Deck 23: Health Policy and Politics: Get Involved!

Question 1

When a bill is presented to Congress, the subcommittee may choose to "mark up" the bill, meaning to:

A) obtain oral testimony about the bill from the executive branch.
B) conduct additional hearings about the bill.
C) amend the bill before recommending it to the full committee.
D) have the full committee vote on recommendations.

Answer 1

amend the bill before recommending it to the full committee.

Question 2

A nurse is interested in learning more about health policy and how it might impact nursing practice. She is especially interested in The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( PPACA ) and how it will travel through the three branches of the federal government. She researches the roles of the legislative branch of the federal government and learns that this branch: (Select all that apply.)

A) determines which laws are constitutional, such as recently deciding the PPACA is constitutional because it is a form of taxation.
B) has the exclusive power to determine where federal dollars will be spent, such as supporting the PPACA.
C) consists of the Office of the President and 15 executive departments that supported the PPACA.
D) has the power to veto laws found constitutional by the Supreme court and therefore could veto the PPACA.
E) can override a Presidential veto, making it possible to amend the PPACA even without approval of the President.

Answer 2

has the exclusive power to determine where federal dollars will be spent, such as supporting the PPACA.
can override a Presidential veto, making it possible to amend the PPACA even without approval of the President.

Question 3

If a nurse practicing in a mental health agency could only belong to one professional organization, what criteria could be used to select the organization with the biggest impact?

A) The American Nurses Association has a strong voice representing the nation's entire RN population.
B) Specialty organizations such as the American Psychiatric Nurses Association lobby for higher education requirements for nurses.
C) State nursing associations have limited power because they can lobby only state representatives.
D) Professional organizations such as The American Association for the History of Nursing (AAHN) record the history of mental health nursing.

Answer 3

The American Nurses Association has a strong voice representing the nation's entire RN population.

Question 4

It is important for nurses to know the functions of the branches of the federal government. At a local meeting of the state nurses' association, an officer reminds members that the branch that is capable of originating major policy initiatives is the _____ branch.

A) executive
B) legislative
C) judicial
D) administrative

Question 5

A person who is covered by Medicaid moves from one state to another and asks the nurse at the health department why the benefits changed. The correct response by the nurse is:

A) "Local government controls which benefits each county can provide to Medicaid recipients."
B) "The federal government does not fund any part of Medicaid, so each state must find ways to pay for benefits."
C) "Each state determines benefits on the basis of the present economy."
D) "Medicaid is funded by both state and federal governments, but benefits vary from state to state."

Question 6

A nurse would like to obtain background information and learn the political platform of a candidate who is running for national office. The nurse should contact the:

A) National Registry for Candidates.
B) American Nurses Association Nurses Strategic Action Team (N-STAT).
C) National League of Nurses.
D) National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

Question 7

To ensure that new laws are implemented as proposed, nurses must realize that:

A) regulations must be enacted exactly as intended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
B) hearings to discuss the new laws and regulations are closed to the public, and only lobbyists are invited to attend.
C) proposed regulations are published and are open to public comment for a time before they are formally adopted.
D) final published regulations only suggest how the law will be implemented.

Question 8

Time is becoming crucial for the nurse to address issues related to sponsoring programs to include hearing aid costs as part of Medicare coverage. The nurse involved in grassroots political actions realizes that the least timely method of reaching elected officials would be via:

A) letter.
B) telephone.
C) e-mail.
D) facsimile (fax).

Question 9

Members of a state's constituent member association meet at a local restaurant to plan a Nurse Walk to support the local food bank. When entering the restaurant, the nurses note the environmental inspection report shows deficiencies because food handlers were not wearing hairnets and rodents were spotted, resulting in a score of 60 out of 100. This certificate of inspection is health policy enforced at which level of government?

A) Local
B) State
C) Federal
D) International

Question 10

In the near future, the largest segment of the population will be those over age 65 years. To advocate for this vulnerable population, a nurse was a strong supporter for the Medicare Modernization Act (Medicare Part D ), which:

A) provided vision care benefits to elderly persons who were diagnosed as legally blind.
B) removed limits to access to mental health/substance abuse services which are the most commonly used service in this population.
C) provided coverage for medications for Medicare enrollees that constituted a huge expense for the elderly.
D) expanded the practice opportunities for advanced practice registered nurses ( APRN ) who provide the majority of care for this population.

Question 11

A nurse who is interested in graduate school wants to learn about recently passed legislation regarding changes in Medicare reimbursement for care provided by clinical nurse specialists. The best source for information on changes in federal programs is the ________________.

Question 12

A nurse would like to advocate for increased protective services and reporting mechanisms for elder abuse and attends the "meet the candidate" session at the town hall meeting. This is an important time for the nurse to:

A) educate the public about the nurse's political platform.
B) be spontaneous and not deliver a rehearsed speech.
C) address the person as "candidate" rather than using a first name that implies a working relationship.
D) learn what the key issues are in the candidate's platform.

Question 13

A concerned nursing student calls the office of an elected official to voice support for the bill to ban smoking in all public places. The secretary asks, "Are you a constituent?" What does the term constituent mean?

A) A member of a professional organization who supports the organization's political issue
B) A citizen who is registered and is eligible to vote for a representative
C) An elected official who proposes legislation to be considered as a potential law
D) A member of the House of Representatives who is seeking support for a particular bill

Question 14

The greatest barrier to access to health care for a poor Hispanic person living in downtown Chicago is lack of health ____________________.

Question 15

A group of nurses meet with a state representative to explain the importance of allowing registered nurses the right to sign death certificates for patients who were under their care. As constituents and nurses, they requested that the senator vote against the bill restricting this practice. These nurses are serving as:

A) lobbyists.
B) policymakers.
C) officials with regulatory power.
D) advocates for the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act.

Question 16

When the policy process is compared with the nursing process, identifying the issue is consistent with which step of the nursing process?

A) Assessment
B) Diagnosis
C) Planning
D) Implementation

Question 17

A nurse is concerned about older persons living alone at home without telephone service to contact emergency services. The nurse is advised to take part in grassroots efforts to address the situation. The nurse would: (Select all that apply.)

A) post signs to support the county's political candidates whose platform support services for poor and underserved person such as older adults.
B) visit with local politicians running for office and ask specific questions such as, "Would you support providing free emergency phone service for older adults living alone?"
C) limit voting to only presidential elections in which a candidate promises to initiate health care reform related to Medicare for older adults.
D) join the American Nurses Association and constituent member association.
E) contact representatives from surrounding states to garner support for free medical alert systems for older adults.

Question 18

Political action committees (PACs) are established for the purpose of:

A) financially supporting candidates.
B) persuading policymakers to support certain policies.
C) lobbying legislators.
D) recommending health care policy.

Question 19

Throughout the history of health care in our nation, one particular piece of federal legislation provided funds for hospital construction. As the number of hospitals rapidly increased, the need for nurses to staff hospitals also increased, and the shift from community-based nursing care to hospital-based nursing care began. This fundamental piece of legislation was the:

A) Sheppard-Towner Act.
B) Hill-Burton Act.
C) Veterans Bill.
D) Access to Health Care Bill.

Question 20

A bill is pending in the state legislature that will mandate teaching health promotion related to smoking cessation. Which action by the nurse should have the greatest impact on passage of the bill?

A) Explain the rationale for the bill to the school board.
B) Contact the elected representative's office by phone to request support for the bill.
C) Support a health advocate to run for election as state representative.
D) Tell all students about the bill.

Question 21

Another name for an eligible voter is a _________.