Posted: September 4th, 2022

Advocating for the Nursing Role in Program Design and Implementation

Advocating for the Nursing Role in Program Design and Implementation
Tell us about a healthcare program, within your practice.
One of the health programs within my practice is tobacco cessation among teenagers and young adults.
What are the costs and projected outcomes of this program?
The cost of the program includes the value of compensating the trainers who will train and educate the target population. Funds are needed to print materials with information on the dangers of smoking and how to quit. Banners, posters, and brochures will be used to create awareness in the community. Additional funds are needed to purchase a projector for the training sessions.
Who is your target population?
The target population is teenagers and adults using tobacco in the community. The target population smokes tobacco in different forms including cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarettes. Tobacco use and addiction start during teenage and young adulthood, resulting in health problems such as lung cancer and other respiratory diseases (Martínez et al., 2019). Statistics indicate that out of three, one will quit and live a healthy life, while the other two will be addicted and eventually die of tobacco-related complications (Martínez et al., 2019). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that tobacco use results in preventable deaths. The advocacy role of a nurse in designing and implementing a health program can address the crisis (Martínez et al., 2019).
What is the role of the nurse in providing input for the design of this healthcare program? Can you provide examples?
Nurses have a role in the design and implementation of the healthcare program. The role involves identifying the needs of the target population, identifying possible barriers, and how to overcome them (Whitehouse et al., 2018). Nurses understand the dynamics of teenagers and young adults with a history of smoking addiction. They have the information on how to handle the patients compared to other healthcare workers (Whitehouse et al., 2018). A nurse can suggest a healthcare program design that will meet the needs of smokers. For instance, how to present the information, what to prioritize in the program, and how to measure the outcomes.
What is your role as an advocate for your target population for this healthcare program? Do you have input into design decisions? How else do you impact design?
Nurses play the role of an advocate in ensuring patients are treated professionally and have access to care. One of the roles of the advocate is to prevent discrimination and encourage the allocation of additional funds to meet the needs of smokers (Krist et al., 2021). For instance, the healthcare program should not discriminate the teenagers and young adults based on sex, age, ethnic background, and social status. The advocacy should extend to ensuring patients have access to care without limits such as cost. For instance, it is important to advocate for the allocation of funds to ensure the target population receives free healthcare services such as screening, diagnosis, and assessment. Advocating for additional funds and resources is effective in improving the decisions of the healthcare program team (Krist et al., 2021). Another way of impacting the design is incorporating evidence-based practice in the program.
What is the role of the nurse in healthcare program implementation? How does this role vary between the design and implementation of healthcare programs? Can you provide examples?
A nurse has a vital role in the implementation of healthcare programs. One of the tasks is educating teenagers and young adults about the dangers of smoking. Educating the teenagers will involve using projectors to demonstrate the negative health effects of smoking (Bright & Burdett, 2019). Another role is preparing the printed materials and handing them out to the target population. Creating awareness and meeting the affected population is vital in understanding the depth of the problem and addressing the barriers to smoking cessation. Nurses can use their skills to provide patient-centered care to help the most affected patients to access healthcare services (Bright & Burdett, 2019). For instance, recommending the best facilities to access cancer treatment for young adults with cancerous cells. The implementation process is the actual roll-out of the program to meet the objectives of the target population. It involves actualizing the design of the healthcare program to meet the needs of the patients.
Who are the members of a healthcare team that you believe are most needed to implement a program? Can you explain why?
Registered nurses are the most needed members to implement the healthcare program. Healthcare workers such as physicians and other specialists are vital in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with health complications (Bright & Burdett, 2019). Nurses spend considerable time with the patients to take care of their needs and educate their families. For instance, a nurse will spend time with the patients to monitor their progress. The information will be shared with other healthcare workers who will participate in achieving better outcomes. Counselors are needed in the healthcare program to assist teenagers and adults with mental healthcare issues (Whitehouse et al., 2018). Therapists will aid in alleviating the barriers to smoking cessation and prevent the risk of relapse. Physicians and specialists will be vital in treating patients with respiratory illnesses or cancer. Specialists will be vital in recommending diverse treatments and medication for the patients.

References
Bright, T., & Burdett, T. (2019). Smoking cessation and the health promotion role of community nurses. Journal of Community Nursing, 33(4), 56-60.
Krist, A. H., Davidson, K. W., Mangione, C. M., Barry, M. J., Cabana, M., Caughey, A. B., … & US Preventive Services Task Force. (2021). Interventions for tobacco smoking cessation in adults, including pregnant persons: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Jama, 325(3), 265-279.
Martínez, C., Castellano, Y., Andrés, A., Fu, M., Feliu, A., Antón, L., … & Fernandez, E. (2019). Impact of an online training program in smoking cessation interventions in hospitals. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 51(4), 449-458.
Whitehouse, E., Lai, J., Golub, J. E., & Farley, J. E. (2018). A systematic review of the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions among patients with tuberculosis. Public Health Action, 8(2), 37-49.

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