Assignment: Position Paper on Health Policy

Now that you have analyzed many different aspects of health care policy, you are better able to form a comprehensive evidence-based opinion on its effectiveness. The policy you chose to focus on, like all policy, as you now well know, is a conglomeration of many different facets. Each of those facets is integral to the policy’s success, efficiency, and value.

As a nursing professional and advocate for change, having an all-inclusive understanding of health care policy is extremely important. Nurses have a tremendous amount of untapped power to make positive changes. Your knowledge of policy is just a first step. With this new process of breaking down and analyzing each of the pieces of health care policy, you have added another tool to your toolkit.

To complete this Assignment, consider all of your findings from the Discussion in Week 1 and the Assignments in Weeks 2 and 3. Analyze your research on the policy, including costs, quality, and/or safety issues. 

Address the following:

1. Introduce the topic by drawing from your previous work. Introduce the policy by providing an overview of the suggested or implemented policy: background of the topic, including main elements of the policy, costs, and quality/safety. Assert your main thesis statement.
2. Offer an evidence-based, informed opinion in support of the suggested or implemented policy. Describe at least two major contributions that this policy makes to health care, nursing, or health outcomes. Provide support with at least three sources of evidence. 
3. Discuss at least one opposing opinion to the suggested or implemented policy. Provide evidence and/or data to support the counterargument. 
4. Present a final position on the policy. Support the final defensible argument with current literature.
5. Conclusion:
   A. Restate your argument.
   B. Provide a plan of action, but do not introduce new information. In total, your paper will be 4–5 pages in length, not including the title page or reference page.