Health care conditions and opportunities have dramatic distinctions in different countries, and while some have solid, workable systems and affordable services, others cannot develop the fundamental strategies. Policies play a crucial role in the global chasm, and Berwick et al. explore how the regulations for medical organizations are used in politics for lobbying the interests that might threaten the citizens’ well-being (Berwick et al., 2018). Indeed, advocating for the institutional and local policies that influence health care is in the NPs power, and massive changes can be achieved if more professionals utilize the concepts in their work (Berwick et al., 2018). This paper aims to reflect on Berwick’s article about the global chasm in health care and analyze how practitioners can improve their decision-making to impact policy-making.
The conditions of health care industries and institutions significantly depend on a country or region’s political and economic environment. The policies established to regulate the services, prescribing, treatment, and costs are commonly tied to the needs and aims of government rather than patients’ (Berwick et al., 2018). The demand for universal health coverage emerged as inequality increased even among the developed countries, and addressing the consequences became necessary at all levels. Berwick’s article was published in 2018 and emphasized the importance of developing universal health care strategies and organizations. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world and revealed the urgency for the policies that provide as many people as possible with high-quality basic services worldwide.
The concepts and practices nursing practitioners obtain throughout their educational courses help future professionals understand the recent health care systems, policies, and their connection to politics. Furthermore, interaction with patients, work at public or private clinics, and awareness of specific challenges enables NPs to observe and identify the problems that require unique solutions (Lewinski & Simmons, 2018). For instance, learning courses’ outcomes, such as communicating with policy-makers to advocate for effective changes in regulations, can be employed in practice to improve global outcomes (Ortiz, 2018). Nursing practitioners who face a significant issue can research solutions and make informed decisions that include reaching the responsible boards, politicians, and organizations to achieve positive outcomes.
I learned how the health care systems are established and then checked what boards, unions, and governmental representatives exist in my practicum site. Furthermore, the knowledge about the worldwide chasm enabled me to develop several ideas of universal care strategies. The willingness to advocate for the policies that make the positive changes possible is fundamental for nursing practitioners, and the academic courses helped me obtain that trait (Reed, 2017). My awareness of how political power influences health industries would help me select an appropriate time and circumstances for offering innovative initiatives. Moreover, my upcoming practical experience will include providing patient-centered care for diverse populations, and I will analyze how the current systems work to address the beneficiaries’ needs.
Clinical courses for nursing practitioners are based on direct patient care and exist to implement the knowledge obtained in the academic setting effectively. The health care systems’ curriculum contained historical, ethical, political, and practical information about policy-making locally, nationwide, and internationally, and a practitioner will need the knowledge for their decision-making (Ortiz, 2018). Indeed, the clinical courses might reveal to the professionals that their organization lacks regulations to develop patient-centered approaches for their services. A practitioner who learned health care policy as an academic subject would identify an issue and find an effective solution through reaching correct administrators.
The political, social, cultural, and economic differences eliminate the chance for developing an equal health care system or blueprint on the global level. Nursing practitioners are essential for advocating positive change, identifying the issues, and seeking solutions to improve patient-centered care. Academic curriculums of the courses, such as health care policy, provide sufficient information to learn and then apply on practice to make correct decisions.
References
Berwick, D., Snair, M., & Nishtar, S. (2018). Crossing the global health care quality chasm: A key component of universal health coverage. Journal of American Medical Association, 320(13), 1317-1318. Web.
Lewinski, A. A., & Simmons, L. A. (2018). Nurse knowledge and engagement in health policy making: Findings from a pilot study. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 49(9), 407-415. Web.
Ortiz, M. R. (2018). Patient-centered care: Nursing knowledge and policy. Nursing Science Quarterly, 31(3), 291-295. Web.
Reed, P. G. (2017). Translating nursing philosophy for practice and healthcare policy. Nursing Science Quarterly, 30(3), 260-261. Web.