NUR 654 Public Policy Strategies for Nursing
Legislative Practicum Paper (35%) and Legislative Initiative Plan (30%)

GUIDELINES AND GRADING RUBRIC
The Legislative Practicum Paper and the Legislative Initiative Plan culminate in one written assignment submitted to faculty at the end of the semester. This paper reflects not only your 9-hour practicum experience and the public/health policy initiative identified by the elected official (Section One) but also the legislative initiative plan developed to help advance the elected officials policy initiative (Section Two) and nursings role/implications in this process (Section Three).
Each student will select an elected official and will volunteer for no less than 9 hours for that individual. (An Internet search of the Supervisor of Elections for your county will give you the names and offices held of elected officials in your voting district. Remember that school board members judges police officials and city officials also serve in an elected capacity.) You may or may not actually meet your elected official (especially if you select the President Vice President U.S. Congressman or Senator) but volunteering in their local or district office will acquaint you with their key people and issues. You may be asked to show your Barry ID or for a letter confirming your student status. I will be glad to provide any documentation or verbal confirmation necessary to facilitate securing your practicum placement.

SECTION ONE: Practicum and Policy Background
During your volunteer time you will identify a public policy initiative important to the elected official that addresses one of the social determinants of health a vulnerable/marginalized population or health policy. This narrative- not to exceed 3 pages will comprise the first section (Practicum and Policy Background) of the final written assignment and is worth 35% of your final grade in this course. Please write the Practicum and Policy Background in paragraph form not in a question: answer format and address the following:How and why did you choose the elected official?
What were your volunteer duties? What did you encounter/experience as a result?
Identify the policy issue that meets the above criteria and is important to your elected official. Why is this issue of interest to the elected official?
What values held by your official are related to this issue?
Briefly describe the history/background of the problem related to this issue.
What population or group is most affected by this problem? How are they impacted?What type of power do they have if any?Address the ethical social economic cultural and health implications of this problem.
What other things have been tried to resolve the problem?
How would the proposed policy improve or resolve the problem?
Describe any opposition to the proposed policy. What are the perceived/actual barriers to the proposed policy?
Where is the proposal currently in the legislative or process? What are the elected officials goals for the proposal in this legislative session?
Include 3 evidence-based citations in SECTION ONE to support claims/perceptions of the problem and/or the appropriateness of the proposed policy in addressing the issue.

SECTION TWO: Legislative Initiative Plan

The second section (Legislative Initiative Plan) outlines the strategic action plan for moving the proposed policy forward in the current legislative session. This section along with Section Three (Nursing Role/Implications) comprise the Legislative Initiative Plan component of this course and is worth 30% of your final grade. The criteria are based on the NLN Public Policy Toolkit. Please use a table format (see example below) and limit your Legislative Action Plan to a maximum of 3 pages. Legislative Initiative Plans are necessarily different for each policy but certain key components are addressed in all Plans. The key areas can be found in the Grading Rubric.

TITLE OF PROPOSED POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE SESSION (SAMPLE FORMAT)ACTIONS: TIME SENSITIVE
PERSON RESPONSIBLE
DATEIdentify what worked and did not work during the last session.

Andi Legislative director
Immediately following last session 5/20Develop and finalize policy fact sheet3 wks prior to start of sessionDevelop legislative packetIdentify supportive organizations & individualsSubmit news article re: legislative agenda
Marie Communications
1 month priorDevelop Grassroots phone/email list
Jose Grassroots Coord.
1 month priorACTIONS: ONGOING
PERSON RESPONSIBLE
DATEUpdate website featuring policy initiative
Marie & Nick (Web Dev.)
OngoingRespond to constituents questions re: policyOngoingACTIONS: DURING SESSION
PERSON RESPONSIBLE
DATEMeet with/Contact those who will testify at the Committee hearing.
Andi Legislative Director
When bill is introducedUpdate supporters on bills legislative status
Jose Grassroots Coord.
Daily/Weekly
SECTION THREE: Nursing Role/Implications

The final section (Nursing Role/Implications) is a narrative- not to exceed 2 pages addressing why this issue should be important to nurses as healthcare providers and citizens and explaining nursings role in helping to enact this policy. Include 2 current evidence-based NURSING citations in SECTION THREE to support nursings role in influencing legislative initiative.

GRADING RUBRIC Legislative Practicum Paper and Plan
Section 1: 35%
10 POINTS
0-9 POINTS
TOTAL
Questions 1-4
Addressed:
Q1 (+1/+1); Q2 (+2/+2); Q3 (+1/+2); Q4 (+1).
Not addressed:
Q1 (-1/-1); Q2 (-2/-2);
Q3(-1/-2); Q4 (-1).Question 5
Policy history described.
Policy history not described.
Question 6
Group identified (+2).
Impact discussed (+4).
Power discussed (+4)
Group not identified (-2).
Impact not discussed (-4).
Power not discussed (-4)
Question 7
Implications addressed: ethical (+2) social (+2) economic (+2) cultural (+2) health (+2).
Not addressed: ethical (-2)
social (-2) economic (-2)
cultural (-2) health (-2).Question 8
Prior efforts identified.
Prior efforts not identified.Question 9
Policy potential discussed.
Policy potential not discussed.
Question 10
Opposition identified (+5)
Barriers identified (+5)
Opposition not identified (-5)
Barriers not identified (-5)
Question 11
Policy position identified (+5)
Legislative goal identified (+5)
No position identified (-5)
No goal identified (-5)
Writing Style/
References
Professional (+4); Incorporated three evidence-based references (+2 per reference)
Unprofessional (-4); Failed to incorporate 3 evidence-based references (-2 per omission)APA format
0-3 APA Errors
4+ APA ErrorsTOTAL: SECTION 1Sections 2 and 3: 30%
10 POINTS
0-9 POINTS
TOTALLegislative Goal
Legislative goal identified.
Legislative goal not identified.
Building Support
Addressed:
Coalition building (+4)
Grassroots Initiatives (+4)
Other Legislators (+2)
Not addressed:
Coalition building (-4)
Grassroots Initiatives (-4)
Other Legislators (-2)

Education
Addressed:
Public/Constituents (+4)
Legislators (+3)
Legislative Committees (+3)
Not addressed:
Public/Constituents (-4)
Legislators (-3)
Legislative Committees (-3)Political Engagement
3 activities identified for: Individuals(+5) & Groups (+5)
0-2 activities identified for:
Individuals(-5) & Groups (-5)Media Strategy
Identified print (+5) and web (+5) strategies.
Did not identify print (-5) or web (-5) strategies.Communication
Communication strategies with supporters identified.
Communication strategies with supporters not identified.Session Activities
Session-specific activities identified.
Session specific activities not identified.Nursing Role
Nursing role identified.
Nursing role not identified.
Writing Style/
References
Professional (+4); Incorporated two evidence-based NURSING references (+3 per reference)
Unprofessional (-4); Failed to incorporate two evidence-based NURSING references (-3 per omission)APA format
0-3 APA Errors
4+ APA ErrorsTOTAL: SECTIONS 2 & 3