Course:<\/strong> NURS 6050 \u2013 Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health (Walden MSN core) This assignment structure reflects current NURS 6050 practice, pairing a completed Legislation Grid with a concise advocacy testimony for a selected health-related bill and emphasizing the professional role of the RN or APRN as a policy advocate.<\/p>\n You will select a current health-related bill at the state or federal level and complete a legislation grid that summarizes its intent, key provisions, stakeholders, and potential impact on population health. You will then write a brief testimony or advocacy statement that clearly supports or opposes the bill and demonstrates how nurses participate in the legislative process to influence health outcomes for patients and populations.<\/p>\n Analyze a health-related bill in terms of legislative intent, stakeholders, and potential impact on cost, quality, and access to care.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Explain how social determinants of health intersect with legislative proposals and policy decisions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Apply professional communication skills to advocate for or against a bill in a manner appropriate for legislators.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Demonstrate understanding of the RN\/APRN role in policy advocacy within the legislative process.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Identify a current or very recent state or federal health-related bill, such as legislation addressing APRN scope of practice, mental health parity, maternal health, telehealth reimbursement, or gun violence prevention.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ensure official bill text and legislative history are publicly available.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Confirm the bill has clear implications for population health, cost, quality, or access.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Using the course-provided Legislation Grid Template, complete all required sections, including:<\/p>\n Bill name and number<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Federal or state designation and sponsoring legislator(s)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Legislative intent and key provisions<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Target population(s) and stakeholders<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Expected impact on cost, quality, and access to care<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Current stage in the legislative process<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Relevant nursing organization or coalition position, if available<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Within the grid, discuss how one or more social determinants of health (such as income, race and ethnicity, education, geography, or gender) influence who is most affected by the bill.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Indicate whether the bill is likely to reduce or worsen disparities and briefly explain why.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Prepare a concise testimony addressed to a legislator or committee that:<\/p>\n Clearly states whether you support or oppose the bill<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Explains the population health problem the bill seeks to address<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Uses at least two scholarly or credible outside sources and two to three course-related resources to support your position<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Addresses at least one opposing argument respectfully and with evidence<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Uses a professional, clear, and persuasive tone appropriate for legislative communication<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Submit both the completed Legislation Grid and the one-page testimony or advocacy statement together using the Week 4 assignment submission link.<\/p>\n Bill Selection and Grid Completeness (20%)<\/strong> Analysis of Legislative Intent and Impact (20%)<\/strong> Social Determinants of Health and Equity (15%)<\/strong> Testimony Position and Argumentation (25%)<\/strong> Use of Evidence, Organization, and Writing Quality (20%)<\/strong> Policy assignments in NURS 6050 become more meaningful when students approach them as real-world advocacy exercises rather than abstract academic tasks. A strong legislation grid and one-page testimony demonstrate how a proposed bill could shift cost, quality, and access for specific populations while modeling the concise, evidence-based communication nurses must use when engaging with legislators and policy stakeholders.<\/p>\n Active nurse engagement in policy advocacy has been shown to improve the relevance and practicality of health legislation by ensuring that frontline clinical perspectives inform decision-making. Research suggests that when nurses contribute evidence and patient-centered narratives to legislative debates, policies are more likely to address equity, feasibility, and population health outcomes effectively (Milstead and Short, 2019).<\/p>\n Walden University (2023) NURS 6050 \u2013 Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health<\/em>. Walden University Catalog. https:\/\/academics.waldenu.edu\/catalog\/courses\/nurs\/6050<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Milstead, J. A. and Short, N. M. (2019) Health Policy and Politics: A Nurse\u2019s Guide<\/em>. 6th edn. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n American Nurses Association (2021) ANA Advocacy Toolkit<\/em>. Silver Spring, MD: ANA. https:\/\/www.nursingworld.org\/practice-policy\/advocacy\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2021) The Future of Nursing 2020\u20132030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity<\/em>. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.17226\/25982<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Assessment:<\/strong> Module 2 \/ Week 4 Assignment \u2013 Legislation Grid and Testimony\/Advocacy Statement (individual written assignment)
Level:<\/strong> Graduate (MSN, including APRN and non-clinical tracks)
Length:<\/strong> Legislation Grid (1\u20132 pages, template) plus a 1-page testimony\/advocacy statement (approximately 300\u2013500 words)
Timing:<\/strong> Week 4 (Module 2), following content on agenda setting, the policy process, and legislative actors<\/p>\nAssignment Overview<\/h2>\n
Learning Outcomes Assessed<\/h2>\n
\n
Task Instructions<\/h2>\n
1. Select a Health-Related Bill<\/h3>\n
\n
2. Complete the Legislation Grid (Template)<\/h3>\n
\n
3. Analyze Social Determinants and Policy Impact<\/h3>\n
\n
4. Write the Testimony or Advocacy Statement (1 Page)<\/h3>\n
\n
5. Submission<\/h3>\n
Module 2 \/ Week 4 \u2013 Legislation Grid and Testimony Rubric (2026)<\/h2>\n
Relevant bill selected; all grid fields completed accurately and concisely.<\/p>\n
Clear explanation of intent and anticipated effects on cost, quality, and access.<\/p>\n
Thoughtful discussion of equity implications and population-level effects.<\/p>\n
Clear advocacy position supported by evidence and respectful engagement with opposing views.<\/p>\n
Appropriate source use, clear organization, and graduate-level writing quality.<\/p>\nReferences<\/h2>\n
\n