Deck 3: Health Politics, Policy, and Reform

Question 1

The nurse is passionate about research for a cure for pediatric leukemia and has written the state representatives in Congress to urge them to expand federal funding for this research. Which area of involvement is this nurse prioritizing with this action?

A) Policy
B) Politics
C) Public health
D) Equity

Answer 1

Politics

Question 2

The nursing instructor is preparing a session which will delve into the relationship of healthcare and politics. Which factors should the instructor point out in this session? (Select all that apply.)

A) Politics has a limited effect on healthcare
B) The government should be interested in health matters when a problem affects a specific group or a whole population
C) Politics has only negative effects on healthcare
D) Republicans and Democrats generally agree on healthcare policies
E) Political solutions can be achieved at both the federal and state levels

Answer 2

The government should be interested in health matters when a problem affects a specific group or a whole population
Political solutions can be achieved at both the federal and state levels

Question 3

The nurse is interested in taking on a role in the state's political decision-making process. Which political skills should the nurse prioritize to be effective in this role? (Select all that apply.)

A) Ability to understand others' behaviors
B) Social skills
C) Diagnostic skills
D) Ability to network
E) Ability to lie convincingly

Answer 3

Ability to understand others' behaviors
Social skills
Ability to network

Question 4

A nurse has become involved in the policy-making process at the state level. Which order of events will the nurse be prepared to participate in as this process progresses?

A) (1) Policy formulation; (2) policy assessment; (3) policy adoption; (4) policy implementation; (5) policy modification; and (6) setting an agenda
B) (1) Setting an agenda; (2) policy formulation; (3) policy assessment; (4) policy modification; (5) policy adoption; and (6) policy implementation
C) (1) Policy formulation; (2) setting an agenda; (3) policy implementation; (4) policy modification; (5) policy assessment; and (6) policy adoption
D) (1) Setting an agenda; (2) policy formulation; (3) policy adoption; (4) policy implementation; (5) policy assessment; and (6) policy modification

Question 5

The nurse meets with a group of fellow nurses. They discuss the number of children who have died in hot cars and how likely they are to gain support from their state legislators to address the problem. Which step of the policy-making process are these nurses prioritizing at this time?

A) Formulation
B) Adoption
C) Setting an agenda
D) Assessment

Question 6

The hospital board is in the process of developing a policy regarding the use of cell phones within the hospital. At the current meeting, the board has decided to limit the use of cell phones within certain waiting areas. Which stage of policy making does this action represent?

A) Formulation
B) Adoption
C) Implementation
D) Assessment

Question 7

A hospital board has completed a 6-month trial of a new policy concerning cell phone usage in the facility, as well as ongoing evaluation by individual board members. Which stage of policy making is the board employing if it is now expanding the locations of areas where cell phones may be used?

A) Modification
B) Adoption
C) Implementation
D) Assessment

Question 8

The nurse applies a cost-benefit analysis to the healthcare model. Which costs should the nurse point out are primary concerns of the client? (Select all that apply.)

A) Total payment for the service
B) Out-of-pocket payment
C) Suffering and pain
D) Actual and direct cost of providing a service
E) Psychological costs

Question 9

A client visits the office of an independent nurse practitioner to have routine blood work done. The client returns 1 week later for a follow-up visit to discuss the results and formulate a new treatment plan. On the basis of the client's insurance plan, the client is only obligated to pay $15 copay for this service. The total payment that the client's insurance company provides the practitioner is $180, which covers the $80 fee for a 15-minute visit and the $100 cost of laboratory services. On the basis of the nurse's current client load, $40 of the $80 fee for the visit covers overhead and the remaining $40 is profit. In terms of cost-benefit analysis, which is the actual financial cost to the nurse for providing this service?

A) $100
B) $15
C) $180
D) $140

Question 10

A family member receives Medicaid. Which factor would the nurse predict will most likely limit access of this person to healthcare?

A) Inability to find a provider who accepts Medicaid
B) Pre-existing conditions
C) Lack of insurance
D) Large insurance premiums

Question 11

A client receives Medicare, has limited income, and lives in a large city. Which factors are likely to limit the client's ability to access healthcare? (Select all that apply.)

A) Inability to afford supplemental insurance
B) Living in an urban environment
C) High out-of-pocket expenses
D) Pre-existing conditions
E) Lack of in-network providers in her or his region

Question 12

A nursing instructor has completed a class session explaining various characteristics of healthcare. The instructor would determine the class is successful after the students correctly choose which definition that best describes "quality of care"?

A) Degree to which health services increase the likelihood of desired outcomes and are consistent with current knowledge
B) Improvement of what is wrong or unsatisfactory
C) Economic approach or analysis tool used to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment or intervention
D) Presence of a variety of ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds of the workers in a specific area such as the health sector

Question 13

A nurse has just finished providing teaching and care to a child with type 1 diabetes. Which indicators of quality care should be apparent after this teaching? (Select all that apply.)

A) Safely self-injected insulin in the office
B) Has maintained an appropriate blood glucose level consistently for 6 months
C) Was seen by the nurse 2 hours after arriving for a scheduled appointment
D) Received care that was identical to that provided to six other clients of various racial backgrounds
E) Received instructions directly from the nurse in the office, not via a parent

Question 14

A nurse desires to become more involved in the policy-making process. Which area of expertise would this nurse predict be the most beneficial in this process? (Select all that apply.)

A) Clinical practice
B) Administration
C) Education
D) Political science
E) Research

Question 15

A team of nurses are seeking the opportunity to assist with policy making. Which activities should these nurses prioritize to accomplish this goal? (Select all that apply.)

A) Testify at congressional hearings
B) Disseminate information on health issues in the media
C) Serve as members of governing boards
D) Document client symptoms following a physical examination
E) Review articles in recent nursing journals

Question 16

A nurse is working for a rural healthcare provider who is in the process of improving the information management in his practice. Which primary action by the federal government is most likely encouraging this change?

A) Publishing of guidelines for increased efficiency in filing client records
B) Tax deductions for the installation of new telephone systems
C) Reimbursement and bonuses for healthcare providers and hospitals for adopting electronic health records
D) Grants for hiring office managers trained in health information technology

Question 17

The public health nurses at the local community health clinic have contacted the Community Transformation Grant program for possible assistance. Which program are these nurses' most likely be trying to establish? (Select all that apply.)

A) Tobacco-free living
B) Physical activity
C) Autism awareness
D) Healthy eating
E) Managing attention deficit disorder

Question 18

The nurse is working through an ethical dilemma using a decision-making process developed by the Ohio Nurses Association. Which step should the nurse prioritize after determining an ethical dilemma exists?

A) Clarify personal values and moral position
B) Determine options on the basis of consideration of benefits and risks
C) Make a responsible decision about actions or recommendations
D) Gather and analyze relevant information

Question 19

A nursing student is reviewing the ethical principles as established by the American Nurses Association (ANA). Which principles should this nurse be able to point out are included in the Code of Ethics for Nurses? (Select all that apply.)

A) Compassion and respect for the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual
B) Primary commitment to the healthcare provider
C) Promotion and advocacy to protect the client's health, safety, and rights
D) Participation in establishing, maintaining, and improving healthcare environments and conditions
E) Self-sufficiency and lack of dependence on other healthcare professionals in caring for the client

Question 20

A group of nursing students are examining the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010. Which goals should the students be able to point out were the main focus of this legislation? (Select all that apply.)

A) Shifting the focus of the healthcare delivery system from prevention to treatment
B) Reducing the costs and improving the efficiency of healthcare
C) Allowing insurers to deny healthcare coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions
D) Expanding health insurance coverage
E) Expanding healthcare access to children

Question 21

A nurse is examining the various steps as outlined by Porter in 2009. Which steps will the nurse discover are emphasized by Porter as necessary to improve the United States healthcare system? (Select all that apply.)

A) Measurement and dissemination of health outcomes must be shared.
B) The existing system of delivery of prevention, wellness, screening, and routine health maintenance services must be preserved.
C) Care delivery must be reorganized around the availability of healthcare providers.
D) Providers must compete for nurses on the basis of the quality of the care provided.
E) Clients' involvement in their health must improve and incentives for client involvement should be considered.