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Policy briefs Assignment NUR4108 Policy Brief
Guideline/Rubric
Course Objectives, Program Outcomes, and AACN Essentials:
- Policy briefs Assignment Participate as a nursing professional in political processes and grassroots legislative efforts to influence
healthcare policy. (Advocacy/Policy; BSN Essential V, VII, VIII)
- Demonstrate knowledge of healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments, including local, state,
national, and global healthcare trends. (Advocacy/Policy; BSN Essential V, VII, VIII)
- Explore the impact of socio-cultural, economic, legal, and political factors influencing healthcare delivery and
practice. (Care Coordination & Advocacy/Policy; BSN Essential I, II, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX)
- Identify the implications of healthcare policy on the issues of access, equity, affordability, and social justice in
healthcare delivery. (Advocacy/Policy; BSN Essential V, VII, & VIII)
- Examine legislative and regulatory processes relevant to the provision of healthcare. (Advocacy/Policy; BSN Essential V,
VII, & VIII)
Title: Policy Brief
Audience: General Public/Legislator
Point of view: First Person
Format: APA
Template: Template provided, optional
Length: 1-2 pages only
References: Minimum of four (4); one must be a nursing, scholarly journal article
Grading Rubric: Please see the Assignment Rubric for further details related to this assessment and grading criteria.
Assignment Guidelines: For this assignment, you will research and write a scholarly policy brief that will be the
foundation for your advocacy letter/email to your Congress-person, Senator, or local Representative on a current bill
in progress. A policy brief is a short, neutral summary of what is known about a particular issue or problem. The
brief should provide evidence and actionable recommendations. The purpose of the policy brief is to convince the
target audience of the urgency of the current problem and the need to adopt the preferred alternative course of
action outlined in the brief. Policy briefs are “frontloaded”- this means that your conclusions are on the front page!
In preparation for this assignment and during week one, identify your legislators at the federal and state level
(including your U.S. Congressional Representative, U.S. Senators, State Senators, and State House
Representatives and how to reach them) from the following website: https://www.govtrack.us/ You will follow up
this policy brief with a letter/email to your legislator(s) in week seven.
Informational web sites:
Academic Policy Brief Assignments https://writingcenter.unc.edu/policy-briefs/
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Health Affairs Policy Briefs https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/collections/health-affairs-briefs.html
Health Affairs https://www.healthaffairs.org/
Nursing web sites for supportive information:
-American Nurses Association (ANA) Policy and Advocacy. Here you can find state legislative issues the ANA is promoting
across the country. http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/Policy-Advocacy
-Florida Nurses Association-Nursing, Advocacy, Engagement http://cqrcengage.com/fln/home?0
-Florida Center for Nursing (FCN) and the Action Coalition (FL-AC) https://www.flcenterfornursing.org/FL-ActionCoalition.aspx
Governmental web sites to get you started in your research:
Florida Senate: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bills/2018Florida House: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/bills.aspx
U.S. Congress: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/
U.S. Senate: https://www.senate.gov/legislative/bills.htm
U.S. House of Representatives: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/subjects/house_of_representatives/5947?congre%20ss=115
You must cover all of the following sections in your policy brief:
Background: What is the aim of the policy brief? What problem will your brief address? What evidence do you have
to support the problem? What are the policy options? What is the likelihood of the policy getting passed?
Issue Summary: Describe the issue and the associated bill. Who is the audience/stakeholders? Why is the problem
important to them? Who else might be affected by the policy?
Recommendations: What policy action are you proposing? What are your recommended actions from the
evidence presented? Do you have a strong argument supported with evidence?
References: Minimum of four (4); one must be a nursing, scholarly journal article. Include the bill in APA format.
A template has been provided to guide your policy brief and it is highly recommended for use.
Important: For the policy brief, select an issue with an associated bill that can be addressed through your
local, state, or federal legislators. This policy brief can be the foundation for your advocacy letter/email to
be completed later in the course.
For Submission: Submit your policy brief under the week assignment area and be prepared to discuss your brief in
the week 6 discussion area.
NUR4108 Policy Brief Rubric
Overall
Grading Scale>
A
90-100%
B
80-89.99%
C
70-79.99%
D = 65-69.99%
F = 0-64.99%
Requirement Title
Brief Description Policy briefs Assignment
Excellence
Above Average
Average
Below Average/Failing
APA and Writing
Methodology
15%
-APA Format,
Paraphrasing,
Citations and
Reference
format
-References
Minimum of four
(4); one (1) must
be a nursing,
scholarly journal
article
-Writing
conventions-
sentence
structure,
paragraphing,
grammar/
spelling.
-Excellent APA format
and citations with
minimum required
references
-Excellent writing
conventions.
-Uses APA format,
style, and citations
with minimum
required references
with minor gaps in
appropriateness or
correct use.
-Writing conventions
with minor errors.
-Uses some APA
format, style, and
citations with
minimum required
references or below
minimum with major
gaps in
appropriateness or
correct use.
-Writing conventions
with major errors.
Does not conform
to APA format and
style and/or
writing
conventions.Background and
Issue Summary
25%
Provides
background
information on
the current
socioeconomic,
political, or
ethical issues
surrounding the
problem
including any
related
policy/bill.
Provides a
comprehensive
description of
researched health
care or nursing issue
with appropriate
associated
policies/bills
Provides a description
of researched health
care or nursing issue
with appropriate
associated
policies/bills with
minor gaps in content
or comprehensiveness
Provides a
description of
researched health
care or nursing issue
with appropriate
associated
policies/bills with
major gaps in
content or
comprehensiveness
Did not provide Policy briefs Assignment
appropriate
background
information.
Scope and Effects
35%
Describes the
issue as well as
the implications
of the problem
for patients,
nursing or
nursing practice
(including the
policy/bill)
Comprehensively
presents, analyzes and
makes evaluative
statements of the key
concepts of the issue
(including the
policy/bill) supported
by evidence.
Presents the issue,
analyzes or makes
evaluative statements
of the key concepts of
the issue (including
the policy/bill) with
minor gaps in clarity
or
comprehensiveness.
Presents the issue,
analyzes or makes
evaluative
statements of the
key concepts of the
issue (including the
policy/bill) with
major gaps in clarity
or
comprehensiveness.
Non-conformant
analysis and
evaluation of the
key concepts of
the issue (including
the policy/bill).
Recommendations
25%
Your ability to
determine an
appropriate
action
Describes explicitly a
realistic and thought
out action supported
by evidence.
Describes generally a
realistic and though
out action supported
by evidence.
Description of the
proposed action is
present, but not
clear, realistic, or
supported by
evidence