Policy
What are legislators currently doing to address your selected advocacy priorities for a vulnerable population? Are there current policies in place? Are there current policies proposed at either the state or federal level? What are the most obvious strengths and weaknesses of these policies as they relate to your advocacy priority? What might need to change?
For this Discussion, you will identify a state or federal policy that aligns with your advocacy priority. After identifying the policy, you will consider how the policy aligns and supports your identified vulnerable population. How and why does this policy align with your advocacy priorities?
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
· Dawes, D. E. (2020).
The political determinants of health. Johns Hopkins University Press.
· Chapter 5, “Wining the Game That Never Ends: Success Means Continuous Employment of the Political Determinants of Health” (pp. 112–130)
· Porche, D. J. (2023).
Health policy: Applications for nurses and other healthcare professionals (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
· Chapter 12, “Evidence Informing Policymaking ” (pp. 175–183)
· Chapter 15, “Politics: Theory and Practice” (pp. 201–237)
·
Document:
Personal Legislative Agenda and Action Plan Exemplar (Word Document)
Download Personal Legislative Agenda and Action Plan Exemplar (Word Document)
· Association of Public Health Nurses Public Health Policy Committee. (2021).
Public health policy advocacy guidebook and tool kitLinks to an external site.
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·
Congress.govLinks to an external site.. (2022).
· Congress.gov. (2022).
State legislative websitesLinks to an external site.
[Interactive media]. state-legislature-websites
· Gustafson, A. (2017, December 12). How to be a political influence—as an average citizen.
CurrentsLinks to an external site.
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· Rees, A. (2013, August 6).
Digital and online activismLinks to an external site.
. Reset: Digital for Good.
· Social Current. (n.d.).
Policy, advocacy, and communications toolkitLinks to an external site.
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· White, N. (2018). Introduction: Why read the
Effective Activist Guide. In
Effective activist: An evidence-based guide to progressive social changeLinks to an external site.
(pp. 6–10). Effective Activist.
To Prepare:
· Review resources related to health policy.
· Consider the health policy that might align with your advocacy priorities.
Post a response detailing the following:
Identify a proposed state and federal policy that aligns with your advocacy priorities for your vulnerable population. Clearly describe and provide evidence to support this policy. If the policy needs to change, describe and provide evidence to support the proposed change.
RESPOND TO THIS DISCUSSION Post
Suz Let
I am advocating for patients with mental health disorders who receive chemical restraints at the whim of healthcare providers. This discussion will focus on Florida’s Statues and Federal Laws regarding restraints.
According to Florida Mental Health Act, Chapter 400 Section 9979-2019: Restraint and seclusion; client safety, (3) states that chemical restraints can be ordered by physician, physician assistant, or an advance nurse practitioner and must be consistent with the patient’s diagnosis. Also, the patient and/or patient’s representative should be informed about the chemical restraint policies and procedures upon patient admission to the unit. (4 &4a) An emergency treatment order of a rapid-response psychotropic medication or other chemical restraints are only effective for 24 hours. (5). Patients who receive a chemical restraint should be monitored monthly by any of the three healthcare providers listed above to access for the continuation of the medication, level of medication in the patient’s blood, and the need for prescription adjustment (Florida Mental Health Act, 2019).
Healthcare facilities within the state of Florida need to ensure that their policies and procedures are compliant with the Florida Mental Health Act with regards to seclusion and restraints. First, healthcare providers need to inform patient representatives that a chemical restraint has been given to the patient, because the patients may not understand a chemical restraint is being given or the frequency of chemical restraints will alter their mental status (Florida Mental Health Act, 2019). Second, according to the Florida Mental Health Act, the patient who receives a chemical restraint should receive monthly follow up by their healthcare provider. The facility’s policies and procedures need to ensure that patients who receive chemical restraints must be followed monthly by their healthcare provider (Florida Mental Health Act, 2019). Thus, proper communication and hand-off from providers in the acute care settings to the providers in the community health settings need to occur to ensure better patient health outcomes. Lastly, the healthcare facilities policy and procedures need to be revised regarding how many doses of chemical restraints a patient can receive within a 24-hour period (Florida Mental Health Act, 2019).
According to the Code of Federal Regulations €482.13: Condition of participation: Patient Rights. All patients have the right to be free from restraints or seclusion of any form, imposed as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff (Code of Federal Regulations). The law is clear that patients have a right to be free of restraints and that restraints should not be for convenience of staff. However, decades of research indicates that patients with mental illnesses continue to be chemically restrained, and these patients have adverse health outcomes.
Resources
Code of Federal Regulations. €482. eCFR :: 42 CFR 482.13 — Condition of participation: Patient’s rights.Links to an external site.
Florida Mental Health Act, Fla. Stat. €400 (9979-2019).
Chapter 400 Section 9979 – 2019 Florida Statutes – The Florida SenateLinks to an external site.
