The Four Spheres of Political Action in Nursing
Healthcare can be categorized as a field with a complex system that operates in conditions of regulations and rules. For instance, in this system, government, professional organizations, the workplace, and the community are the four domains in which nursing issues are practiced (Motacki & Burke, 2022). These spheres are all interconnected and linked to one another.
Government
First, all areas are governed and impacted by the regulations that the administration enforces. To guarantee accessibility, effectiveness, and cost of care, healthcare laws are formed. It establishes the state-level boundaries of nursing care and ensures fairness regarding care provision (Motacki & Burke, 2022).
Workplace
Second, the workplace caters to a particular community and has its own rules to ensure that it operates well and meets the demands of the location it supports (Motacki & Burke, 2022). Here, nurses must follow company and governmental norms and regulations.
Professional Organizations
Moreover, professional organizations wherein nurses operate may have more influence on healthcare practices on behalf of healthcare professionals (Motacki & Burke, 2022).
Community
Finally, a community is a group of individuals who live in the exact location and have similar interests. Together, these domains constitute the healthcare system and its work.
Practice-Based Example of Interconnected Spheres
I currently reside in Metro Atlanta, Georgia, and work in an oncology department. From personal experience, I can say that the mentioned spheres of government, professional organizations, workplace, and community are interconnected.
For example, starting with the government, there are insurance policies that allow patients to reduce the costs spent on healthcare. In this case, it influences professional organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, which promotes the Affordable Care Act, which helps uninsured patients diagnosed with cancer cover their care services (American Cancer Society, n.d.). In terms of the workplace, as medical professionals, we cannot deny patients care and do our best to provide clients with quality services. In turn, the community is integral to our healthcare facility since they are our patients.
Ethical Considerations in Political Action
Still, there are numerous ethical considerations that every nurse and doctor must understand when working in the oncology department. For instance, neither doctors nor nurses can refuse to discuss patient care options. In this situation, we are required to provide patients with all necessary information regarding alternative treatment options. Moreover, we must discuss end-of-life care with patients and ask about their decisions and views. In some situations, patients might express their wish for DNR, and, as healthcare professionals, we respect such decisions, even if we have different perspectives.
Introduction to the Healthcare Concern
At the given moment, there is an issue with access to cancer care. Many uninsured and underprivileged community members have no access to quality healthcare services and, therefore, undergo challenges in their treatment or seek no treatment at all, which is a rationale for the policy issue.
Impetus and Rationale for Selection
At the same time, the impetus for such an issue is that, in the state of Georgia, there were over 61,000 new cases of cancer reported in 2023, with the state being in the top twenty states of oncology incidence (American Cancer Society, 2023). As a result, there is a strong need to create resources to assist doctors and patients in increasing cancer care prices.
Proposed Solution
Regarding the solutions to such an issue, workforce and care options should be considered. For instance, the first point that requires attention is recruiting and retaining professionals specializing in oncology. With initiatives aimed at attracting a more diverse field of experts, patients’ needs will be catered to more efficiently.
Moreover, there is a need to decrease inequities in cancer treatment and outcomes and provide at least basic free care to patients in terms of cancer-preventative measures. For instance, patients can have free access to regular check-ups to minimize the risks. With a bigger workforce, it can be done without putting additional pressure on local hospitals. Finally, there is a need to provide free consultations to patients diagnosed with cancer to guide them in treatments and find organizations that can help cover healthcare service expenses. This way, such solutions can decrease the incidence of cancer and make cancer care affordable for underprivileged members.
Policy-Making Model Selection
Finally, regarding the policy-making model, it can be suggested that an interactive model be used for collaborative policy-making. This is commonly applied to not only the healthcare field but other areas of concern as well. Multi-party decision-making that involves active participation from all participants is known as interactive policy-making (Costanza, 2020). The following steps comprise the management model: research, initiative, shared view, cooperative problem-solving, decision-making, and execution (Costanza, 2020).
Rationale for Policy-Making Model
The rationale for selecting this model is that a new policy can be introduced more efficiently with the help of several parties. As a result, with the given model, it is possible to engage various entities, such as government or state authorities, healthcare organizations, and communities. With the holistic approach, the interactive model would be best applied to affordable cancer care policy.
References
American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Georgia. Web.
American Cancer Society. (n.d.). The affordable care act. Web.
Costanza, F. (2020). Managing patients’ organizations to improve healthcare: Emerging research and opportunities. IGI Global.
Motacki, K. & Burke, K. (2022). Nursing delegation and management of patient care. Elsevier Health Sciences.