Select A Community Organization Or Group You Feel Wou 024819

Select A Community Organization Or Group That You Feel Would Be Intere

Select a community organization or group that you feel would be interested in learning about ethical and policy issues that affect the coordination of care. Then, develop and record a 10-12-slide, 20-minute presentation, with audio, intended for that audience. Create a detailed narrative script for your presentation, 4-5 pages in length. As care coordinators, nurses must be aware of the code of ethics for nurses and health policy issues that affect the coordination of care within the community. To help patients navigate the continuum of care, nurses must be proficient at interpreting and applying the code of ethics for nurses and health policy, specifically the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Being knowledgeable about ethical and policy issues helps ensure that care coordinators uphold ethical standards and navigate policy issues affecting patient care. This assessment provides an opportunity to develop a presentation for a local community organization, offering an overview of ethical standards and relevant policy issues impacting care coordination. Completing this will strengthen your understanding of ethical issues and policies, empowering you as a nurse and advocate. Consider reviewing the Vila Health: Ethical Decision Making activity prior to developing your presentation.

Your nurse manager, who is well connected with community groups, has suggested reaching out to organizations like homeless shelters, religious groups, nursing homes, or local service clubs. You should research your chosen organization or support group, review the Code of Ethics for Nurses With Interpretive Statements, and consider health policies like the ACA. Make sure your presentation includes an overview of ethical principles, relevant policies affecting care, and how these influence care coordination within the community organization.

Prepare a PowerPoint or similar presentation with 10–12 slides, including a title slide, referencing your topic, your name, date, course number and title, and a final references slide. Record your voice narration and develop speaker notes or script, approximately 4–5 pages long. Your presentation should not exceed 20 minutes. Support your content with 3–5 credible sources from peer-reviewed journals or professional publications, properly cited in the references section.

Ensure your presentation clearly explains how governmental policies—such as HIPAA and the ACA—affect care coordination, using specific policy examples. Identify policies at national, state, and local levels that raise ethical issues and discuss their implications. Assess the influence of the nursing code of ethics on care coordination, considering social determinants of health and disparities. Clearly communicate these ethical and policy considerations, using evidence-based support, in a professional, cohesive manner. Proofread your slides and notes carefully before submission to minimize errors.

Paper For Above instruction

Title: Ethical and Policy Considerations in Care Coordination for Community Organizations

Effective coordination of care within community organizations necessitates a thorough understanding of ethical standards and health policies that influence the healthcare landscape. Nurses, as key care coordinators, must integrate the principles outlined in the Nursing Code of Ethics and stay informed about relevant policies, particularly those encapsulated within the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and HIPAA, to ensure ethical and equitable care delivery. This paper explores these dimensions through the lens of a selected community organization—local homeless shelters—highlighting how policies shape ethical decisions and care practices.

Introduction

The importance of ethical and policy frameworks in nursing cannot be overstated, especially within community settings where diverse social determinants influence health outcomes. Care coordination involves orchestrating resources, information, and services to produce optimal health results. When nurses understand and apply ethical principles along with policies such as the ACA and HIPAA, they can better navigate complex scenarios that involve patient confidentiality, resource allocation, access disparities, and legal obligations. This paper offers an in-depth analysis of how these factors intersect in the context of homeless shelters.

Ethical Principles and the Nursing Code of Ethics

The American Nurses Association’s (ANA) Code of Ethics underscores core values like beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice. These principles serve as a moral compass guiding nurses through challenging decisions, such as respecting patient autonomy while ensuring safety, or advocating for equitable resource distribution (American Nurses Association, 2015). In homeless shelters, where vulnerable populations often face healthcare disparities, adherence to these ethical standards ensures that care remains patient-centered, respectful, and fair.

Further, the code emphasizes advocacy—protecting patient rights and addressing social injustices that affect health equity (Fowler, 2015). In practice, this means nurses must advocate for policies that reduce barriers to healthcare access and foster inclusive environments responsive to the unique needs of the homeless population.

Impacts of Policies on Care Coordination

Health policies such as the ACA have revolutionized care accessibility for underserved groups, including those experiencing homelessness. The ACA’s provisions expand Medicaid, eliminate pre-existing condition exclusions, and promote integrated, community-based care models (Blumenthal & Collins, 2014). These policies facilitate seamless care transitions, reduce emergency department overutilization, and encourage preventive services—integral components of effective care coordination.

Conversely, policies like HIPAA safeguard patient confidentiality while enabling information sharing necessary for coordinated care. In homeless shelters, where trust is fragile, maintaining confidentiality is critical but must be balanced with the need for information exchange among healthcare providers (McGraw, 2019). Policies at state and local levels may also present ethical dilemmas—such as restrictions on using shelter data to access healthcare services or funding limitations that hinder comprehensive care efforts (Kollipara et al., 2018).

Ethical Dilemmas and Policy Challenges

One notable dilemma involves balancing respect for patient autonomy with the duty to prevent harm. Homeless individuals often face mental health or substance use issues, complicating consent and decision-making processes. Policies mandating treatment or involuntary interventions can raise ethical questions about individual rights versus societal safety (Nelson et al., 2017).

Furthermore, resource allocation policies may lead to ethical conflicts—when limited funding restricts access to necessary services like mental health counseling or chronic disease management. Nurses must navigate these dilemmas, advocating for equitable resource distribution while respecting legal frameworks and respecting patient dignity.

Impact of the Nursing Code of Ethics on Care Delivery

The nursing code emphasizes advocacy, accountability, and social justice, which directly influence care coordination efforts. Nurses are ethically obligated to address disparities that hinder access to quality care (Fowler, 2015). In homeless shelters, this entails fostering trusting relationships, providing culturally competent care, and advocating for policy changes that address systemic inequities.

By grounding their practice in these ethical standards, nurses can influence policy discourse at local and national levels, promoting reforms that prioritize vulnerable populations' health needs.

Social Determinants of Health and Disparities

Healthy People 2020 identifies social determinants like housing, education, and socioeconomic status as key influencers of health disparities (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2020). Addressing these determinants requires multidisciplinary strategies and policy interventions that extend beyond clinical care.

Nurses in homeless shelters serve as advocates for integrating social services with healthcare, helping patients navigate complex social needs and access appropriate resources. This holistic approach aligns with ethical principles of justice and beneficence, aiming to reduce disparities and promote health equity (Bachar et al., 2019).

Conclusion

In conclusion, ethical principles and health policies profoundly influence care coordination within community organizations such as homeless shelters. Nurses must apply the code of ethics diligently, advocate effectively, and stay informed about policies like the ACA and HIPAA to navigate complex ethical dilemmas. Strategic efforts to address social determinants and disparities, grounded in ethical and policy frameworks, can significantly improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Through continued education and advocacy, nurses contribute to transforming community health systems into equitable, patient-centered entities.

References

• American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. ANA.
• Bachar, E., et al. (2019). Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Homeless Populations. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 36(1), 34-45.
• Blumenthal, D., & Collins, S. R. (2014). The Affordable Care Act and Its Impact on the US Healthcare System. New England Journal of Medicine, 371(3), 245-247.
• Fowler, M. D. M. (2015). Guide to the Code of Ethics for Nurses. American Nurses Publishing.
• Kollipara, S., et al. (2018). Policy Barriers to Care for Homeless Populations. Health Affairs, 37(10), 1622-1629.
• McGraw, S. A. (2019). Confidentiality and Data Sharing in Homeless Healthcare. Journal of Medical Ethics, 45(12), 813-817.
• Nelson, S. E., et al. (2017). Ethical Issues in Treatment of Homeless Individuals. Ethics & Behavior, 27(8), 605-612.
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2020). Healthy People 2020 Social Determinants of Health. HHS.gov.