Question 1

A health policy proposed by the state Department of Health and Human Services addresses creating a charity health system in which all citizens can receive comprehensive preventive health care. While the health system is being debated in the legislature, which criteria for evaluation should be used to assess its potential effectiveness? (Select all that apply.)

A) Cost.
B) Feasibility.
C) Resource needs.
D) Location.
E) Reimbursement guarantees from private insurance.

Cost.
Feasibility.
Resource needs.

Accepted Answer

1. Cost, feasibility, and resource needs are all evaluation criteria for health policy. Location is not an evaluation criterion for health policy. Reimbursement guarantees do not enter evaluation criteria when developing health policy.
2. Cost, feasibility, and resource needs are all evaluation criteria for health policy. Location is not an evaluation criterion for health policy. Reimbursement guarantees do not enter evaluation criteria when developing health policy.
3. Cost, feasibility, and resource needs are all evaluation criteria for health policy. Location is not an evaluation criterion for health policy. Reimbursement guarantees do not enter evaluation criteria when developing health policy.

Question 2

Amendments to the Nurse Practice Act in the state where the nurse is licensed now require that Advanced Practice Registered Nurses be board certified through a nationally recognized accrediting agency. Enforcement of this amendment is done through:

A) Administrative decision.
B) Legislation.
C) Judicial decision.
D) Regulation.

Regulation.

Accepted Answer

4. Regulation addresses how policies are implemented. Regulatory agencies specify how policies are realized in actual behavior. The amendment to the Nurse Practice Act, while done through legislation, is then implemented through a regulatory agency. Administrative and judicial decisions are done by either an executive or judge.

Question 3

After a natural disaster hits the community, a grassroots organization is formed to improve conditions post-recovery. The nurse joins the organization and volunteers to contact public officials about the organization's concerns. This role is best described as:

A) Politician.
B) Activist.
C) Citizen.
D) Researcher.

Activist.

Accepted Answer

2. Though this is a role of citizen, through speaking out on policy issues and becoming acquainted with elected officials, the nurse is displaying the role of activist. Contacting public officials and joining relevant coalitions is a political activist role.

Question 4

The state medical board has proposed legislation to include physicians on the state board of nursing to interpret the Nurse Practice Act. Local nursing organizations have testified in public hearings opposing this measure. What aspect of policy development is this?

A) Administrative decision.
B) Legislation.
C) Judicial decision.
D) Regulation.

Accepted Answer

4. When regulations deal with sensitive areas, the regulatory body involved may hold public hearings to solicit input. Including physicians on the state board of nursing to interpret the Nurse Practice Act would affect how nursing is practiced. Therefore nursing input is necessary to support the nursing position on the proposed regulations. Judicial or administrative decisions are not involved at this level, and while it is proposed legislation, it ultimately comes under the jurisdiction of the regulatory agency.

Question 5

The local homeless shelter has a policy that requires that residents have documentation regarding their tuberculosis exposure. A member of the community states that this violates an individual's right to privacy. What evaluation criterion would address this?

A) Resource needs.
B) Equity.
C) Quality.
D) Feasibility.

Accepted Answer

3. Health care policies must safeguard individual rights and be capable of implementation or enforcement. Requiring a homeless shelter resident to provide proof of TB status safeguards the other residents and is a measure of the quality of the policy. Resource needs, equity, and feasibility are not addressed by this criterion.

Question 6

As part of a public hearing on amending health policy in the state, the nurse is asked to present identified health issues that directly impact the community and to assess the current health policy. In this role, the nurse is operating as a(n):

A) Citizen.
B) Activist.
C) Politician.
D) Researcher.

Accepted Answer

4. In this situation, the nurse is acting as a researcher. As a population health expert, the nurse is qualified to publicly address the merits and drawbacks of health issues that affect a population and draws upon current research for presentation. Assessing a proposed health policy change for its effect on the population allows the nurse to assess its quality, integrity, and identification of issues as well as review decisions to ensure they reflect current knowledge. A citizen's role is to stay informed, but by speaking as a population expert, the nurse goes beyond that role. In an activist role, the nurse would work for a specific outcome, but in this situation the nurse has been asked to present and comment on health issues. The nurse is not proposing legislative policy issues, so it is not a politician role.

Question 7

Activities and outcomes related to the evaluation aspect of policy development would include:&#10;A) Direction for future policy decisions based on implementation, performance, and impact from the policy.&#10;B) Impact of program performance with interpretation and resource acquisition.&#10;C) Policy statements with alternative development and coalition building.&#10;D) Policy agenda with support mobilization and problem definition.&#10;

Accepted Answer

1. Evaluating policy development includes evaluating how well the policy is implemented and its performance and impact. Based on whether the implementation, performance, and impact are appropriate or not, the policy may also provide directions for future policy decision. Program performance with interpretation and resource acquisition is part of program implementation, which is not evaluation. Formulation of goals and programs addresses policy statements with alternative developments and coalition building. Setting the agenda involves defining the problem, which leads to a policy agenda.

Question 8

The most important criterion in evaluating health policy is its:&#10;A) Ability to be implemented.&#10;B) Ability to achieve the desired outcome on the target population.&#10;C) Equitable distribution of the health care resources.&#10;D) Effect on the target population.&#10;

Accepted Answer

2. While all criteria listed are important, the most important is the ability for the policy to have the desired outcome on the target population. If the policy does not have the desired outcome, none of the other criteria listed have any importance.

Question 9

The nurse stays informed of events that impact the community by going to public forums to learn more about various issues. The nurse also joins the state nursing organization. In this role, the nurse is a(n):

A) Citizen.
B) Activist.
C) Politician.
D) Researcher.

Accepted Answer

1. By staying informed and participating in public forums, the nurse is acting in the role of citizen. Joining politically active professional nursing organizations to participate in policy development is another activity of the citizen role. The activist role will consciously seek to ensure a set outcome. The politician role involves greater depth, such as seeking appointment to a regulatory body or seeking office to develop policy on the legislative level. The researcher role identifies issues and reviews decisions for quality, integrity, and objectivity based on the data of the policy decisions.

Question 10

A health policy is developed that allows for creating housing for homeless men during adverse weather, but no provision is made for homeless families. The evaluation criterion that would best reflect this policy inequity is:

A) Cost.
B) Equity.
C) Feasibility.
D) Appropriateness.

Accepted Answer

2. The primary issue with creating homeless accommodations that serve only a male population is that of equity. Health policy needs to reflect equitable distribution of resources. While cost, feasibility, and appropriateness may factor into this, equity is the primary concern.

Question 11

An amendment to a state law that bans smoking in local music clubs and bars has generated much opposition from the restaurant industry, which cites that it will decrease their business and reduce a tax income to the state. The legislative session where this amendment was proposed expires and the amendment is dead. However, the governor signs an executive order that puts this ban into effect. The restaurant industry sues the state and the court rules in favor of the governor. In this situation, health policy has been developed through: (Select all that apply.)

A) Legislation.
B) Administrative decision.
C) Judicial decision.
D) Regulation.
E) Special interest lobbying.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An amendment to a state law that...

Question 12

Compromise, negotiation, networking, and coalition building are essential activities in policy development while:&#10;A) Implementing the program as a result of the developed policy.&#10;B) Evaluating how well the policy has been implemented.&#10;C) Formulating the goals and programs to result from the policy.&#10;D) Setting the agenda to define the problem to be addressed by the policy.&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compromise, negotiation, networking, and coalition building are...

Question 13

A city has adopted the policy of banning smoking in all public parks. When evaluating the policy, which issues should the nurse identify as potentially problematic? (Select all that apply.)&#10;A) Park maintenance crews will have less smoking debris to clean.&#10;B) Individuals who smoke may argue that their personal rights are being affected.&#10;C) The park employs two full-time and one part-time employee for 20 square miles.&#10;D) City dwellers will not be exposed to second-hand smoke while enjoying the park.&#10;E) Individuals who smoke will no longer utilize the services available through the park.&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of A city has adopted the policy of...

Question 14

The population health nurse is preparing information to share during a state judicial hearing to support the statewide implementation of pedestrian crosswalk signs. Which secondary data should the nurse include for this presentation? (Select all that apply.)

A) Number of pedestrian accidents over the last 3 months.
B) Number of accidents involving motor vehicles to avoid bicyclists.
C) Number of schools in the state located on busy commercial highways.
D) Number of tickets for jaywalking issued to pedestrians over the last 3 months.
E) Results of a state survey asking residents if pedestrian crosswalk signs should be installed.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The population health nurse is preparing information...

Question 15

After working many years as a population nurse, the nurse seeks appointment to a statewide board that is in charge of developing strategies to improve health outcomes in the state. This role is best described as:

A) Citizen.
B) Activist.
C) Politician.
D) Researcher.

Accepted Answer

The answer of After working many years as a population...

Question 16

The nurse is a member of the state nursing organization, and is asked to speak before a state senate committee about a proposed bill to increase funding to outpatient mental health clinics to improve health outcomes for the mentally ill. Public policy development by this route is known as:

A) Legislation.
B) Administrative decision.
C) Judicial decision.
D) Regulation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse is a member of the...

Deck 9: Political Strategies