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NRSG 8530 Health Care Policy, Ethics, and Politics End-of-the Semester Course Report Summer 2014
Catalog Description: This course is designed to explore the role of the doctorally-prepared nurse in effecting change in the regulatory, legislative, and public policy arenas at the local, state, national, and global levels. Quantitative decision making models are examined in relation to policy decisions. Ethical inquiry addresses access to health care and utilization and allocation of scarce resources.
Student Enrollment and progression: Number of students enrolled, withdrawals, and incompletes. Number of students progressing or number of failures noted.
Enrolled 11 Withdrew 2 (both withdrew within the first week; both because of employment responsibilities). Completed 9 Grades A=6 B=2 C=1
Faculty assigned to the course: Number of full-time and part-time faculty assigned to the course and roles (lecture and/or clinical assignment –in-patient v. community). Course professor – Judy Malachowski, PhD, RN, CNE No part-time faculty; no lab component.
Evaluation methods: How were the students evaluated for the semester? item description course points outcomes Critical thinking questions/ Five homework assignments based on chapter 5,6 25 Article critiques and article content. Graded on a rubric. Edge Runner bio A bio based on the concept of the American 1,2 15 Academy of Nursing Edge Runner initiative. Portfolio work Bio will be reevaluated in NRSG 9100 – Role Transitions - course. Graded on a rubric. Discussion leadership/ Each student will lead one of the online 1,3 15 Taking Action chapters discussion boards based on a “Taking Action” chapter. Graded on a rubric. Policy position paper The capstone assignment represents the 2,4,5,6 45 student’s synthesis of the course concepts. Portfolio work Graded on a rubric. TOTAL 100
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Semester Changes and evaluation: Changes for the semester discussed as well as the evaluation of the changes (strengths and limitations/problems).
This course was taught for third time in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Suggestions made from the Summer 2013 offering and follow-up: Planned follow-up from Summer Changes made for Summer 2014 Next Steps for Summer 2015 2013 Consider having Immersion The first class (for all summer Continue this practice. closer to the start of the courses) was held on the semester. It would be nice to Thursday of immersion week. have a face-to-face meeting for 8530 was allotted two hours of the first class so we can work class time – we reviewed the through tech issues on campus. syllabus and the text; talked Also having the syllabi briefly about the meaning of available at Immersion would policy, politics, and ethics; and be helpful. We could prepare the learning management better before class starts. system. More directions about what is The same comment was made Need to change at least some of expected. Great that you gave this year. I did not provide a the articles so that I can use past an example of what was sample given that I used the papers as exemplars. expected after the first one but same articles this year. would have been more helpful if given prior to that first assignment. Have example posted beginning of semester Sample critique paper at the beginning of the semester Continue a choice in article critiques if you keep this course in summer semester. With all three courses—too many assignments to do well. Could the instructors who teach The Summer students were also Continue this practice. in the same semester look at enrolled in NRSG 8410 assignments and due dates to (Epidemiology) and NRSG prevent having major 8310 (Introduction to assignments due at the same Translational Research Project. time? The students themselves created a calendar of due dates for the class. For the 8530 course, with two exceptions, all assignments were due on the same day and time. Only 5/9 students completed Course component evaluation – the course component I will post 2-3 weeks into the evaluation. Only 7/9 students course and put “comments on completed the self-assessment form” as part of the weekly of meeting course outcomes. assignment. Self-assessment – I will post at the beginning of the final week of the course and send daily reminders. Had two guest speakers – Continue with guest speakers
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Rachel Morgan – Health and who will broaden the students’ Human Services Committee knowledge of policy. Try to get Director – National Conference at least one person from a of State Legislatures; and national organization. Rebecca Wheeler – President, Georgia Nurses Association. Both were well-received. Taking Action chapters in the Continue with grading only the Mason text are great ways to discussion leader. stimulate discussion. In the previous two offerings of this course, both the discussion and participants earned a grade for discussions. This summer, only the leader was graded – the discussion moved more smoothly. Rubrics – students consistently Will need to identify a way to do not use the rubrics for prep orient the students to these of assignments. grading tools.
Clinical sites used and evaluations (to include PT clinical evaluations): Summative information about the evaluation of clinical sites and part-time faculty as well as decisions made to continue or discontinue sites or part-time faculty. No clinical sites used in this course.
Student course evaluation: Formative and Summative information about course objectives or teaching methods if listed (strengths and limitations/problems).
The student critique of the course components is attached. The primary areas needing improvement are listed under “semester changes and evaluation.”
Summer of student self-evaluation of meeting the course outcomes is in the table below.
Student mean rating (1-3 scale; 1=not at all; 2 = to NRSG 8530 - course outcomes some extent; 3 = met) 1. Demonstrate leadership in using evidence to influence 2.86 healthcare policy. 2. Employ effective communication strategies for interacting 2.86 with public officials. 3. Model ethical behaviors during interprofessional 3 collaboration. 4. Incorporate quantitative and qualitative decision-making 2.71 models into writing policy statements. 5. Demonstrate a working knowledge of the legislative process 2.71 at the local, state, and national level. 6. Analyze global influences on local, state, and national 2.86 healthcare policy.
Plans and/or changes for the next semester:
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[See “Semester changes and evaluation” above.]
One student was not successful (by earning a grade of “B” or higher) in this course. Despite many requests for the student to contact me throughout the semester, there was no response until final grades were posted. The problem seems to be a combination of lack of basic writing skills and not following the assignment guidelines.
Submitted by, judy malachowski 07/14/14
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