Healthcare policy significantly shapes the advanced practice nurse (APN) profession, and vice versa, the APN plays an important role in influencing health policy. 

Make a follow-up of a student’s weekly discussion and respond with your opinion regarding to her post

——You don’t have to post this in APA format necessarily, it’s just giving feedback to the student .

Claire Steininger

Explanation of how healthcare policy can impact the advanced practice nurse profession

Healthcare policy significantly shapes the advanced practice nurse (APN) profession, and vice versa, the APN plays an important role in influencing health policy. Their advocacy can bring about lasting changes in healthcare and can contribute by conducting quality improvement projects in their workplaces and using findings to support new policies. Attending local meetings and engaging with legislators allows NPs to share patient stories and advocate for bills that enhance healthcare outcomes and reduce costs. Joining organizations that lobby for patients and participating in health policy committees within nursing organizations further empowers NPs to develop and prioritize health policies. Overall, involvement in health policy can be one of the most impactful way for NPs to drive positive change in healthcare (Chilton, 2015).

Explanation of why advocacy is considered an essential component of the advance practice nurse’s role

Socioeconomically marginalized groups are the most effected by public policy impacts and are also the population that gain the most from enhancement of factors influencing health. The core foundation of professional nursing is grounded in a deep commitment to addressing the social, emotional, and physical well-being of the impoverished and disadvantaged within our communities. This is why patient and policy advocacy for is so important for APNs (Williams et al., 2018).

Discuss the four pillars of Transformational leadership and the effect they may have on influencing policy change

The four pillars of transformational leadership, as identified by leadership expert James MacGregor Burns, are idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. Each pillar plays a role in influencing policy change. Leaders who embody ethical principles and integrity establish credibility, enhancing trust and support from policymakers. Being able to intellectually stimulate your followers encourages critical thinking and evidence-based solutions, contributing to effective policies. Lastly, individualized consideration can allow leaders to tailor policy proposals to specific groups, increasing the likelihood of gaining support for these changes (Bush, 2018).