State Practice Agreements

Social Change Agents

 
STATE PRACTICE AGREEMENT
Social change Agents
“We’ve been called disruptive innovators,” Ford said. “And I think ‘disruptive innovators’ is great – we just need more of them.”
— Heidesch, T. (2008)
As NPs, we are obligated to promote our profession. A component of promoting the profession is proactively being engaged with our communities and identifying areas where change is needed. An example of this would be identifying a community issue, such as an increase in the rate of obesity in a middle-school population and discovering that soda machines are present in the schools. Identifying a problem and being a positive change agent is an essential component of the NP role. Understanding the lawmaking process and how to initiate a local or state change empowers the NP to impart Social Change.
This week you will focus on the importance of leadership in advanced practice nursing. You will have an opportunity to examine how you can execute positive social change in your state for salient advanced practice nursing issues.
Consider the following:
During NP clinical practicum experiences, we identify, as nurses, many health care issues that need to be addressed at the local, state, or national level. Addressing the need for change in health care policy is now an intricate part of your role as a social change agent.
For this Discussion, you will identify a change needed in your community and what your nursing legacy for positive social change will be.
To prepare:
· 1. Consider the health care issues and deficits you have recognized in your professional practice.
· 2. Identify a change needed in your community in health care policy and discuss how you could impart change during your career as an NP.) (A change needed in my community is Obesity ).
· 3. Consider your future as a NP and what your nursing legacy will be. How will you impart Social Change?
1. Post a change needed in your community and an explanation for how you will begin to implement that change.
2. Then, share with your colleagues a brief explanation of what your nursing legacy will be:(My nursing legacy  will be (Being an advocate for health promotion through disease screenings and illness prevention)
3.  How will you impart Social Change. 
4.  Provide  at least one suggestion for a colleague in your class on how they could implement this change and for their nursing legacy.
REFERENCES: Required Readings
Buppert, C. (2018). Nurse practitioner’s business practice and legal guide (6th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Bartlett & Jones Learning.
· Chapter 12, “Lawmaking and Health Policy” (pp. 421-433)
This chapter covers the legal process, the judicial system and health policy. Additionally, law and rules that affect NPs, how to initiate a change in law and the process involved from beginning until law or rule is finalized.
Christensen, C. M., Bohmer, R. M. J., & Kenagy, J. (2000). Will disruptive innovations cure health care? Harvard Business Review, 78(5), 102-112, 199.
Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
National Conference of State Legislatures (n.d.). Glossary of Legislative Terms. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/glossary-of-legislative-terms.aspx