2g Demonstrate advanced communication skills and techniques using a variety of modalities with diverse audiences.
3.1k Analyze primary and secondary population health data for multiple populations against relevant benchmarks.
3.1l Use established or evolving methods to determine population-focused priorities for care.
3.4i Contribute to policy development at the system, local, regional, or national levels.
3.5g Strategize with an interdisciplinary group and others to develop effective advocacy approaches.
3.5h Engage in relationship-building activities with stakeholders at any level of influence, including system, local, state, national, and/or global.
3.6h Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to lead preparedness and mitigation efforts to protect population health with attention to the most vulnerable populations.
3.6j Contribute to system-level planning, decision making, and evaluation for disasters and public health emergencies.
4.3e Identify and mitigate potential risks and areas of ethical concern in the conduct of scholarly activities.
4.3g Ensure the protection of participants in the conduct of scholarship.
4.3h Implement processes that support ethical conduct in practice and scholarship.
4.3i Apply ethical principles to the dissemination of nursing scholarship.
6.1i Role model respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion in team-based communications.
6.4h Manage disagreements, conflicts, and challenging conversations among team members.
6.4i Promote an environment that advances interprofessional learning.
7.1g Analyze system-wide processes to optimize outcomes.
7.2g Analyze relevant internal and external factors that drive healthcare costs and reimbursement.
8.1h Evaluate the unintended consequences of information and communication technologies on care processes, communications, and information flow across care settings.
8.1j Explore the fiscal impact of information and communication technologies on health care.
8.1k Identify the impact of information and communication technologies on workflow processes and healthcare outcomes.
8.3a Demonstrate appropriate use of information and communication technologies.
8.3g Evaluate the use of information and communication technology to address needs, gaps,
and inefficiencies in care.
8.3e Identify impact of information and communication technology on quality and safety of
care.
8.5k Advocate for policies and regulations that support the appropriate use of technologies
impacting health care.
8.5l Analyze the impact of federal and state policies and regulation on health data and technology in care settings.
9.3o Lead in the development of opportunities for professional and interprofessional activities.
9.4e Assess the interaction between regulatory agency requirements and quality, fiscal, and value-based indicators.
9.5f Articulate nursing’s unique professional identity to other interprofessional team members and the public.
9.5g Evaluate practice environment to ensure that nursing core values are demonstrated.
9.5h Identify opportunities to lead with moral courage to influence team decision-making.
9.5i Engage in professional organizations that reflect nursing’s values and identity.
9.6f Analyze the impact of structural and cultural influences on nursing’s professional identity.
9.6g Ensure that care provided by self and others is reflective of nursing’s core values.
9.6h Structure the practice environment to facilitate care that is culturally and linguistically
appropriate.
AACN Sub-competencies: This course develops the following AACN Sub-competencies:
1.2i Demonstrate socially responsible leadership.
2.7f Synthesize outcome data to inform evidence-based practice, guidelines, and policies.
2.9i Analyze system-level and public policy influence on care coordination.
3.5f Appraise advocacy priorities for a population.
3.6f Collaboratively initiate rapid response activities to protect population health.
6.4e Practice self-assessment to mitigate conscious and implicit biases toward other team members.
7.2i Advocate for healthcare economic policies and regulations to enhance value, quality, and cost effectiveness.
8.5h Assess potential ethical and legal issues associated with the use of information and
communication technology.
9.3i Advocate for nursing’s professional responsibility for ensuring optimal care outcomes
9.3m Advocate for policies/practices that promote social justice and health equity.
9.4h Participate in the implementation of policies and regulations to improve the professional practice environment and healthcare outcomes.
9.6d Model respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion for all team members.
9.6e Critique one’s personal and professional practices in the context of nursing’s core values. 9.6i Ensure self and others are accountable in upholding moral, legal, and humanistic principles related to health.
10.3p Advocate for the promotion of social justice and eradication of structural racism and systematic inequity in nursing and society.
AACN Sub-competencies: This course masters the following AACN Sub-competencies:
3.3e Advocate for interventions that maximize cost effective, accessible, and equitable resources for populations.
3.3f Incorporate ethical principles in resource allocation in achieving equitable health.
3.4f Identify opportunities to influence the policy process.
3.4g Design comprehensive advocacy strategies to support the policy process.
3.4h Engage in strategies to influence policy change.
3.4i Contribute to policy development at the system, local, regional, or national levels.
3.4j Assess the impact of policy changes.
3.4k Evaluate the ability of policy to address disparities and inequities within segments of the population.
3.5i Demonstrate leadership skills to promote advocacy efforts that include principles of social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
3.6g Participate in ethical decision making that includes diversity, equity, and inclusion in advanced preparedness to protect populations.
5.3g Create a safe and transparent culture for reporting incidents.
6.4f Foster an environment that supports the constructive sharing of multiple perspectives and enhances interprofessional learning.
6.4g Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into team practices.
7.2l Evaluate health policies based on an ethical framework considering cost-effectiveness, health equity, and care outcomes.
9.1h Analyze current policies and practices in the context of an ethical framework.
9.1i Model ethical behaviors in practice and leadership roles.
9.1j Suggest solutions when unethical behaviors are observed.
9.1k Assume accountability for working to resolve ethical dilemmas.
9.2j Advocate for practices that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.
9.4d Advocate for polices that enable nurses to practice to the full extent of their education.
9.4f Evaluate the effect of legal and regulatory policies on nursing practice and healthcare
outcomes.
9.4g Analyze efforts to change legal and regulatory policies that improve nursing practice and health outcomes.
10.3p Advocate for the promotion of social justice and eradication of structural racism and systematic inequity in nursing and society.
10.3q Advocate for the nursing profession in a manner that is consistent, positive, relevant,
accurate, and distinctive issues.
Approved by GAAC: 1/30/12; 10/5/2015; 4/26/19; 9/9/22
Approved by Faculty: 4/9/12; 5/2/19; 9/12/22