Nursing Issues and Political Action Week 1

Week 1: Introduction to Nursing Issues and Political Action

• Framework for Issue Analysis:
  • Identify and Articulate the Issue: Clearly define the issue's relevance to nursing, consider who's affected, and why it matters.
  • Analyze the Issue:
    • Historical Analysis: Explore the origin and evolution of the issue.
    • Ethical and Legal Analysis: Apply ethical principles and consider legal implications.
    • Social and Cultural Analysis: Examine societal attitudes and cultural influences.
    • Political Analysis: Identify power structures and stakeholders.
    • Critical Feminist Analysis: Assess gender-related aspects and inequalities.
    • Economic Analysis: Evaluate financial factors and resource allocation.
  • Identify Barriers to Resolution: Acknowledge limited resources, lack of awareness, power imbalances, and resistance to change.
  • Develop Strategies for Resolution: Employ strategies like lobbying, advocacy, education, collaboration with stakeholders, and policy development.
  • Political Action in Nursing: Nurses play a crucial role in influencing healthcare policies, advocating for patients, and understanding healthcare system challenges.

Week 2: The Canadian Healthcare System

• Canada Health Act – Five Principles:
  • Public Administration: Healthcare insurance plans must be administered by a public authority.
  • Comprehensiveness: All medically necessary services must be covered.
  • Universality: All insured residents are entitled to the same level of healthcare.
  • Portability: Coverage must be maintained when moving within Canada or traveling abroad.
  • Accessibility: Reasonable access to healthcare services without financial barriers.
• Governance: Division of responsibilities between federal and provincial governments, with provinces primarily responsible for delivering healthcare services.
• Key Reports (e.g., Lalonde, Romanow): Key reports analyzed healthcare determinants, sustainability, and the importance of prevention and health promotion.

Week 3: Race, Racialization, and Indigenous Health

• Concept of Racialization: The process of ascribing racial identities to a group, leading to discrimination and social inequalities; race is a social construct, not a biological fact.
• Barriers Experienced by Racialized Students: Microaggressions, cultural alienation, financial hardships, limited access to resources, impact on academic performance and mental health, health disparities, underrepresentation in healthcare professions, and reduced access to culturally competent care.
• Chapter 5: The Legacy of Colonization: The Indian Act has controlled many aspects of Indigenous peoples' lives, contributing to loss of culture, language, and autonomy. Indigenous populations experience higher rates of chronic diseases, mental health issues, and reduced life expectancy, influenced by historical trauma, socioeconomic disparities, and inadequate access to healthcare.
• White Privilege: Unearned advantages experienced by individuals perceived as white, impacting access to opportunities and resources.
• Allyship: Active support and advocacy for marginalized groups, involving listening, learning, and taking action to address inequalities.
• Traditional Indigenous Health Belief Systems: Holistic approach to health encompassing physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being, emphasizing community, connection to land, and cultural practices.

Week 4: Professional Associations and Regulation

• Concept of Self-Regulation: Nursing profession's authority to regulate its members through a governing body, ensuring standards of practice, competence, and ethics.
• Mandate for Regulatory Colleges: Protect the public by ensuring safe and competent nursing care, establish and enforce professional standards and conduct, and provide guidance and support.
• Nursing Legislation: Laws that define the scope of nursing practice and regulatory framework, varying by province and territory.
• CNO Quality Assurance Program: Continuous learning and competence through self-assessment, practice reflection, and professional development.

Week 5: Unions and Workplace Safety

• Historical Influences: Poor working conditions, long hours, low wages, and lack of professional recognition.
• Definition of Collective Bargaining: The process by which unions negotiate with employers on behalf of their members, aiming to secure fair wages, benefits, and working conditions.
• Purpose of Collective Bargaining: Protecting nurses' rights and interests, advocating for safe staffing levels and workplace safety, and enhancing job security and professional development opportunities.

Week 6: Ethical and Legal Issues in Nursing

• Definitions: Ethics is the study of moral principles, Morality is beliefs about right and wrong conduct.
• Levels of Moral Responses: Expressive Level, Pre-reflective Level, Reflective Level.
• Bioethical Dilemmas: Complex situations involving conflicting moral principles in healthcare.
• Ethical Principles: Beneficence, Non-maleficence, Justice, and Autonomy.
• Code of Ethics: Provides a framework for ethical nursing practice, guiding nurses in decision-making and professional conduct.
• Negligence and Liability: Negligence is failure to meet standards of care, and Liability is legal responsibility for actions or omissions.

Week 7: Issues Arising from Nurses' Work and Work Environments

• Nurses' Workload: Increased patient acuity and complexity.
• Staffing shortages: Leading to excessive workloads and impact on patient safety and quality of care.
• Workplace Bullying: Also known as horizontal violence; includes behaviors like excessive criticism, exclusion, and undermining, affecting job satisfaction, mental health, and retention.
• Nursing Shortage: Fluctuations due to economic conditions, funding cuts, policy changes, and aging nurse demographics along with insufficient new graduates.

Week 8: Interpersonal Violence and Abuse

• Impact on Healthcare System: Increased demand for medical and support services, emotional toll on healthcare providers, and financial costs.
• Barriers: Underreporting due to fear, stigma, societal norms that normalize abuse, abuse and neglect of older Canadians, risk factors, and higher rates of violence against Indigenous Peoples.

Week 9: Gendered Nature of Nursing

• Gender as Socially Constructed: Roles and expectations based on societal norms, with nursing historically viewed as a feminine profession.
• Identifying Barriers: Stereotypes, biases affecting career advancement, underrepresentation of men in nursing, and discrimination.
• Historical Analysis: Evolution of nursing roles and gender dynamics, shifts towards greater diversity and inclusion.
• Ethical Responsibilities: Advocate for equity and justice, provide culturally competent care, and uphold patients' rights regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.

Week 10: Contemporary Nursing Leadership

• Leadership's Importance: Essential for advancing the nursing profession and improving healthcare outcomes.
• Leadership Qualities: Nurses at all levels can demonstrate leadership qualities.

Week 11: Interprofessional Practice

• Interprofessional Practices: Delegation and supervision responsibilities; communication, mutual respect, and shared goals; recognizing the impact of diversity on team dynamics; examining power imbalances within healthcare teams; and advocating for equitable participation.

Week 12: Healthcare for an Aging Population

• Functional Age: Focuses on individual abilities rather than chronological age for personalized care planning.
• Importance of Diversity in Aging and Health: Recognizing health variations, culture preferences, and avoiding ageism.
• Health Issues: Common conditions include chronic diseases, mobility issues, cognitive decline, importance of prevention, and early intervention.
• Healthy Aging: Promoting physical activity, nutrition, and social engagement for quality of life.

Week 13: Environmental Issues and Career Planning

• Environmental Impact on Health: Environmental factors significantly impact health, with nursing having a role in advocating for environmental health.
• Climate Change & Global Warming: Health consequences include heat-related illnesses, respiratory issues, spread of infectious diseases.
• Inside Environments: Ensuring safe and healthy indoor settings, addressing air quality, hazardous materials, and ergonomic hazards.
• Career Planning: Assessing current environment and opportunities, reflecting on strengths, values, and interests, defining career goals and aspirations, and developing a strategic plan.

This quiz covers the foundational concepts related to nursing issues and the role of political action. Students will explore various frameworks for issue analysis, including historical, ethical, cultural, and economic considerations. By understanding these elements, nursing professionals can better advocate for change in healthcare.