In the evolving world of healthcare, advanced practice nurses have a significant role in tackling health disparities through purposeful policy change. These healthcare professionals leverage information technology to effectively identify vulnerable populations and analyze data, providing insight into clinical decisions that can reduce or eliminate nonmedical factors affecting poor health outcomes. Policy change is emerging as a powerful mechanism for dismantling the deep-seated inequities, where communities can review or abolish policies that perpetrate disparities and create opportunities for all, regardless of individual circumstances or location. As the transformative process unfolds, advanced practice nurses play a pivotal role as they carefully choose and advocate evidence-based policy solutions. Fridkin (2012) findings from a thorough study of county data and utilizing sources provided by renowned institutions such as County Health Rankings & Roadmaps website, CDC, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation these nurses uncover particular health disparities. With this knowledge, they develop research-based policies meant to change the origin of disparities and eliminate or lessen them.
The synthesis of relevant data proves the presence of health inequities, inserting images and descriptions that would heighten awareness among crucial participants. The community context is examined, defining at-risk populations and discussing the underlying causes, such as social, economic, and physical environments. With historical insights, this contextualization brings a sense of urgency to the need for immediate action. Dawes (2020) he second phase focuses on bridging the gap between policy and health inequities through ‘Policy Brief.” This brief message summarizes causes, effects, and evidence-based solutions in a suitable format for decision-makers. Graphical representation gives a visual element to data, while references, which can be accessed through a QR code, provide the credibility of the proposal.
The outline of a comprehensive approach through which advanced practice nurses equipped with technological savvy start an evolutionary journey. True advocates strategically single out and champion evidence-based policy changes; they identify the health inequalities and articulate a persuasive cause that embraces stakeholders, fostering a paradigm shift towards equity in communities. Fridkin(2012), in the fluid world of healthcare, advanced practice nurses play a significant role in battling health disparities with practical policy reformation. Healthcare professionals skilled in using information technology pinpoint the most vulnerable populations and carefully analyze data that will help to make more informed clinical decisions designed to reduce nonmedical factors causing poor health outcomes. As a result, policy change is the most potent pathway for undermining entrenched inequities; communities should review or abolish policies enforcing disparity and creating opportunities in equal measure owing to circumstances or geographical location.
Advanced practice nurses play a pivotal role in this transformative process as they carefully choose and identify the causes of evidence-based policy solutions. The nurses draw insights from a thorough analysis of county data and incorporate resources available on the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps website, CDC, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to identify particular health inequalities. Armed with this knowledge, they offer policies based on research that intend to change the fundamental causes of disparities to eliminate or at least reduce them. This thesis, in essence, identifies a comprehensive approach where advanced practice nurses armed with technological dexterity embark on the transformative journey. By identifying and promoting evidence-based policy reforms, they identify health inequalities and present a convincing argument that will make stakeholders buy into the shift toward the equity of health communities.
As specialists in the nursing field, it is important to use information technology that helps identify vulnerable populations for proper clinical decision-making. The paper looks at the implications of policy change to address health inequities based on disparity identification within a county. A focused strategy means choosing one disparity from the Week 5 assignment and suggesting an evidence-based policy option. As advanced practice nurses, it is critical to use information technology tools to identify vulnerable populations to make informed clinical decisions. Eliminating health disparities through policy change is essential to achieving health equity. Eluding the recognition of health inequities in a county, this paper outlines an approach to policy change within specific boundaries. Hence, a chosen health inequity is discussed, and an evidence-based policy solution is made. It also identifies a holistic plan to convey its persuasive message and short policy brief to critical stakeholders.
I chose health inequity as a lack of access to affordable and nutritious food, especially among the lower-income population in the county. This inequality analysis indicates that this disparity affects individuals based on income, resulting in unfavorable health outcomes. Economic factors such as poverty, less access to healthy food retail, and lack of supportive policies are root causes. The historical context indicates chronic economic inequalities and a noticeable lack of tailored policies to address the problem, reinforcing the need for an immediate resolution.
A policy recommendation for addressing this problem would entail launching a Healthy Food Access Program, which will consist of financial support offered to grocery stores to encourage them to set up businesses within underserved areas and educational efforts to encourage people to eat healthy. Besides that, the community should be involved in this initiative. This evidence-based approach attacks the root causes by improving economic conditions, increasing access to nutritious food, and building a supportive community.
The policy solution is custom-designed for the community’s needs by referring to the What Works for Health section information and resources provided by CDC, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, or state health departments. Synthesizing the population health data against a benchmark shows that inadequate access to nutritious food leads to adverse health outcomes. The visual and experiential data highlight the hardships of affected communities. Cost data highlights the financial implications, such as additional healthcare costs and premature death expenses incurred by the affected population. Essien & Gellad (2021) identified health inequity as having such characteristics as income, disability status, gender identity, geography, race, and ethnicity in the complete picture. Root causes are identified as social, economic, and physical environments with the historical context to provide information about long-standing policies that have existed for many years along cultural norms perpetuating these inequities. The policy change is rationally justified, indicating the relationship between what lacks policies in tackling health inequity. The evidence shows the beneficial impact of the suggested policy on the affected population, indicating it can mitigate or abolish inequity. The executive summary briefly summarized health inequality and its sources, consequences, and proposed evidence-supported remedy.” 70 It underlines the need for immediate policy change to resolve it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Policy change requires a well-defined strategy to address health inequities. On the one hand, I am offering a narrative and policy brief that supports the Healthy Food Access Program proposed to narrow down disparities in accessing healthy food. When implemented, such an evidence-based policy solution will not only resolve the health inequality that has been identified but also significantly improve overall community health and well-being. With all these roles, advanced practice nurses are central to healthcare advocacy for addressing health inequities through sound policy change.
References
Essien, U. R., Dusetzina, S. B., & Gellad, W. F. (2021). A policy prescription for reducing health disparities—achieving pharmacoequity. Jama, 326(18), 1793-1794.
Dawes, D. E. (2020). The political determinants of health. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Fridkin, A. J. (2012). Addressing health inequities through Indigenous involvement in health-policy discourses. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research Archive, 108-122.
write