History, Structure, and Process of Health-Care-Policy and Politics in Nursing

History, Structure, and Process of Health-Care-Policy and Politics in Nursing
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History, Structure, and Process of Health-Care-Policy and Politics in Nursing
Healthcare policy and the healthcare delivery systems in the United States (US) have gone through changes over the years. However, to better understand the history of healthcare policy and delivery systems, one must first understand the history and role of nursing in policy and politics. According to Nickitas et al. (2016), nursing political advocacy started with Florence Nightingale and led to the modern nursing movement. During that time, professional education opportunities became accessible to nurses through nursing training schools. This has been the foundation for the continued development of the nursing profession through education and advanced practice. Professional organizations such as the National League for Nursing and the American Nurses Association were also formed, and even though they started out advocating for the nursing profession, they have since become fundamentally involved in advocating for other social and political issues that affect public health (Nickitas et al., 2016). To effectively formulate a better healthcare system, nurses have to engage deeply in policy and politics to influence both urban and rural healthcare.
The structure of the American healthcare delivery system is flawed at best. As Mason et al. (2016) share, the focus on this structure is mainly on the cost and access of healthcare. Other aspects, such as equity and quality, are also part of the system. Cost, access, equity, and quality are fundamentally the most crucial outcomes of any healthcare system. However, to get positive outcomes in these four areas, there must be an effective healthcare policy. These will need collaboration between different stakeholders who can influence the structure of the American healthcare system. As Mason et al. (2016) reveals, differe...