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Final Reflection

Mary Egger

University of Saint Mary

NU 705 Healthcare Policy & Ethics

May 7, 2021
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Final Reflection

The prevention of burnout has been a passion of mine ever since I became a nurse. Short

staffing and unsafe nurse to patient ratios play a part in nurse burnout. The lack of safety only

adds to the already stressful responsibility of caring for human lives. My meeting with Kansas

Senator Robert Olson provided me with information on the process a bill like the one I proposed

would take to pass. I proposed a bill that would require the state of Kansas to mandate safe

minimum nurse to patient ratios to prevent nurse burnout. This form of bill would not have any

funding supporting it which would likely make it difficult to pass. This was disappointing but

Senator Olson stated that if I decided to pursue this bill in the future, that he would support me.

This project met the outcomes of the course through the analysis of healthcare policy in

the research for assignments. The discussion posts allowed me to expand my thinking on the

essence of health policy and its benefit to the profession of nursing. By advocating for a policy, I

am passionate about, I was able to understand the ethical basis of what true advocacy means.

Speaking as a nurse to a politician might be a career high for myself. I never imagined that I

would have this sort of opportunity to express my voice as a profession. I was also able to learn

more about the Affordable Care Act and its vast impact on citizens of the United States of

America. This research continued in the comparison of other countries and learning about their

differences when it came to healthcare access and insurance. My new knowledge about the

global impact of access to healthcare and insurance has expanded my perceptions of my

profession.

Through the discussion with a member of my healthcare organization about the quality

metrics that are tracked for insurance purposes, I have a better understanding of how important

my job is. The care that I provide and ensuring that I am taking necessary steps to prevent
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hospital associated infections or falls shows will show an impact on a greater scale. Discovering

the impact that I had on the greater scale of healthcare costs and healthcare policy was eye

opening. I understand the importance of each unit monitoring the impact of quality metrics.

Through the tracking of this data and nursing informatics, there will be an increase in patient

satisfaction with improved health outcomes. This class has opened my eyes to the impact of

quality metrics on patient care.

As a result of this course, I will carry with me the new concepts related to quality metrics

and improving patient satisfaction. I will take the information I have learned and researched and

explain to coworkers the importance of advocating for healthcare policy. This will hopefully

influence them to become advocates for the profession of nursing as well. This class was an

unexpected surprise that pushed me to become a more well-rounded nurse.