Reference no: EM133089371

Before this class, I was a little involved in health policy advocating, even though I did not understand the process of health policy. This class has allowed me to really learn how policies come to light. The idea of a policy shaping healthcare is very influential in today's healthcare.

In terms of healthcare today, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a major part of my life. I started the pandemic at Hillcrest Hospital, one of the Cleveland Clinic hospitals. I worked with leadership at the hospital to establish guidelines on how to take care of COVID-19 patients and adhere to Governor Mike DeWine's standards for healthcare and the CDC's standards as well. The rule making and policy implementation was a major part of the guidelines that the Cleveland Clinic implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. In terms of legislation, I have not yet participated in this phase yet, but would like to do so. But on the other side, during the guidelines and standards being implemented there was a lot of modifications that happened, like wearing N95 masks in COVID-19 patient rooms all the time, instead of just during breathing treatments. The CDC updated these standards of care to reflect new data that was seen with COVID-cases (CDC, 2020).

I have been involved in health policy, but I would like to more involved in this process. My short-term goal for health policy would be to understand how to be involved in health policy, while being able to impact healthcare. Being an advocate for healthcare is extremely important to making a difference in healthcare on a daily basis. In terms of agenda setting and the policy formulation phase, the idea of this is to establish the problem that you want lawmakers to be a part of with a message that impacts you. One problem that healthcare has had with the COVID-19 pandemic has to do with staffing issues. With the increasing number of COVD-19 patients in hospitals, and many people leaving the profession of healthcare there has been safe staffing issues. One short term goal would be to work with my hospital, the Cleveland Clinic to help to recruit more healthcare professionals into the profession and be a part of the movement for save staffing with higher up leadership. A long-term goal would be to be an advocate for healthcare safe staffing ratios.

In terms of policy implementation, rulemaking has been set up in certain hospitals to improve patient outcomes and greater satisfaction for both patients and staff (ANA, 2021). The first state to implement nurse to patient staffing ratios, to improve patient care and nurse retention. A short-term goal would be to an advocate for nursing retention to make sure that nurses are being retained in the Cleveland Clinic, being part of the retention committee is key, which would be a local way to get involved in health policy. In 2004, California they were the first state to implement minimum nurse to patient staffing ratios, which lessened burnouts and in patient deaths in the hospital (Department for Professional Employees, 2016). The idea of safe staffing can be operated in hospitals and even implemented into rules and laws. One long term goal with policy implementation and policy modification would be to be a part of the advocating for legislation of HR 3165. HR 3165 was introduced as a nurse staffing standard for patient safety and quality of care act (Congress, 2021). This bill shows how at a national level, that staffing in healthcare is a big issue. As an advocate, I can work at the local and even state level through the Ohio Nurses Association to voice my favor of the healthcare bill to make a change in healthcare, even modification can occur to make the healthcare bill become more appealing to others in healthcare and legislation.

(READ THE ABOVE and ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW)

Which ideas or thoughts did you read that you found interesting or insightful? How did these ideas or thoughts inform your own thinking?

Are there any sections that you think you read that could expound upon? (e.g. "I'd really like to hear more about how you think political corruption is a primary factor in this case.")

What thoughts or questions does your reading response trigger for you?