Policy,Politics,& Nursing Practice

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Pay-for-Performance (P4P) programs aim to improve hospital care through financial incentives for care quality and patient outcomes. Magnet^® recognition—a potential pathway for improving nurse work environments—is associated with better patient outcomes and P4P program scores, but whether these indicators of higher quality are substantial enough to avoid penalties and thereby impact hospital reimbursements is unknown. This cross-sectional study used a national sample of 2,860 hospitals to examine the relationship between hospital Magnet^® status and P4P penalties under P4P programs: Hospital Readmission Reduction Program, Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) Reduction Program, Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program. Magnet^® hospitals were matched 1:1 with non-Magnet hospitals accounting for 13 organizational characteristics including hospital size and location. Post-match logistic regression models were used to compute a hospital's odds of penalties. In a national sample of hospitals, 77% of hospitals experienced P4P penalties. Magnet^® hospitals were less likely to be penalized in the VBP program compared to their matched non-Magnet counterparts (40% vs. 48%). Magnet^® status was associated with 30% lower odds of VBP penalties relative to non-Magnet hospitals. Lower P4P program penalties is one benefit associated with achieving Magnet^® status or otherwise maintaining high-quality nurse work environments.

This article summarizes the facts and rulings of a recent representative federal appeals court decision concerning the legal claims of two school nurses who lost their positions after advocating on behalf of students with diabetes. Their primary claim was the anti-retaliation protection under the pair of federal laws prohibiting disability discrimination—Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The second of the two nurses additionally asserted protection under this pair of laws based on her own asserted disabilities. The discussion reveals the sometimes significant difference between legal requirements, as determined by appellate courts, and professional norms, as perceived by practitioners and professors in school nursing.

District nurses have a crucial position in healthcare provision and are expected to use leadership practices to ensure optimal quality patient care. To better equip them, a leadership program named the ambassador project was developed to support the development of a liaison role between policy and district nursing practice. This research aims to evaluate from different perspectives the impact of this nationwide, five-year leadership program for district nurses at the organizational, regional, and societal levels. A mixed-methods study was conducted using two focus groups based on peer-to-peer shadowing (n = 14), semistructured interviews (n = 13), and an online questionnaire (n = 45). The analysis shows that the impact of a nationwide leadership program for district nurses was perceived as predominantly positive, and nurses experienced an increase in courage, assertiveness, professional pride, and leadership skills. They obtained confidence in representing the group of district nurses at the organizational, regional, and societal levels when speaking with various key stakeholders from the healthcare system. They were able to bridge the gaps among daily practice, policymaking, and politics by using translations and shaping actions and information into terms suiting the needs of those involved.

Policy advocacy is a fundamental component of nursing's social mandate. While it has become a core function of nursing organizations across the globe, the discourse around advocacy has focused largely on the responsibilities and accountabilities of individual nurses, with little attention to the policy advocacy work undertaken by nursing organizations. To strengthen this critical function, an understanding of the extant literature is needed to identify areas that require further research. We conducted a scoping review to examine the nature, extent, and range of scholarly work focused on nursing organizations and policy advocacy. A systematic search of six databases produced 4,731 papers and 68 were included for analysis and synthesis. Findings suggest that the literature has been increasing over the years, is largely non-empirical, and covers a broad range of topics ranging from the role and purpose of nursing organizations in policy advocacy, the identity of nursing organizations, the development and process of policy advocacy initiatives, the policy advocacy products of nursing organizations, and the impact and evaluation of organizations’ policy advocacy work. Based on the review, we identify several research gaps and propose areas for further research to strengthen the influence and impact of this critical function undertaken by nursing organizations.

As the U.S. population ages and the demand for long-term care increases, an insufficient number of licensed practical nurses (LPNs) is expected in the nursing workforce. Understanding the characteristics of LPN participation in the workforce is essential to address this challenge. Drawing on the theory of boundaryless careers, the authors examined longitudinal employment data from LPNs in North Carolina and described patterns in LPN licensure and career transitions. Two career patterns were identified: (a) the continuous career, in which LPNs were licensed in 75% or more of the years they were eligible to be licensed and (b) the intermittent career, in which lapses in licensure occurred. Findings indicated that LPNs who made job transitions were more likely to demonstrate continuous careers, as were Black LPNs. These findings suggest the importance of organizational support for LPN career transitions and support for diversity in the LPN workforce.