Staffing Ratios

Select a current health policy issue relevant to nursing practice (e.g., access to care, staffing ratios, scope of practice, reproductive health, end-of-life care, health equity, public health policy, mental health legislation, patient safety regulations, or emerging technologies in health care). Be sure to follow the rubric closely!

In a 46 page scholarly paper, analyze the selected issue by addressing the following components:

1. Description of the Health Policy Issue

• Clearly describe the policy issue, including its background and relevance to nursing and health care delivery.
• Identify the population(s) most affected.
• Discuss the political and/or legislative context influencing this issue at the local, state, national, or global level.

1. Ethical Analysis

• Apply at least two ethical principles (e.g., autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, fidelity, veracity) to the issue.
• Examine ethical dilemmas or conflicts that may arise in clinical or organizational decision-making.
• Discuss how ethical frameworks guide nurses in promoting safe and effective care related to this policy.

1. Legal Considerations

• Identify relevant laws, regulations, or professional standards that impact the policy issue.
• Analyze how legal requirements influence nursing practice, patient safety, and accountability.
• Discuss potential legal consequences of noncompliance for nurses or health care organizations.

1. Personal and Professional Values

• Reflect on how personal values, professional nursing values, and the ANA Code of Ethics influence responses to the policy issue.
• Examine how nurses manage conflicts between personal beliefs and professional obligations.
• Discuss the importance of values-based decision-making in ethically complex health care environments.

1. Implications for Nursing Practice and Advocacy

• Analyze the implications of the policy issue for nursing roles, responsibilities, and patient outcomes.
• Describe the nurses role in health policy advocacy and political engagement related to the issue.
• Propose at least one evidence-based strategy nurses can use to influence policy or improve health care delivery.

1. Conclusion

• Summarize key insights from the analysis.
• Reinforce the importance of integrating ethics, law, and policy in nursing decision-making.

Paper Requirements

• Length: 46 pages, excluding title page and references
• Format: APA 7th edition
• Spacing: Double-spaced
• Font: 12-point Times New Roman
• Margins: 1 inch
• References:
• Minimum of 5 scholarly sources
• At least 3 peer-reviewed nursing or health related journal articles
• Current sources (within the last 57 years, unless foundational)
• Writing Style:
• Scholarly, professional tone
• Clear organization with APA-level headings