Obesity in Public School in the State of Illinois
Paper instructions:
A. Discuss two differences in how an advanced professional nurse advocates for an at-risk population in the community versus how an advanced professional nurse advocates for an individual patient in the clinical practice setting. Include scholarly source(s) as part of your response.
B. Describe how the advanced professional nurse will apply two evidence-based strategies to promote interprofessional collaboration within an Advocacy Action Team (AAT). Include one scholarly source to support your description.
C. Analyze data that validates a health issue affecting an at-risk population in the county or state where you live or work. Include relevant source(s) as part of your response.
D. Describe two characteristics of the at-risk population identified in part C.
E. Analyze how a specific social determinant of health (SDOH) in the county or state is predisposing the at-risk population from part C to the health issue identified in part C.
F. Analyze how current policy is insufficient to address the SDOH identified in part E.
Note: Current policy may be a county ordinance, county or state regulation, state law, program, school curriculum, health initiative, etc.
G. Provide a policy proposal to address the SDOH identified in part E. Include scholarly source(s) to support your policy proposal as part of your response.
1. Describe how the policy proposal could impact the health issue from part C.
2. Discuss how the policy proposal will address diversity in the population to ensure equitable distribution of resources.
3. Describe how the policy proposal upholds two provisions from the ANA Code of Ethics. Include relevant source(s) as part of your response.
4. Describe two actual or potential barriers in your county or state that impede the implementation of the policy proposal.
H. Provide the name and title of one policymaker with authority to move the policy proposal forward.
1. Provide the rationale for choosing the policymaker identified in part H.
I. Describe two strategies you will use as an advanced professional nurse to strengthen your professional practice as a policy advocate.
J. Create an (I)SBAR summary of the policy proposal using the attached “(I)SBAR Summary Template. Save and submit your (I)SBAR summary as a separate .pdf or .docx document.
Note: Refer to the article titled “Using SBAR to Communicate with Policymakers” found in Unit 3 of the Course of Study.
Note to Writer: Please pay attention to the Additional material that I have attached as the template/guideline for writing. I will also include a link for “Guide for the Policy Proposal” here: https://web5.wgu.edu/aap/content/guide%20for%20the%20policy%20proposal-%20pathway%20to%20advocate%20for%20change%20-%2010-22.pdf
A. Advanced professional nurses advocate for at-risk populations in the community and for individual patients in clinical practice settings in different ways. One key difference is the scope of advocacy. When advocating for an at-risk population in the community, the focus is on improving the overall health and wellbeing of a specific group of people. This may involve addressing systemic issues such as poverty, access to healthcare, and social determinants of health. On the other hand, when advocating for an individual patient in a clinical practice setting, the focus is on addressing the specific health needs of that individual and ensuring that they receive appropriate care.
Another difference is the level of autonomy and decision-making authority in the advocacy process. Advanced professional nurses advocating for at-risk populations in the community may have more autonomy and decision-making authority, as they are able to address issues at a systemic level and work with other community stakeholders to develop and implement solutions. In contrast, advanced professional nurses advocating for individual patients in clinical practice settings may have less autonomy and decision-making authority, as they are typically working within the framework of a larger healthcare system and may have to navigate institutional policies and procedures.
Source: Dimitry, J., & Galt, J. (2019). Nurses as advocates: A call to action. Journal of nursing regulation, 10(2), 11-15.
B. To promote interprofessional collaboration within an Advocacy Action Team (AAT), an advanced professional nurse can apply two evidence-based strategies. The first strategy is to establish clear roles and responsibilities for each member of the AAT. This can be achieved by developing a team charter that outlines the team’s purpose, goals, and expectations for participation. The second strategy is to foster open communication and regular team meetings. This can be achieved by creating a shared agenda for each meeting, encouraging active participation from all team members, and using effective communication tools such as teleconferencing or videoconferencing.
Source: Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Quality of Health Care in America. (2001). Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century. National Academies Press (US).
C. According to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, obesity is a significant health issue affecting an at-risk population in the state of Illinois. The data shows that in 2019, 32.6% of adults in Illinois were obese, with even higher rates among certain subpopulations such as African American adults (37.4%) and Hispanic adults (37.1%). Additionally, the data shows that rates of childhood obesity in Illinois are also high, with 18.4% of children aged 10-17 classified as obese.
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health. (2019). Illinois Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Data. Retrieved from https://www.dph.illinois.gov/sites/default/files/publications/BRFSS-2019-Obesity-Fact-Sheet.pdf
D. Two characteristics of the at-risk population of adults in Illinois affected by obesity are that they are disproportionately represented among African American and Hispanic populations, and that they have higher rates of obesity compared to the overall population.
E. One specific social determinant of health (SDOH) that is predisposing the at-risk population of adults in Illinois affected by obesity to this health issue is access to healthy food options. Many communities in Illinois, particularly low-income and minority communities, have limited access to supermarkets and grocery stores that offer fresh fruits and vegetables. This lack of access to healthy food options can make it more difficult for individuals to make healthy food choices and maintain a healthy weight.
