Worksheet #2 (ungraded)
Specific Requirements: Talking to the Legislator
1. Review what has been done in the past by others regarding your chosen healthcare policy issue. What was the result of their actions related

to this policy issue? Why is this issue important to nursing?
2. Who are the federal, state, and local policymakers involved in your chosen policy issue? How can you contact your policymaker? Be sure you

single out a policymaker whom you know is interested in your issue.
3. What will be the plan for your presentation to the policymaker? When, where, and how?
4. 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 are you asking?

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/presentation in general?
5. 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?
6. 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 information (i.e. handouts) will you

leave with the policymaker?
Guidelines for Actual Policymaker/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 healthcare 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 a teen

center, which shows personal involvement and commitment. His research data is simple and easy to follow, and his presentation discusses how other

regions of the country have passed legislation and the outcomes of that legislation. He also identifies in his presentation material that 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 for his

advocacy efforts. He can continue to track legislation via websites and email alerts, and he can make calls and write letters- 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.
Specific Requirements: Public-Talk Video (graded—see corresponding rubric)
1. Prepare a 3 minute or less video of yourself delivering your message to your legislator. Keep it simple and focused on the importance of

your policy. Upload the video as an attachment to the indicated discussion thread site. Key points of the video should include: clarity of video

picture, clarity of video sound, content of policy message (see above guidelines).
Specific Requirements: Communication Practices to Support Policy Processes(graded—see corresponding rubric)
1. Prepare a 2-3 page paper with empirical evidence demonstrating communication techniques that support effective policy making and follow-up.
Planning Your Visit(Part A)
Guidelines and Grading Rubric
PURPOSE
The purpose of this assignment is to: (a) identify communication strategies that support an effective policy making-presentation/visit(CO #2);(b)

deliver a message andmake 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: 100points
REQUIREMENTS
Assignment Criteria for Presentation
1. Introduce your chosen policy issue, the current status, and an overview of your plan for a legislative visit.
2. Articulate key communication strategies involved in your approach to the legislator including plan, message, and recommendations under each

of the Planning Your Visit Ungraded Worksheet 2 sections using headings in your paper.
3. Provide an analysis of empirical evidence of effective communication strategies in policymaking including plan, message, and follow-up.
4. Provide specific examples of the impact and/or importance of a successful visit/presentation to nursing.
5. Provide concluding statements summarizingthe content.
6. Paper will be 2-3 pages, excluding title and reference pages, and in APA format 6th edition.
7. Five non-text book references are required as minimum