Policy Proposal: Introduction In Advocating For Institutiona

Policy Proposalintroductionin Advocating For Institutional Policy Chan

In advocating for institutional policy changes related to local, state, or federal health care laws or policies, health leaders must be able to develop and present clear and well-written policy and practice guideline proposals that will enable a team, a unit, or an organization as a whole to resolve relevant performance issues and bring about improvements in the quality and safety of health care. This assignment offers you an opportunity to take the lead in proposing such changes. As a master's-level health care practitioner, you have a valuable viewpoint and voice to bring to discussions about policy development, both inside and outside your care setting. Developing policy for internal purposes can be a valuable process toward quality and safety improvement, as well as ensuring compliance with various health care regulatory pressures.

This assignment offers you an opportunity to take the lead in proposing such changes. Instructions Propose an organizational policy and practice guidelines that you believe will lead to an improvement in quality and performance associated with the benchmark underperformance you advocated for improving in Week 4. Be precise, professional, and persuasive in demonstrating the merit of your proposed actions. Requirements The policy proposal requirements outlined below correspond to the scoring guide criteria, so be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed.

In addition, be sure to note the requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence. Explain the need for creating a policy and practice guidelines to address a shortfall in meeting a benchmark metric prescribed by local, state, or federal health care policies or laws. What is the current benchmark for the organization and the numeric score for the underperformance? How is the benchmark underperformance potentially affecting the provision of quality care or the operations of the organization? What are the potential repercussions of not making any changes?

What evidence supports your conclusions? Summarize your proposed organizational policy and practice guidelines. Identify applicable local, state, or federal health care policy or law that prescribes relevant performance benchmarks that your policy proposal addresses. Keep your audience in mind when creating this summary. Analyze the potential effects of environmental factors on your recommended practice guidelines.

What regulatory considerations could affect your recommended guidelines? What resources could affect your recommended guidelines (staffing, financial, and logistical considerations, or support services)? Explain ethical, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve targeted benchmark performance and the impact the proposed changes will have on the targeted group. What does the evidence-based literature suggest are potential strategies to improve performance for your targeted benchmark? How would these strategies ensure performance improvement or compliance with applicable local, state, or federal health care policy or law?

How can you ensure that these strategies are ethical and culturally inclusive in their application? What is the direct impact of these changes on the stakeholders’ work setting/job requirements? Explain why particular stakeholders and groups must be involved in further development and implementation of your proposed policy and practice guidelines. Why is it important to engage these stakeholders and groups? How can their participation produce a stronger policy and facilitate its implementation?

Present strategies for collaborating with the stakeholder group to implement your proposed policy and practice guidelines. What role will the stakeholder group play in implementing your proposal? Why is the stakeholder group and their collaboration important for successful implementation? Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions. Proofread your proposal, before you submit it, to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on the substance of your proposal.

Use paraphrasing and summarization to represent ideas from external sources. Be sure to apply correct APA formatting to source citations and references. Policy Proposal Format and Length It may be helpful to use a template or format for your proposal that is used in your current organization. The risk management or quality department could be a good resource for finding an appropriate template or format. If you are not currently in practice, or your organization does not have these resources, many appropriate templates are freely available on the Internet.

Your policy should be succinct (about one paragraph). Overall, your proposal should be 4–6 pages in length. Supporting Evidence Cite 3–5 references to relevant research, case studies, or best practices to support your analysis and recommendations.

Paper For Above instruction

Developing and implementing effective healthcare policies is crucial for ensuring quality, safety, and compliance within healthcare organizations. This paper presents a comprehensive policy proposal aimed at addressing a performance underbenchmark identified in previous assessments, with the goal of improving organizational outcomes and aligning with regulatory standards. The proposed policy focuses on a targeted area where performance scores have fallen below prescribed benchmarks, illustrating the imperative for intervention not only to meet legal and regulatory requirements but also to enhance patient safety and operational efficiency.

In this context, the current benchmark for the organization pertains to patient hand hygiene compliance, with a prescribed rate of 90% established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Joint Commission standards. Recent internal audits indicated compliance rates of approximately 75%, reflecting a significant underperformance. This shortfall potentially compromises infection control, elevates the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), and undermines organizational credibility. Failure to address this issue could entail regulatory penalties, increased patient morbidity, heightened socioeconomic costs, and damage to institutional reputation. Therefore, the necessity for a clear, enforceable policy becomes evident to guide staff behavior and improve adherence rates.

The evidence supporting this intervention underscores the impact of hand hygiene compliance on reducing HAIs, with studies revealing that multifaceted interventions—such as staff education, reminders, and audit-feedback mechanisms—substantially improve compliance (Erasmus et al., 2010; Pittet et al., 2000). Accordingly, the proposed organizational policy emphasizes mandatory hand hygiene protocols aligned with CDC guidelines, regular staff training, audit and feedback systems, and accountability measures to promote sustained improvement. These guidelines adhere to laws such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) bloodborne pathogens standard, which mandate adherence to infection control practices.

The environmental factors influencing the policy’s implementation include staffing levels, resource availability, healthcare infrastructure, and organizational culture. Regulatory considerations, such as compliance with the Healthcare Quality Improvement Act (HCQIA) and accreditation standards, must be integrated into policy design. Financial resources are essential for staff training programs, monitoring systems, and compliance audits. Additionally, logistical considerations involve ensuring easy access to hand hygiene supplies and integrating compliance metrics into daily practice routines.

Ethical principles guiding this policy encompass respect for patient safety, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Cultural competence is vital to address diverse patient populations and staff, requiring inclusive communication strategies and culturally sensitive training to promote equitable adherence. Evidence-based strategies to improve performance include behavioral interventions, visual cues (e.g., signage), real-time feedback, peer accountability, and incentivization (Pudenz et al., 2018). These strategies must be implemented transparently and ethically to foster trust and cooperation among staff and patients.

Involving stakeholders—such as nursing staff, physicians, infection control teams, administration, and quality improvement officers—is essential for cultivating buy-in and ensuring successful policy adoption. Engaging these groups through participatory decision-making, training sessions, and continuous communication fosters ownership and accountability. Their collaboration facilitates problem-solving, addresses barriers to compliance, and enhances the practicality of the policy. Ultimately, collaborative implementation strategies include designated champions, regular audits, and performance dashboards that keep stakeholders informed and motivated.

To conclude, the proposed policy and practice guidelines are designed to rectify identified performance gaps, align with regulatory standards, and foster a culture of safety and accountability. Through evidence-based interventions, stakeholder engagement, and ethical implementation, this policy aims to improve hand hygiene compliance, reduce HAIs, and enhance overall organizational quality. Ongoing evaluation and adaptation will be necessary to sustain improvements and meet evolving healthcare standards.

References

• Erasmus, V., et al. (2010). Systematic review of studies on compliance with hand hygiene guidelines in hospital care. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, 31(3), 283-294.
• Pittet, D., et al. (2000). Effectiveness of a hospital-wide programme to improve compliance with hand hygiene. The Lancet, 356(9238), 1307-1312.
• Pudenz, R. H., et al. (2018). Strategies to improve hand hygiene compliance among health care workers. Journal of Infection Control, 9(3), 145-150.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2002). Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). (2001). Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.
• Joint Commission. (2021). National Patient Safety Goals: Hand Hygiene.
• World Health Organization (WHO). (2009). WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care.
• Huang, K. Y., et al. (2018). Impact of multimodal strategies on hand hygiene compliance among health care workers. American Journal of Infection Control, 46(2), 143-148.
• Grayson, M. L., et al. (2013). Infection control in healthcare facilities: Best practices and standards. Infection Control Today.
• Lehotsky, K., et al. (2017). Culturally competent approaches to infection prevention: A review. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 24(2), 48-53.