Out of the Classroom and into the Mix Active Learning About Health Policy and Politics.

Out of the Classroom and into the Mix

Active Learning About Health Policy and Politics

Karen Kelly, EdD, RN, NEA-Karen Kelly, EdD, RN, NEA-BCBC

Associate Professor & Coordinator, Associate Professor & Coordinator, Continuing EducationContinuing Education

Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleSouthern Illinois University Edwardsville

School of Nursing, Department of School of Nursing, Department of Primary Care and Health Systems Primary Care and Health Systems NursingNursing

ObjectivesObjectives

Examine the use of “political Examine the use of “political activities” as a learning activities” as a learning methodology related to health methodology related to health policy and politics.policy and politics.

Discuss the feedback of graduate Discuss the feedback of graduate students related to their students related to their engagement in “political engagement in “political activities.”activities.”

Nurses and politics….Nurses and politics….

While nurses represent While nurses represent 1 in 50 voters, only a 1 in 50 voters, only a minority of nurses are minority of nurses are political activists or political activists or even members of a even members of a single professional single professional organization.organization.

Nurses and politics….Nurses and politics….

Say the Say the word word “politics” to “politics” to a cross-a cross-section of section of nurses and nurses and their eyes their eyes will roll….will roll….

AACN’s “Essentials of AACN’s “Essentials of Master’s Education….”Master’s Education….”

““Most often, policy processes and Most often, policy processes and system-level strategies yield the system-level strategies yield the strongest influence on…broad strongest influence on…broad determinants of health. Being determinants of health. Being accountable for improving the quality of accountable for improving the quality of healthcare delivery, nurses must healthcare delivery, nurses must understand the legal and political understand the legal and political determinants of the system and have determinants of the system and have the requisite skills to partner for an the requisite skills to partner for an improved system” (AACN, 2011, p. 20).improved system” (AACN, 2011, p. 20).

Why is health policy Why is health policy important?important?

Nursing must be a visible player in Nursing must be a visible player in shaping health policy: shaping health policy: If you are If you are not not

at the table, you are on the menu!at the table, you are on the menu!

At Southern Illinois University At Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of NursingEdwardsville School of Nursing

The faculty have chosen to present this The faculty have chosen to present this content in a core course:content in a core course:

HEALTH POLICY HEALTH POLICY AND ADVANCED ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSINGPRACTICE NURSING

3 hour graduate course

Also a 3 hour course in health policy & health care finance in new doctoral

program.

Assumptions of the courseAssumptions of the course

Politics and policy are inseparable Politics and policy are inseparable – Policy is a plan to achieve a goalPolicy is a plan to achieve a goal– Politics is a process, involving human Politics is a process, involving human

interaction, by which policy is created interaction, by which policy is created and implementedand implemented– Health policy is a plan that uses the Health policy is a plan that uses the

political process to address the health political process to address the health of a population: global, national, of a population: global, national, regional, state-wide, localregional, state-wide, local


Nursing is engaged in two levels Nursing is engaged in two levels of politics: professional and of politics: professional and legislative/ regulatorylegislative/ regulatory

These two elements are These two elements are intertwined: professional politics, intertwined: professional politics, as exercised through nursing as exercised through nursing organizations, is a force to shape organizations, is a force to shape legislative/regulatory politicslegislative/regulatory politics


Active participation in Active participation in professional nursing organizations professional nursing organizations provides the most effective provides the most effective means for nurses to engage in means for nurses to engage in shaping health policy through shaping health policy through legislative and regulatory bodieslegislative and regulatory bodies


Governmental regulatory bodies Governmental regulatory bodies are shaped by legislative are shaped by legislative processes (e.g., funding for state processes (e.g., funding for state department of public health)department of public health)

Nongovernmental regulatory Nongovernmental regulatory bodies (e.g., the Joint bodies (e.g., the Joint Commission) are highly politicalCommission) are highly political


Political and policy activism Political and policy activism requires well informed activists.requires well informed activists.

The most effective & efficient way The most effective & efficient way of gathering information related of gathering information related to health policy and politics is to health policy and politics is through active membership in through active membership in professional nursing professional nursing organizations.organizations.

Health policy courseHealth policy course

Required of all students in the Required of all students in the graduate program in nursinggraduate program in nursing

Content is offered & discussion is Content is offered & discussion is conducted both in classroom and conducted both in classroom and online: hybrid course meets in online: hybrid course meets in class 4-6 times each semester; class 4-6 times each semester; summer course is onlinesummer course is online


Students complete a self-Students complete a self-assessment at the start of the assessment at the start of the course.course.

Political Astuteness Inventory Political Astuteness Inventory adapted from a 1990 book by adapted from a 1990 book by Goldwater & ZusyGoldwater & Zusy

Reprinted in chapter by Kelly in Reprinted in chapter by Kelly in Yoder-Wise textYoder-Wise text

Sample items from Sample items from inventoryinventory

1. I am registered to vote.1. I am registered to vote.2. I know where my voting precinct is 2. I know where my voting precinct is

located. located. 3. I voted in the last general election.3. I voted in the last general election.4. I voted in the last two elections.4. I voted in the last two elections.5. I recognized the names of the majority 5. I recognized the names of the majority

of candidates on the ballot and was of candidates on the ballot and was acquainted with the majority of issues in acquainted with the majority of issues in the last election.the last election.

6. I stay abreast of current health issues.6. I stay abreast of current health issues.


Early discussions focus on the Early discussions focus on the “why” and “what” of health “why” and “what” of health policy?policy?

Exploration of role of professional Exploration of role of professional nursing organizations in shaping nursing organizations in shaping health policy through efforts of health policy through efforts of members/citizen lobbyists & members/citizen lobbyists & professional lobbyistsprofessional lobbyists

Engaging in political Engaging in political activitiesactivities

Students choose from a menu of Students choose from a menu of activities, which vary by time of activities, which vary by time of year and by political cycles year and by political cycles (election year vs. not an election (election year vs. not an election year). These activities require year). These activities require structured reports. Activities are structured reports. Activities are awarded point values that count awarded point values that count toward students’ grades.toward students’ grades.

Engaging in political Engaging in political activitiesactivities

Students are encouraged to Students are encouraged to attend one activity with the attend one activity with the instructor: local nursing instructor: local nursing association/SON legislative night, association/SON legislative night, nurse political action day, nurse political action day, selected nursing organization selected nursing organization meetings.meetings.

Activities include…Activities include…

Nursing organization meetings Nursing organization meetings where health policy or legislative where health policy or legislative matters are discussed (excludes matters are discussed (excludes nursing unions)nursing unions)

Legislative body meetings: state Legislative body meetings: state legislature, county board, city legislature, county board, city councilcouncil


Regulatory bodies (usually state Regulatory bodies (usually state level): state board of nursing, level): state board of nursing, Illinois Center for Nursing (state Illinois Center for Nursing (state government body), county board of government body), county board of healthhealth

Candidate campaigns during Candidate campaigns during election cycleselection cycles

National political party conventionsNational political party conventions


Interviews with legislators, state Interviews with legislators, state senator or state representative or senator or state representative or members of Congress, health care members of Congress, health care leaders leaders

Letters to the editors of local Letters to the editors of local newspapers, national news newspapers, national news magazinesmagazines

Others opportunities that present Others opportunities that present themselves during the semesterthemselves during the semester

Activities result in…Activities result in…

Brief reports that summarize Brief reports that summarize event and offer a reflection of event and offer a reflection of what was learned and any what was learned and any emotional or cognitive responses emotional or cognitive responses to the event (the “aha!” moment)to the event (the “aha!” moment)

Instructor preview of letters to the Instructor preview of letters to the editor for editing/accuracyeditor for editing/accuracy

Outcomes….Outcomes….

Typical range of scores on first Typical range of scores on first assessment using the Political assessment using the Political Astuteness Inventory: 4-15Astuteness Inventory: 4-15

Typical range of scores on second Typical range of scores on second assessment using the Political assessment using the Political Astuteness Inventory: 17-29Astuteness Inventory: 17-29

Possible scores: 0-40Possible scores: 0-40

Outcomes….Outcomes….

““Medicare and Medicaid: I learned so Medicare and Medicaid: I learned so much about [this]!”much about [this]!”

““This has been quite eye-opening.”This has been quite eye-opening.” ““This class made me realize how This class made me realize how

important it is to become part of the important it is to become part of the policy making process.”policy making process.”

““This class opened my eyes….I have This class opened my eyes….I have also been educating my friends, also been educating my friends, family, & co-workers.”family, & co-workers.”

ConclusionsConclusions

Students perceive themselves as Students perceive themselves as having greater understanding of having greater understanding of health policy concepts.health policy concepts.

Students assess their knowledge of Students assess their knowledge of political/policy basics as greater at political/policy basics as greater at the end of the semester.the end of the semester.

25-50% of each class plan to join a 25-50% of each class plan to join a nursing organization to “get active.”nursing organization to “get active.”

QUESTIONS?????QUESTIONS?????

Out of the Classroom and into the Mix Active Learning About Health Policy and Politics.

Documents

Transcript of Out of the Classroom and into the Mix Active Learning About Health Policy and Politics.