• Revisit the Congress.gov website provided in the Resources and consider the role of RNs and APRNs in policy-making.
• Reflect on potential opportunities that may exist for RNs and APRNs to participate in the policy-making process.

Post an explanation of at least two opportunities that exist for RNs and APRNs to actively participate in policy-making. Explain some of the challenges that these opportunities may present and describe how you might overcome these challenges. Finally, recommend two strategies you might make to better advocate for or communicate the existence of these opportunities to participate in policy-making. Be specific and provide examples.

Week 8: Reflection Assignment

Submit Assignment

• Due Saturday by 11:59pm
• Points 50
• Submitting a file upload

Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is to reflect on achievements in this course based on three criterion: Program Outcome, MSN Essential, NONPF Core Competency.
Activity Learning Outcomes
Through this assignment, the student will demonstrate the ability to:

1. Reflect on personal and professional growth toward achieving competence as a family nurse practitioner (CO3).

Due Date: Assignment must be submitted by Saturday 11:59 p.m. MT of week 8. Nothing can be accepted AFTER the Week 8 deadline when the course closes.
Total Points Possible:  50
Requirements:

1. Choose one (1) MSN Program Outcome, one (1) MSN Essential, and one (1) NONPF Core Competency from the list below:
   • MSN Program Outcome
     1. Provide high quality, safe, patient-centered care grounded in holistic health principles.
     2. Advocates for positive health outcomes through compassionate, evidence-based, collaborative advanced nursing practice.
   • MSN Essential
     I. Background for Practice from Science and Humanities
     VIII. Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving Health
     IX. Master’s Level Nursing Practice

• NONPF Core Competencies
  Scientific Foundation Competencies
  These competencies ensure that nurse practitioners graduate with a comprehensive background in medical sciences. All nurse practitioner students are required to take foundational pathophysiology and pharmacology, but depending on their specialty, they may take additional courses. Psychiatric nurse practitioners often take courses in neuroscience whereas neonatal nurse practitioners take courses in neonatology. Scientific core competencies also include knowledge and understanding of clinical practice guidelines, evidence-based practice, translational research, and treatment of vulnerable and diverse patient populations.
  The scientific foundation core competencies defined by the NONPF include the following:
  1. Thinks critically about data and applies this evidence to improving practice.
  2. Allows knowledge from the humanities and other disciplines to inform one’s work in nursing.
  3. Incorporates research findings to enhance practice methods and patient outcomes.
  4. Creates fresh evidence-based approaches and techniques, paying thought to research findings, core theory, and experience from practice.
  5. Quality Competencies
     Quality care, as defined by the NONPF, refers to the degree to which health services increase the desired health outcomes consistent with professional knowledge and standards. Quality competencies focus on understanding how to access and use information databases and how to critically evaluate research findings.
     The quality core competencies include the following:
  6. Applies the best and most contemporary research findings to clinical practice.
  7. Considers the complex relationships between cost, safety, access, and quality in healthcare delivery.
  8. Assesses the effects of organizational structures, financial management, policy, and other factors on healthcare.
  9. Offers feedback in peer reviews to “promote a culture of excellence.”
  10. Tailors care to each practice situation and uses interventions as necessary.
  11. Practice Inquiry Competencies
      Practice inquiry competencies focus on translational research, i.e., taking academic research and applying it to the clinical setting. These competencies ensure that nurse practitioner students understand how to apply research to improve their patients’ health outcomes.
      The practice inquiry core competencies include the following:
  12. Translates new knowledge into practice through leadership.
  13. Uses clinical experiences to inform practice and improve patient outcomes.
  14. Applies investigative abilities in a clinical setting to improve healthcare.
  15. Facilitates practice inquiry, both individually and in partnerships.
  16. Transmits knowledge from inquiry to others.
  17. Thinks critically about the individual applications of clinical guidelines.

2. Reflect over the past eight weeks and describe how achieving the course outcomes have prepared you to meet 1 program outcome, 1 MSN essential and 1 NONPF competency.
3. Provide a specific example for each category.

Preparing the paper

• The written portion of this assignment is to be completed in a WORD document (.doc) and submitted to the course.
• Grammar, punctuation, spelling should be observed. In-text citations and reference page should follow APA format.
• Assignments will not be accepted once the course closes in Week 8.

ASSIGNMENT CONTENT
Category
Points
%
Description
Outcome Achievement
40
80%
The student identifies at least one of the listed program outcomes;
AND
Provides at least one specific example of how the program outcome was met;
AND
The student identifies at least one of the listed MSN essentials;
AND
Provides at least one specific example of how the MSN essential was met;
AND
The student identifies at least one of the listed NONPF competencies;
AND
Provides at least one specific example of how the NONPF competency was met.
(6 required elements)
40
80%
Total CONTENT Points= 40 pts
ASSIGNMENT FORMAT
Category
Points
%
Description
Organization, spelling, grammar and APA format
10
20%
Narrative summary is provided with consideration to organization, spelling, grammar and APA format.
10
20%
Total FORMAT Points= 10
ASSIGNMENT TOTAL= 50 points

Rubric

NR565 Reflection Assignment (1)NR565 Reflection Assignment (1)CriteriaRatingsPtsThis criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOutcome AchievementThe student identifies at least one of the listed program outcomes;
AND
Provides at least one specific example of how the program outcome was met;
AND
The student identifies at least one of the listed MSN essentials;
AND
Provides at least one specific example of how the MSN essential was met;
AND
The student identifies at least one of the listed NONPF competencies;
AND
Provides at least one specific example of how the NONPF competency was met;
(6 required elements)40.0 ptsExcellentAll 6 required elements are present.36.0 ptsV. Good5 critical elements are present.33.0 ptsSatisfactory4 critical elements are present.20.0 ptsNeeds Improvement1-3 critical elements are present.0.0 ptsUnsatisfactory0 critical elements are present.40.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAssignment FormatNarrative summary is provided with consideration to organization, spelling, grammar and APA format. (2 critical elements required)10.0 ptsExcellentSummary is clear & easy to follow. AND There are two or less errors in spelling, grammar or in-text/reference APA format.9.0 ptsV. GoodSummary is clear to follow AND There are three to four errors in spelling, grammar or in-text/reference APA format.8.0 ptsSatisfactorySummary is clear to follow AND There are five to six errors in spelling, grammar or in-text/reference APA format.5.0 ptsNeeds ImprovementSummary is clear to follow AND There are seven to nine errors in spelling, grammar or in-text reference APA format.0.0 ptsUnsatisfactorySummary is difficult to follow/understand OR There are >10 errors in spelling, grammar or in-text reference APA format.10.0 pts
Total Points: 50.0PreviousNext

• Review the Resources and identify a clinical issue of interest that can form the basis of a clinical inquiry.
• Review the materials offering guidance on using databases, performing keyword searches, and developing PICO(T) questions provided in the Resources.
• Based on the clinical issue of interest and using keywords related to the clinical issue of interest, search at least two different databases in the Walden Library to identify at least four relevant peer-reviewed articles related to your clinical issue of interest. You should not be using systematic reviews for this assignment, select original research articles.
• Review the Resources for guidance and develop a PICO(T) question of interest to you for further study. It is suggested that an Intervention-type PICOT question be developed as these seem to work best for this course.

Write a brief description of your clinical issue of interest. This clinical issue will remain the same for the entire course and will be the basis for the development of your PICOT question. Describe your search results in terms of the number of articles returned on original research and how this changed as you added search terms using your Boolean operators. Finally, explain strategies you might make to increase the rigor and effectiveness of a database search on your PICO(T) question. Be specific and provide examples.