Nursing: Scope and Standards of Clinical Nursing Practice

Nursing: Scope and Standards of Clinical Nursing Practice

Required Resources

Textbooks:

Nursing: Scope and Standards of Clinical Nursing Practice

• • Read Pages 1-30 from the book (CO 3 & MO c)

Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Nursing

• • Read chapter 14 (Health Policy Issues) – (CO 4 & MO d)

Recommended Resources

Websites:

ANA: Scope and Standards of Practice website – http://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/scope-of-practice/

(CO 3 & MO c)

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please it can not be on the same topic like the one below.this is what you did last year so am retaking this class because i withdrew.so i cannot submit same topics like the first time i started the class.thanks

The Legislative Process and Healthcare Lobbying

Name

Institution

The Legislative Process and Healthcare Lobbying

In the United States, change is implemented constantly in the form of new laws and rules. One great benefit of our democracy is the ability of any citizen to bring about change when a problem is found. In order to make changes to policies, rules, or laws, one must navigate the complicated system of the legislative process. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the legislative process and explain how policies are created, particularly for issues affecting health care. In the discussion, an analysis of a current political issue will be presented, and my opinion on the topic will be stated as well.

 

Part One

Legislative Process

The government of the United States is divided into three branches including the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches. Boone (2017) explains that the legislative branch, comprised of the Senate and House of Representatives, creates laws while the executive branch implements the laws and the many courts of the judicial branch of government interpret and apply the laws. All of these parts work together to create the best outcomes for American citizens. When a problem affecting citizens is recognized, it is desirable to enact change to correct the problem. In order to make a change on a legal level, the legislative process must be followed.

The legislative process begins with formulating a bill that will, ideally, become a rule for a change. A possible solution to the problem must be decided before any legislation can begin. Next, a policy maker or bill sponsor must invest time into bringing the issue into legislation (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014, p. 396). For example, a senator must be convinced by his or her constituents that the issue at hand is worth bringing into legislation. The sponsored bill goes through the approval of committees, the House of Representatives, and then the Senate before being passed into law (“The Legislative Process,” n.d.). After the bill is enacted, it will then enter the implementation phase, where it is detailed with specific rules (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014, p. 396). The bill is then modified, often multiple times, to correct new problems that arise from the legislation or to cover problems that still exist after the legislation is enacted (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014, p. 397).

Part Two

Analysis of Political Issues

Laws regarding tobacco use are constantly being created and changed as more evidence surfaces regarding the negative effects of tobacco on our health. Ethical issues pop up frequently with this topic as it can be considered an infringement on the rights of individuals to regulate what, when, or where they smoke. On the other hand, it can be considered an infringement on the rights of non-smokers to be subject to the harm of secondhand smoke. On either side of the issue, policy makers must be aware of the rights of citizens when creating change to tobacco legislation. Legislation has taken the form of fighting tobacco companies, combating the advertisement for tobacco products, and regulating bans on smoking in public areas. Healton, Vallone, & Cartwright (2017) state that smoking is an epidemic that must be combated and that tobacco kills over 440,000 people yearly (p. S181). A major current hot topic regarding tobacco is its effect on the health of children.

The main effect seen in children from tobacco smoke comes from secondhand smoke. This exposure increases the risk of ear infections, asthma, and other dangerous respiratory illnesses amongst children (Hawkins, et. al., 2016, p. 281). Evidence has shown that annually, second-hand smoking contributes to over 100,000 cases of a persistent ear infection for children between the age of 0–5-year and over 290,000 asthma cases among children between the age of 0–14 years (Hawkins, et. al., 2016, p. 283). With this evidence, legislators often bring up bills for the change of tobacco policy.

Current Legislation in Ohio

Ohio Senator Charleta Tavares from state district 15 sponsors a bill that aims at prohibiting smoking in a bus or vehicle that has underage passengers, below the age of six years (S. B. No. 106, 2017). The bill is co-sponsored by Senator Cecil Thomas, Senator Kenny Yuko, and Senator Edna Brown and has been in review by the Local Government Senate Committee, Veterans Affairs, and Public Safety since April 2017. This bill requests that any person found to be smoking in a place or a vehicle with a less than six years old passenger would be subject to a fine of five hundred dollars, with additional fines for subsequent charges. This bill argues that smoking in a vehicle with a young passenger could apply to the offense of endangering a child (S. B. No. 106, 2017).

Opinion on Tobacco Legislation

As a registered nurse, I often see the detrimental effects that tobacco smoke has had on patients with extensive lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There is simply too much evidence against tobacco to deny its danger. On the same note, it is my opinion that secondhand smoke is just as dangerous and the person affected does not have a choice in the matter. As a child, I was subject to secondhand smoke from both my parents in our home and vehicles. Thankfully, I was not affected with asthma or chronic ear infections as many other children are from secondhand smoke (Hawkins, et. al., 2016, p. 283) but my desire is to decrease any danger of secondhand smoke for other children. Senate bill 106 being reviewed in Ohio (2017) will positively affect children who are passengers of smokers. Had I drafted the bill; however, I would reconsider the age limit as any passenger could be negatively affected by being enclosed with secondhand smoke.

In conclusion, making changes to policy in our nation takes much hard work and time to run through the legislative process. When problems with health arise, and solutions are offered, change to laws and policies can be made. Changing laws regarding tobacco use has been a hot issue for many years as evidence shows that tobacco smoke is harmful to health. Ohio’s Senate bill 106 is a push in the right direction for children who are affected by secondhand smoke in vehicles.

References

Boone, L. (2017). Three branches of government. In Magill’s legal guide (Online ed.). Retrieved from https://salempress.com/press_titles.html?book=90

Burkhardt, M.A. & Nathaniel, A.K. (2014) Ethics & issues in contemporary nursing (4th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning

Hawkins, S.S., Hristakeva, S., Gottlieb, M., & Baum, C.F. (2016).Reduction in emergency department visits for children’s asthma, ear infections, and respiratory infections after the introduction of state smoke-free legislation. Preventative medicine. 89(1). 278-285. DOI:10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.06.005

Healton, C.G., Vallone, D., & Cartwright, J. (2017). Unintended consequences of tobacco policies: implications for public health practice. American journal of preventative medicine. 37 (2S). S181-S182. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2009.05.008

The Legislative Process. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.house.gov/the-house-explained/the-legi...

S. B. No. 106. Ohio 132nd General Assembly. Regular Session. 2017-2018. (OH 2017).