Review what has been done in the past by others regarding your chosen policy issue. What was the result of their actions related to this policy issue? Why is this issue important to nursing?

Planning Your Visit

Worksheet #2 (ungraded)
Specific Requirements
Review what has been done in the past by others regarding your chosen policy issue. What was the result of their actions related to this policy issue? Why is this

issue important to nursing?
Who are thefederal, state, and local policymakers involved in your chosen policy issue? How can you contact your policymaker? Do you have phone numbers, addresses,

immediate staff contacts, and more? Be sure you single out a policymaker whom you know is interested in your issue.
What will bethe plan for your legislative visit?  When, where, and how?
What is the message you want to give to your selected policymaker/legislator? Can you present a compelling ‘story’? Can you convey your passion and experience with the

policy issue? Can you present basic research data in an easy-to-understand and interesting way? What is your ‘Ask’? What are you recommending? Please review the

examples of a policy brief in your text or on the American Nurses Association website. What are your expectations of the policymaker and for your visit in general?
How do you plan to convey your message? What considerations must you have in place with respect to time constraints, availability of policymaker, and contingency

plans?
Can you include a presentation using PowerPoint, flip chart, or overheads in some way (email or mail ahead of the call)? Include the actual presentation slides (max of

5 slides) in your final course presentation due week 7 (total 15 slides).
What feedback did you get from your policymaker? What actionsare you expecting of him/her/them? How did you leave things? Carefully review the Guidelines and Example

below.
Guidelines for Legislative Visits
Most nurses are uncomfortable approaching policymakers, regardless of how prepared they are and how knowledgeable or passionate they are about their policy issue.

Nurses tend to grossly underestimate their power and don’t initially understand that policymakers are receptive and anxious   to have their input.
After you have selected your policy issue and have thoroughly researched it, develop a message or proposal that is clear and succinct.  Be sure that you know the

appropriate policymaker and the staff that you approach for your issue.  Most students in this course will select a local-level policymaker such as a member of their

city council or their local school board.
Example
Student Y is enrolled in NR506: Healthcare Policy. This student has worked for several years as an emergency department nurse at a local hospital and also volunteers

his time at the local community teen center. Student Y is passionate about preventing motor-vehicle accidents in the teen population. He has adolescent children of his

own and has seen firsthand the tragic results of careless/distracted driving among teens. Of special interest to student Y is the issue surrounding using cell phones

and especially text messaging while driving. Student Y believes this to be a significant and growing problem—both locally and nationally.
After carefully researching the issue, Student Y identified his local city-council representative(s) as a policymaker to plan a meeting with. He is interested in

proposing a city ordinance that will stop the use of handheld cell phones while driving within city limits. He has analyzed this policy issue, researched what has been

done in other parts of the country, and has also researched nursing organizations’ websites in order to assess/track any legislation related to this issue. Student Y

carefully strategizes his plan for approaching his policymaker(s), and constructs a compelling story and proposal for change He schedules the meeting as soon as

possible, given time constraints of all parties, and prepares for all aspects of the meeting prior.
Student Y uses his experiences from the emergency department to illustrate and describe how devastating and common these accidents are, especially among teens (this

adds credibility). He mentions in his presentation that he himself has adolescent children and that he also volunteers at ateen center,which shows personal involvement

and commitment. His research data is simple and easy to follow, and his presentationdiscusses how other regions of the country have passed legislation and the outcomes

of that legislation. He also identifies in his presentation materialthat his nursing organization (Emergency Nurses Association) is stepping up lobbying efforts at

both state and national levels regarding this issue,which adds professionalism and strength to his message. He makes a clear recommendation and then asks for feedback

and suggestions for his continued advocacy efforts.
While it may take months or possibly years for this issue to be satisfactorily addressed, student Y has done a fine job in preparing forhis advocacy efforts. He can

continue to track legislation via websites and email alerts, and he can make calls and writeletters- at all phases of this process. Perhaps these policymakers would

have suggested that he also make this presentation to the local school board. Perhaps, he may also want to ask his state lawmakers to introduce a bill targeting this

issue. He can also prepare to address his nursing organization at a meeting or conference and even publish this project. In the meantime, he can also address teens at

the community center, as well as in their schools.
There are countless ways to make change happen!

Planning Your VisitGuidelines

Graded Assignment 2
Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is to: (a) identify and articulate a plan for a legislative/policymaking visit (CO #2);(b) deliver a message andask/recommendations (CO

#2,3), and (c) communicate ideas in a clear, succinct, and scholarly manner. (CO#3)
Course Outcomes
This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcomes:
(CO #2) Employ strategies to affect the development, implementation, and consequences of policies at the institutional, local, national, and international levels. (PO

4, 8, 10)

(CO #3) Communicate with policymakers to advocate for effective policies that affect nurses and nursing, consumers, or the health care system. (PO 2,3,10)

(CO #4) Analyze the historical, ethical, and political contexts of health care policy and the consequences of policy implementation. (PO 6, 10)

(CO #5) Advocate for institutional, local, national, and international policies that influence health care and its consumers and nurses and their nursing practice.

(PO2,10)
Due Date: Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT at the end of Week 5
Total Points: 175 points
Requirements
Assignment Criteria for Presentation
Introduce your chosen policy issue, the current status, and an overview of your plan for a legislative visit.
Articulate key strategies involved in your plan, message, and recommendations under each of the Planning Your Visit Ungraded Worksheet 2 sections using headings in

your paper.
Provide an analysis of empirical evidence supporting your approach strategies including plan, message, and follow-up.
Provide specific examples of the impact and/or importance of a successful visit and follow-up to nursing.
Provide concluding statements summarizingthe content.
Paper will be five (5) pages, excluding title and reference pages, and in APA format 6th edition.
Preparing the Paper
Following completion of Planning Your Visit Ungraded Worksheet 2, develop a plan for visiting your policymaker, including the message/ask, and the recommendation(s)

you will deliver. Include a minimum of five (5) classic references or current references (published within the past 5 years) that support your plan, the message,

recommendations, and follow-up.

Category    Points    %    Description
Introduction and Conclusion    35    20    Introduction clearly introduces your policy-priority issue. Concluding statements summarizecontent.
Key Strategies    40    22    Articulate key strategies involved in your plan, message, and recommendations under each of the Planning Your Visit Ungraded Worksheet

2 sections using headings in your paper.

Empirical Evidence    35    20    Provide an analysis of empirical evidence supporting your approach strategies including plan, message, and follow-up.

Specific Examples    35    20    Provide specific examples of the impact and/or importance of a successful visit and follow-up to nursing.

APA Format    15    9    Text, title page, and references are consistent with APA format 6th edition.
Writing Quality    15    9    Rules of grammar, word usage, sentence and paragraph format, and punctuation are followed. Paper length appropriate.
Total     175    100    A quality assignment will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.

Grading Rubric

Assignment Criteria    A
(100–92%)
Outstanding or highest level of performance    B
(91–84%)
Very good or high level of performance    C
(83–76%)
Competent or satisfactory level of performance    F
(75–0%)
Poor or failing or unsatisfactory level of performance
Content
Possible Points = 145 Points

Introduction and Conclusion
35–32Points    31–29Points    28–27Points    26–0Points
Introduction clearly introduces your policy-priority issue, current status, and overview of plan for legislative visit.Concluding statements summarizing

content have no inaccuracy.
Introduction of your policy-priority issue, current status, and overview of plan for legislative visit has rare inaccuracy.Concluding statements lack

occasional important element or specificity.    Introduction of your policy-priority issue, current status, and overview of plan for legislative visit lacks occasional

important element or specificity.Concluding statements lack occasional important element or specificity.    Introduction of your policy-priority issue, current

status, and overview of legislative visit has multiple instances of inaccuracies or is lacking content.Concluding statements have multiple instances of inaccuracies or

lacks content.
Key Strategies    40–37Points    36–34Points    33–30Points    29–0Points
Identification of all key strategies of your policy-priority issue plan, ask, and recommendations are clearly analyzed and fully articulated.
Identification of key points of your policy-priority issue plan, ask, and recommendations has rare inaccuracy or lack of detail/clarity.    Identification

of key points of your policy-priority issue plan, ask, and recommendations lacks occasional important elements or specificity.    Identification of key points of your

policy-priority issue plan, ask, and recommendations has multiple instances of inaccuracies, lacks content or clarity.
Empirical Evidence    35–32 Points    31–29 Points    28–27 Points    26–0 Points
Empirical evidence supporting your approach strategies to your policy-priority issue has no inaccuracy and is clearly articulated.     Empirical evidence

supporting your approach strategies to your policy-priority issue lacks occasional important elements or specificity.    Empirical evidence supporting your approach

strategies to your policy-priority issue has multiple instances of inaccuracies or lacks detail/articulation.    Empirical evidence supporting your approach strategies

to your policy-priority issue is missing.
Specific Examples    35–32 Points    31–29 Points    28–27 Points    26–0 Points
Provides specific examples of the impact and/or importance of a successful visit and follow-up to nursing and has no inaccuracy and is clearly articulated.
Provides specific examples of the impact and/or importance of a successful visit and follow-up to nursing and lacks occasional important elements or

specificity and/or lacks clarity.    Provides specific examples of the impact and/or importance of a successful visit and follow-up to nursing and has multiple

instances of inaccuracies and/or lacks clarity.    No specific examples of the impact and/or importance of a successful visit and follow-up to nursing.
Points    Points    Points    Points
Content Subtotal        _____of  points
Format
Possible Points =  30 Points
APA Format:    15–14 Points    13 Points    12–11 Points    10–0 Points
Text, title page, and reference page(s) are completely consistent with APA format.    There are 1–2 APA format errors in the text, title page, and/or

reference page(s).    There are 3–4 APA format errors in the text, title page, and/or reference page(s).    There are 5 or more APA format errors in the text,

title page, and/or reference page(s).
Writing Quality.     15–14 Points    13 Points    12–11 Points    10–0 Points
Paper is appropriate in length. References include the minimum of five (5) scholarly references, excluding the course text.Rules of grammar, spelling, word

usage, and punctuation are consistent with formal written work.    Paper is short or long in length and/or contains fewer than 5 but more than 1 scholarly reference,

excluding course text, or references utilized are not scholarly. Rules of grammar, spelling, word usage, and punctuation are consistent with formal written work

with1–2 exceptions.    Paper is short or long in length and contains only 1 scholarly reference. Additional references are not scholarly. Rules of grammar, spelling,

word usage, and punctuation are consistent with formal written work with 3–4 exceptions.    Paper is two or more pages short or long in length and does not contain

scholarly references. References utilized are not scholarly. Rules of grammar, spelling, word usage, and punctuation are not followed with 5 or more errors.
Format Subtotal    _____of  points
Total Points        _____of  points