Respond one of your colleagues’ posts by offering a possible resolution to their  questions/concerns with supporting documentation.

at least 2 references in each peer responses! 

According to Feldstein (2006), the number one job of a legislator is to get reelected. With this in mind, we can see that the driving force of how legislators vote on policies is greatly affected by the opinions of the people that are voting for them. According to Joel Teitelbaum in Laureat Education (2018), the ACA, Affordable Care Act, that was put in place by the Obama administration, barely passed legislation with no votes from Republicans in office. With the shift now from Obama, a democratic president to now President Trump, a republican president and administration, we can understand how legislators may vote differently in order to win or gain the voting support of Americans who voted a republican president into office. According to Brodie, Dean & Cho (2011), the opinions of Americans regarding the ACA was dependent on the geographical location and the political influence in that region which supports the statement that an elected legislator from an area is “paid” in votes. It is to the benefit of the legislator to vote according to the likelihood that their opinion on the issue is going to get them reelected.

The same theory stands in place for other political issues such as Medicaid and Medicare issues. Legislators will support or push through a law that they feel will gain the favor of the majority of their voting area in order to secure their career. This supports the idea that nurses have a large impact on health care policies in the United States and the obligation to voice our opinions. Many legislators though intelligent, may just not have the information or know what medical professionals know about issues that are affecting people (Laureate Education, 2018 b). There are 2.82 million nurses in the United States (Registered nurses number U.S. 2001-2016, 2018) and when we learn how to assess the needs of our communities, create a policy and learn how to present and communicate these policies to legislators, we can make a difference for our community and the health of our country.  

According to Feldstein (2006), the number one job of a legislator is to get reelected. With this in mind, we can see that the driving force of how legislators vote on policies is greatly affected by the opinions of the people that are voting for them. According to Joel Teitelbaum in Laureat Education (2018), the ACA, Affordable Care Act, that was put in place by the Obama administration, barely passed legislation with no votes from Republicans in office. With the shift now from Obama, a democratic president to now President Trump, a republican president and administration, we can understand how legislators may vote differently in order to win or gain the voting support of Americans who voted a republican president into office. According to Brodie, Dean & Cho (2011), the opinions of Americans regarding the ACA was dependent on the geographical location and the political influence in that region which supports the statement that an elected legislator from an area is “paid” in votes. It is to the benefit of the legislator to vote according to the likelihood that their opinion on the issue is going to get them reelected.

The same theory stands in place for other political issues such as Medicaid and Medicare issues. Legislators will support or push through a law that they feel will gain the favor of the majority of their voting area in order to secure their career. This supports the idea that nurses have a large impact on health care policies in the United States and the obligation to voice our opinions. Many legislators though intelligent, may just not have the information or know what medical professionals know about issues that are affecting people (Laureate Education, 2018 b). There are 2.82 million nurses in the United States (Registered nurses number U.S. 2001-2016, 2018) and when we learn how to assess the needs of our communities, create a policy and learn how to present and communicate these policies to legislators, we can make a difference for our community and the health of our country.

Please reply to this discussion with one reference. 

The theory-practice gap is something that nurses encounter as they enter practice. A way that graduate education is working to bridge this gap is through middle-range theories and the doctor of nursing practice degree (Butts & Rich, 2017). Middle range theories and doctorate level nursing practice are attempting to cover the components missing from theory but used in everyday nursing practice. Since doctorate level nurses are very familiar with theory and have clinical expertise to understand the missing parts from theory needed for practice (Butts & Rich, 2017). Doctorate prepared nurses are also able to assist other nurses with this gap in knowledge to improve their practice (Butts & Rich, 2017). 

     I believe that the gap between theory and clinical practice is there and that it is the duty of practicing nurse clinicians to help bridge this gap. In a study by the International Journal of Caring Sciences, it was found one way to help close this gap was by the use of nursing clinical instructors (Akram, Mohamad, & Akram, 2018). These clinical instructors help students in clinical rotations understand the differences between theory and everyday practice (Akram, Mohamad, & Akram, 2018). It is important while nurses are in a student role to differentiate between theory that exists in a perfect world and actual real-world practice. Another important aspect is to ensure that these clinical instructors create an environment conducive to learning and stay up-to-date with the latest in policy and healthcare trends (Akram, Mohamad, & Akram, 2018). 

     Understanding theory and the impact it has on the nursing discipline is imperative in advancing nursing practice. Theory gives the basis for nursing practice and for nurses to be able to have a solid basis of practice they should understand theory (Butts & Rich, 2017). Nursing theory also helps nurses understand their assumptions, develop critical thinking skills and improve the ability to analyze complex situations (Ahtisham, & Jacoline, 2015). I believe that although many of the theories we study were formed in the past, they still have relevance to nursing practice today and help nurses advance their practice and develop the skills needed to thrive in the nursing profession. 

References

Ahtisham, Y., & Jacoline, S. (2015). Integrating Nursing Theory and Process into Practice; Virginia’s Henderson Need Theory. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 8(2), 443–450. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=102972280&site=eds-live

Akram, A. S., Mohamad, A., & Akram, S. (2018). The Role of Clinical Instructor in Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice in Nursing Education. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 11(2), 876–882. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=131851628&site=eds-live

Butts, J. B. & Rich, K. (2017). Philosophies and Theories for Advanced Nursing Practice, Third Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from vbk://9781284143010

I need a 2 or 3 sentence comment for each paragraph

Paragraph 1

Healthcare has shifted from improving sanitation, to disease prevention, to health promotion. In “…the early 19th century, infectious diseases were widespread and difficult to contain largely because of the lack of proper sanitation methods, including insufficient disinfection of drinking water and improper removal of human waste. During this time, health was viewed in basic terms as being free of disease” (Falkner, 2018). However, there has been a shift in the definition of health, especially with healthcare focusing on improving access to primary and preventative health services. “The goal is to create a culture of health in which health promotion and disease prevention is the focus rather than seeking treatment after disease has set in” (Falkner, 2018). Nurses are always thinking about ways to get in front of a problem before a problem gets to a patient, and this is especially important when providing care with the improved vision on health promotion and disease prevention. Nurses should understand the provisions in Healthy People 2020: and nurses are pivotal in educating patients to take control of their health to maintain a healthy state and thus prevent disease. Wellness, which is the “State of well-being that is not necessarily equated with the absence of disease, ability to adapt, and continue to function and live life well are contributing factors to wellness” (Falkner, 2018), goes hand-in-hand with health. The hospital system I work for incorporates these concepts by providing more holistic options to patients and employees. For example, there are mediation stations throughout the hospital. Another example is in the ICU where I work; recently some of the nurses that I work with and me all found a ton of evidence-based research on the benefits of essential oils for critically ill patients. Now we have lavender oil and cardamom/grapefruit oil available on our unit and use them regularly in certain patients. We are currently running our own unit-based project to see if there is a decrease in sedation use when essential oils are on board. While it is crucial for nurses to continue to use evidence-based practice, it is exciting to be able to incorporate more holistic/wellness modalities in delivery of nursing care; especially because these more wellness-based modalities are becoming increasing studied and accepted in evidence-based practice. 

Paragraph 2

Traditionally, health was defined as the absence of illness with great emphasize on the role of clinical diagnosis and intervention. Early 1990s, the main cause of death were infectious diseases such as pneumonia, caused by viruses and bacteria. Therefore, the definition of health during the 1990s was based on freedom from illness. Due to medical advancement over the years, infectious diseases can be cured and prevented. The ensuing discussion describes the changes in the concept of health. With the control of infectious diseases, in modern days the main cause of poor health is life-styles (Polsen & Borui, 2015). Therefore, the concept of heath has shifted its focus from illness to wellness, a positive broad health approach that includes intellectual, social, physical, and emotional well-being. Wellness refers to putting more effort to live your life to the fullest potential and conducting activities that prevent diseases. Overall wellness is an active process of change to enhance complete physical, social, and mental wellbeing. Traditionally, health was considered the opposite of illness, therefore, people were concerned with treating diseases rather than promoting health. World Health Organization changed the view of health from disease to a full life perspective. Thus, health promotion has become a priority in the modern society. Currently, health promotion encompasses efforts to promote health while preventing injuries and diseases through education, good working conditions, and policies that facilitate a healthy lifestyle. Nurses need to implement health interventions through evidence-based practices because these practices foster for efficient, effective and safeness in the health sector. Nurse’s aims to improve caregiving and enhance high quality intended patient’s outcomes through evidence-based practice (Steven, 2013). In conclusion, the concept of health and health promotion has transformed over time due to the changes in the predisposing conditions. Traditionally, the concept of health was concerned with treating illness, however, this increased the incidence of infectious diseases. Due to the high incidence of infectious diseases, the concept of health changed into the state of well-being and promoting health.

Hello Lauren & Class,Thank you for sharing. What techniques would you employ to cater to the various learning styles of your audience when presenting information?Thanks,