Discussion: Selecting a Policy Analysis Framework NURS 8100

Framework

The goal of policy analysis is to provide in-depth, relevant, and evaluative information
about a policy. Using a framework as a guideline for the analysis provides scaffolding
for logically and carefully considering the policy issue. To select a framework, one
should consider the focus of the policy being analyzed and whether the policy is
intended to be predictive or prescriptive. For this Discussion, you will choose a policy
issue that is important to you and after evaluating the frameworks described in the
Learning Resources, select the framework most appropriate for analyzing the issue.
To prepare:
 Reflect on your understanding of the policy process: how policy is formulated, adopted,
implemented, and evaluated.
 Review the various frameworks presented in this week’s Learning Resources and
consider how they are applied to nursing and health policies. How do they assist you in
understanding and shaping policy?
 Brainstorm a list of the issues that are most important to your practice (these can be
issues at the institutional, local, state, national, or international level). Then identify a
specific nursing or health care policy related to one key issue, and consider which of the
frameworks you would use to examine the issue.
Note: You may not select the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for this
analysis.
By Day 3
Post a cohesive response that addresses the following:
 Identify the policy you have selected.
 Describe the framework that you would use for this particular issue, and provide your
rationale.
 At what other stages in the policy process might an analysis framework provide
guidance?
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues selecting postings for which you have an
alternative framework suggestion and explain how that framework might affect the
analysis.
Note: Please see the Syllabus and Discussion Rubric for formal Discussion question
posting and response evaluation criteria.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting.
Note what you learned and/or any insights you gained as a result of the comments
made by your colleagues.
Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning
Resources and any additional sources.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 4 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6

To participate in this Discussion:
Week 4 Discussion

Assignment 1: Issues in Health Care

Reform (Interview)

Continue to work on this Assignment, assigned in Week 2 and due in Week 9.
By Day 7 of Week 9
Submit this Assignment.
Assignment 2: Health Policy Proposal

Analysis (Policy Brief)

Continue to work on this Assignment, assigned in Week 3 and due in Week 7.
By Day 7 of Week 7
Submit this Assignment.
Assignment 3: Policy Analysis Paper

[Major Assessment 2]

In previous Discussions and Assignments, you have examined various aspects of the
policy process: exploring the unintended consequences of policies, agenda setting, and
analyzing policy recommendations. In this Assignment, you will have the opportunity to
further develop your analysis skills by working through the policy analysis process. To
be an effective agent for social change, you must be able to logically and critically
analyze policy from multiple perspectives and contexts and then present your insights in
a succinct and professional manner. This exercise will afford such an experience.
For this Assignment, you will examine a particular policy of interest to you (perhaps the
one you selected for this week's Discussion), and apply a policy analysis framework to
understand the impact associated with the implementation of the policy. You will then
develop a policy analysis paper, which is due the end of Week 11. This paper will also
serve as your Major Assessment for this course.
To prepare:
Select a health care policy and a policy analysis framework to utilize for this
Assignment. You may use the policy and framework you identified in this week’s
Discussion or change your selection.
To complete:
Write an 8- to 10-page analysis paper (including references) in which you succinctly
address the following:
 Part 1: Define the policy issue.
o How is the issue affecting the policy arena?
o What are the current politics of the issue?

o At what level in the policy making process is the issue?
 Part 2: Apply a policy analysis framework to explore the issue using the following
contexts:
o Social
o Ethical
o Legal
o Historical
o Financial/economic
o Theoretical underpinnings of the policy
 Include in this section:
o Who are the stakeholders of interest?
o Is there a nursing policy/position statement on this health care issue? If so, who
developed it?
 Part 3: Policy options/solutions
o What are the policy options/solutions for addressing the issue? Include at least three
levels of options/solutions: no change; partial change; radical change or maximum
change.
o What are the theoretical underpinnings of the policy options/solutions?
o What are the health advocacy aspects and leadership requirements of each option?
o How does each option/solution provide an opportunity or need for inter-professional
collaboration?
o What are the pros and cons of each suggested change? Include the cost benefits,
effectiveness, and efficiency of each option along with the utility and feasibility of each
option.
 Part 4: Building Consensus
o Outline a plan for building consensus around your recommended option/solution for
solving the policy issue.
 Part 5: References
o Limit your references so this section is no more than 2 pages.
Your written assignments must follow APA guidelines. Be sure to support your work with
specific citations from appropriate Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources
as appropriate. Refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association to ensure that your in- text citations and reference list are correct.
By Day 7 of Week 11
This Assignment is due.

Week in Review

This week, you proposed a policy analysis framework for a specific policy issue and
conducted a comprehensive policy analysis that analyzed a health policy from multiple
contexts.
Next week, you will review the four principles of medical ethics and examine these
principles in the light of current health care policy.

Order an original top nursing paper specifically for you : Discussion: Selecting a Policy Analysis Framework NURS 8100

Learning Resources

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the
Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
Required Readings
Blackman, V. S. (2005). Putting policy theory to work: Tobacco control in
California. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 6(2), 148–155. doi:
10.1177/1527154405276289
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

In this article, the author applies Kingdon’s multiple streams theory to agenda setting
and the public policy issue of tobacco use. In addition, the author points out two
limitations of Kingdon's model—the need to build alliances and the varying power levels
among stakeholders.
Craig, R. L., Felix, H. C., Walker, J. F., & Philips, M. M. (2010). Public health
professionals as policy entrepreneurs: Arkansas’s childhood obesity policy
experience. American Journal of Public Health, 100(11), 2047–2052.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Fawcett, J., & Russell, G. (2001). A conceptual model of nursing and health
policy. Policy, Politics, & Nursing, 2(2), 108–116. doi: 10.1177/152715440100200205
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Fawcett and Russell provide a five-level conceptual model of nursing and health policy,
and diagram the relationship between the model and new health policies. Guidelines for
health policy analysis and evaluation are also provided.
Hewison, A. (2007). Policy analysis: A framework for nurse managers. Journal of
Nursing Management, 15(7), 693–6 99. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2934.2006.00731.x
Initially, this article presents a broad analysis of policy making and then provides a
specific framework of policy analysis for nurse managers. The author focuses on the
necessity for nurses to become involved in health care policy making
Policy analysis: A framework for nurse managers. Journal of Nursing Management, 15(7) by Hewison, A. Copyright 2007 by BLACKWELL
PUBLISHING – JOURNALS. Reprinted by permission of BLACKWELL PUBLISHING – JOURNALS via the Copyright Clearance Center.
Howie, W. O. (2009). Mandatory reporting of medical errors: Crafting policy and
integrating it into practice. Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 5(9), 649–654.
doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2009.07.012
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
John, P. (2003). Is there life after policy streams, advocacy coalitions, and punctuations:
Using evolutionary theory to explain policy change? Policy Studies Journal, 31(4),
481–4 98. doi: 10.1111/1541-0072.00039
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

This article advances the use of evolutionary theory as policy theory. The author
proposes that aspects of evolutionary theory such as randomness, competition, and
selection be applied to policy theory but cautions that more research regarding its
applicability is needed.
Rawat, P., & Morris, J. C. (2016). Kingdon's "Streams" model at thirty: Still relevant in
the 21st century? Politics & Policy, 44(4), 608-638. doi: 10.1111/polp.12168
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Russell, G., & Fawcett, J. (2005). The conceptual model for nursing and health policy
revisited. Policy, Politics, & Nursing, 6(4), 108–116. doi: 10.1177/1527154405283304
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

In this article, Russell and Fawcett revise their 2001 conceptual model of nursing and
health policy and provide guidelines for nursing-specific research.
Optional Resources
Bardach, E. (2004). Presidential address—The extrapolation problem: How can we
learn from the experience of others? Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 23(2),
205. doi: 613545361

Discussion: Selecting a Policy Analysis Framework NURS 8100