NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Capella University NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination – Step-By-Step Guide

This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Capella University  NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination  assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.

How to Research and Prepare for NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination 

Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Capella University  NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination   depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.

After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.

How to Write the Introduction for  NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination  

The introduction for the Capella University  NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination   is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.

How to Write the Body for  NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination 

After the introduction, move into the main part of the  NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination   assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.

Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.

How to Write the Conclusion for  NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination  

After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.

How to Format the References List for  NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination  

The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.

Stuck? Let Us Help You

Completing assignments can sometimes be overwhelming, especially with the multitude of academic and personal responsibilities you may have. If you find yourself stuck or unsure at any point in the process, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional assistance. Our assignment writing services are designed to help you achieve your academic goals with ease. 

Our team of experienced writers is well-versed in academic writing and familiar with the specific requirements of the  NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination  assignment. We can provide you with personalized support, ensuring your assignment is well-researched, properly formatted, and thoroughly edited. Get a feel of the quality we guarantee – ORDER NOW. 

Sample Answer for NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Introduction

Care coordination is an essential intervention in nursing practice. Care coordination entails organizing patient care services and activities with other healthcare providers to achieve optimum care outcomes. It also entails the sharing of patient information among multiple healthcare providers to ensure safety, efficiency, and quality in the care process. The implication of care coordination in nursing practice is that the care given addresses the actual and potential needs of the patients. Care coordination also entails the utilization of the existing community resources to achieve the desired patient outcomes. For example, resources such as social support from patients’ significant others is explored to enhance the care outcomes (Gray et al., 2020). Therefore, nurses should play a proactive role in exploring the ways in which care coordination can be used to achieve the set patient outcomes.

Selected Organization

Nursing homes are the selected organizations for focus in this presentation. Nursing homes are institutions that are established to provide general and specialized care to diverse groups of patients. The institutions have specialists and general healthcare providers that collaborate to address the care needs of their patients. Care coordination is an important component of patient care in nursing homes. They use it to provide patient-centered care that meets the care needs of their patients. Care coordination enables nursing homes to achieve care outcomes such as enhanced safety, quality, and efficiency in the patient care process. Nurses play crucial roles as care coordinators in these settings. They collaborate with other healthcare providers in ensuring care that addresses the patients’ needs is provided.

Effect of Government Policies on Care Coordination

Government policies have a significant effect on care coordination. One of the effects is that it influences the financing for care coordination. The government develops schemes and guidelines used in reimbursing healthcare providers involved in the care coordination process. An example of the ways in which the government regulates financing for care coordination is seen in policies such as the Affordable Care Act that establishes the models used in reimbursing healthcare providers. Government policies also affect care coordination by regulating resources utilized in the process. The government develops policies that strengthen equity in access to and utilization of resources in the patient care process. Healthcare providers have to abide with the developed guidelines for utilizing resources in the care process. The government also develops policies for care coordination. For example, it implemented HIPAA act to ensure the safe and efficient utilization of healthcare technologies in the care coordination process. Through the above roles, government contributes to quality, safety, and efficiency in care coordination by setting standards for use by healthcare providers. The standards assure optimum health to the patients involved in the care model (Gray et al., 2020).

Policies Affecting Nursing Homes

Several policies affect care coordination in nursing homes. One of them is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA is a policy that was implemented in the USA to ensure the safe use of health information technologies. The policy ensures organizational accountability in the promotion of data integrity. The policy holds nursing homes accountable for integrity of their patients’ data. As a result, they have to ensure privacy and confidentiality of the data of their patients. The Affordable Care Act is the other policy that affect care coordination in nursing homes. The Affordable Care Act was adopted in the USA with the aim of enhancing patient access to high quality, affordability, and availability of care. The act aims at ensuring equity in the access and utilization of healthcare services by the majority of the Americans. The act expanded the American population with health insurance coverage. The adoption of the ACA has enhanced care coordination in nursing homes by eliminating barriers to care such as cost and availability of healthcare providers to offer patients high quality care. Medicaid and Medicare are the other policies that affect care coordination in nursing homes. The policies influence the financing of healthcare organizations involved in the coordination of care. Medicare is one of the largest insurance provider to most than 40 million people in America. Medicare an Medicaid improve coordination of care by enhancing the affordability and access to care by the population irrespective of their backgrounds. They also minimize disease burden and eliminate barriers to access to healthcare due to influence of aspects such as cost and availability of care. Therefore, Medicare and Medicaid enhance care coordination by increasing the affordability of care given by the multidisciplinary teams (Dang & Dearholt, 2018).

National, State, and Local Policies Raising Ethical Questions for Care Coordination

Some national, state, and local policies raise ethical questions for care coordination. One of them is HIPAA provisions. As noted initially, HIPAA was established to ensure data integrity in healthcare. It safeguards the confidentiality and privacy of patient data. HIPAA provisions however raise ethical questions related to data integrity in the care coordination process. Healthcare providers involved in care coordination share patient data to make sound decisions on the care needed. The sharing of patient data raises concerns about its privacy and confidentiality. Patients should be assured that the sharing of private and confidential data will not be accessed by unauthorized parties in the care process. The other policy that raises ethical questions for care coordination is the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act was adopted with the main aim of increasing the proportion of the American population with medical insurance coverage. The increase in the population with medical insurance was anticipated to result in enhanced access to healthcare, including care coordination. Through it, the act could have address barriers to healthcare attributed to affordability and availability of healthcare services. The act has however undergone changes that have increased the requirements to be met by the majority of the poor population in America. The revisions in the act continually make it difficult for the poor to benefit from its provisions. The other issue that raises ethical questions for care coordination is healthcare access by ethnic minority populations in the USA. Accordingly, significant disparities in access to healthcare services exist in the USA due to effect of race/ethnicity. Ethnic minority groups such as African Americans experience challenges in accessing their needed care due to socioeconomic factors. Inequalities in healthcare access by ethnic minorities raises ethical concerns related to the population’s right to accessing and utilizing healthcare services. The American population has the right to access coordinated care. However, effect of factors such as ethnicity and socioeconomic status raises concerns about the role of government in enhancing equity in access to healthcare services.

Impact of Nurses’ Code of Ethics on Care Coordination

The nurses’ code of ethics affects care coordination and continuum of care. One of the ways in which it affects care coordination and continuum of care is that they promote ethical decision making. The code of ethics inform nurses to make decisions that align with their professional roles and obligations. They ensure the adopted decisions minimize patient harm and optimize outcomes. The code of ethics also strengthens patient-centeredness in care coordination and continuum of care. Accordingly, it raises the level of awareness among nurses on their roles in ensuring holism in the patient care process. The ethics enable nurses to prioritize both the actual and potential health needs of their patients. They also enhance the adoption of interventions that empower patients take responsibility for their health, hence, patient-centeredness in the care process. Nurses’ code of ethics also influence care coordination by ensuring that the adopted decisions protect the patients’ rights. Nurses involved in care coordination ensure that the rights of patients to safe, efficient, and high quality care are protected in the care process. The code of ethics also strengthen professionalism, responsibility and accountability in care coordination and continuum. Nurses involved in care coordination ensure that the care given to the patients align with the professional standards and regulations in nursing, hence, the realization of the desired goals of care in care coordination.

Factors Contributing to Health, Health Disparities, and Access to Services

Several factors contribute to health, health disparities and access to healthcare services. One of the factors is poverty. Poverty affects health, access to healthcare services, and acts as a source of health disparities. Poverty affects the population’s ability to access and afford their needed care due to cost constraints. As a result, they are increasingly predisposed to poor health outcomes. The other factor is the level of education. Highly educated people have access to better employment opportunities and remuneration. They also have a high level of awareness about their health needs. The level of education determines population’s health through aspects such as access and affordability of healthcare services. The other factor is insurance coverage. Medical insurance coverage reduces the costs incurred in the care process. It also enhances access to healthcare services since patients do not incur out-of-pocket spending in seeking their needed care. Therefore, lack of medical insurance limits access to high quality care by the population (Serchen et al., 2021). Geographical location is another determinant of health and access to services.  The effect can be seen from the fact that rural residents experience challenges in accessing their needed high quality care and specialists due to their distance from centralized healthcare services.

Race/ethnicity also affects health, health disparities and access to healthcare services. Ethnic minority groups often experience considerable challenges in accessing and utilizing healthcare services. Factors such as unemployment, poverty, and lack of medical insurance coverage are more prevalent in ethnic minority groups, which predispose them to health inequalities in the state. Disability also affects health, health disparities, and access to healthcare services (Stormacq et al., 2019). The disabled often experience challenges in accessing equal employment opportunities as the other populations in the societies. The lack of adequate access to such opportunities predisposes them socioeconomic challenges that affect their access, affordability, and utilization of healthcare services. Age is also another determinant of health, health disparities, and utilization of healthcare services. The young and elderly are highly predisposed to health problems due to their weak immune systems. They also do play an active role in roles that improve their socioeconomic statuses in the society. As a result, the risk of poor health outcomes among them is high due to difficulties in accessing and affording the care that they need (Stormacq et al., 2019).

Ethical and Policy Issues in Care Coordination

Several ethical and policy issues affect care coordination and continuum of care in nursing homes. One of them is fairness and justice.  Care coordination and policy initiatives should ensure equity in access to and utilization of the existing resources. Patients should receive equal treatment without a consideration of factors beyond the medical reasons. The other ethical issue in care coordination is beneficence. Care coordination should aim at doing good to the patients (Dang & Dearholt, 2018). The care given to patients and adopted policies should aim at promoting the overall wellbeing of the patients, their families and communities at large. There is also the need to ensure accountability. The stakeholders involved in care coordination should be held accountable and responsible for their actions. The implication is that the healthcare providers involved in care coordination will be keen to ensure safety, quality, and efficiency in care coordination process. The other ethical factor is respecting patient’s autonomy. Nurses and other healthcare providers involved in care coordination should respect the decisions, values, and preferences of their patients. Patients must retain their opinions, views, and values that relate to their health and  wellbeing. Therefore, nurses and other healthcare providers should not coerce patients in the care coordination process to make specific decisions (Dang & Dearholt, 2018).

The other ethical issue in care coordination is veracity. The healthcare providers involved in care coordination should be truthful to each other and their patients. Patients have the right to truthful and accurate information about their health problems, as it helps them in making informed decisions about ways of addressing their needs (Dang & Dearholt, 2018). The other ethical issue is adequate staffing policies. Healthcare organizations involved in care coordination should have adequate staff to eliminate issues such as high workload that lower the quality of patient care. Interventions such as interdisciplinary collaboration should be considered to enhance the efficiency of care coordination interventions. The adopted systems of care coordination should also be responsive. They should be able to address the actual and potential needs of the patients. They should also promote care outcomes that include efficiency, safety, and quality in care coordination. The last ethical issue is resource efficiency. Resources should be utilized in a manner that promote optimum outcomes. Minimal resource wastage should be incurred to ensure cost-effectiveness of the adopted interventions in care coordination (Dang & Dearholt, 2018).

References

Dang, D., & Dearholt, S. (2018). Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-based Practice: Model and Guidelines. Sigma Theta Tau International.

Gray, L., Klein, N., Meuret, C., Nelson, L., & Stahlnecker, L. (2020). Care Coordination: A Principle of 21st Century School Nursing Practice With a Focus on Case Management: NASN School Nurse. https://doi.org/10.1177/1942602X20928345

Serchen, J., Doherty, R., Atiq, O., & Hilden, D. (2021). A Comprehensive Policy Framework to Understand and Address Disparities and Discrimination in Health and Health Care: A Policy Paper From the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine, 174(4), 529–532. https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-7219

Stormacq, C., Van den Broucke, S., & Wosinski, J. (2019). Does health literacy mediate the relationship between socioeconomic status and health disparities? Integrative review. Health Promotion International, 34(5), e1–e17. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/day062

Sample Answer 2 for NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Slide 1: Title Slide

Greetings, everybody. My name is ___________, and I work as a care coordinator at the community care center in our locality. It is a privilege to be present today to examine the ethical and policy concerns that are vital in managing care, particularly about homeless shelters.

Slide 2: Introduction

Care for the Homeless has received official recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) (Treglia et al., 2019). A more profound understanding of these difficulties is crucial for improving the health and welfare of susceptible groups, such as homeless persons, and guaranteeing fair and equal access to high-quality healthcare treatments (Chen et al., 2021). This analysis will explore the effects of several policies and ethical factors on care coordination. Additionally, we will discuss how experts in this area may work together to tackle these challenges and foster beneficial transformations in our community.

Slide 3: Governmental Policies and Their Impact on Care Coordination

Treglia et al. (2019) have supposed that government policies have a significant effect on the health and safety of our communities, and they also directly influence the coordination of care for those who are vulnerable. An example of this would be the “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA),” which safeguards the privacy of individuals’ health information and ensures that it is kept secure (Chen et al., 2021). This policy affects homeless shelters since it requires them to preserve the personal health information of their residents and coordinate treatment with other healthcare experts while maintaining confidentiality (Benavides & Nukpezah, 2020). This policy influences shelters for people experiencing homelessness.

Slide 4: Affordable Care Act (ACA)

Consider the “Affordable Care Act (ACA),” which expands access to medical coverage for millions of individuals in the United States, including those who are homeless (Chen et al., 2021). This is an additional example of a policy that impacts the coordination of treatment. According to Benavides and Nukpezah (2020), the Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes a variety of initiatives, one of which is the expansion of Medicaid. This makes it possible for states to give health insurance coverage to more individuals with low incomes, including those who are homeless. As a consequence of increased access to insurance, it is now possible for homeless shelters to better coordinate treatment with healthcare specialists. This ensures that the people in these shelters get the necessary medical treatments.

Slide 5: McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

Furthermore, the “McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act” allocates funds for services and housing programs to assist the homeless population, directly impacting the resources accessible for coordinating care in homeless shelters (Chen et al., 2021). This legislation assists the “Continuum of Care (CoC)” Program, which seeks to advance community-wide initiatives to eradicate homelessness by allocating financial resources to charitable organizations, states, and local governments. The CoC Program enhances care coordination for homeless persons by facilitating access to mainstream services and maximizing their self-reliance. These policies exemplify the interdependence of health and safety in communities since they immediately impact the accessibility and organization of healthcare for homeless persons. To effectively address the difficulties of delivering comprehensive care to vulnerable people, care coordinators may enhance their ability by comprehending the consequences of these policies.

Slide 6: Ethical Questions and Dilemmas in Care Coordination Policies

When navigating the many different policies that exist at the national, state, and local levels, we could come into ethical concerns or difficulties that directly influence the coordination of care. According to Benavides and Nukpezah’s research from 2020, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) creates ethical difficulties because it allows for variations in Medicaid expansion at the national level. As some states have opted to expand Medicaid while others have not, there is a coverage gap for those with low incomes who do not qualify for Medicaid and who cannot buy private insurance (Paat et al., 2021). People who are homeless are particularly affected by this imbalance, which raises issues about the equality of access to healthcare services and resources.

Slide 7: Ethical Questions and Dilemmas in Care Coordination Policies

Different ways of financing and providing mental health services at the state level might lead to moral conundrums for care coordination. According to Treglia et al. (2019), states that have restricted financing for mental health care services may find it difficult to provide sufficient assistance to homeless people who need mental health treatment. This discrepancy may prolong cycles of homelessness and poor health outcomes by increasing dependence on emergency services and providing insufficient long-term care.

Local laws that criminalize homelessness—for example, by making it illegal to sleep in public places, loiter, or panhandle—present moral dilemmas (Clifford et al., 2019). Due to the possibility of penalties or even imprisonment, these regulations may make it more difficult for homeless people to get shelter and healthcare services. Potential infringement of human rights and a worsening of health inequities among the homeless population are two ethical ramifications of these municipal policies.

Slide 8: Ethical Questions and Dilemmas in Care Coordination Policies

These instances demonstrate tangible moral ramifications and outcomes of specific policy measures in care coordination at the national, state, and local levels. The national-level discrepancies in Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) create a gap in coverage for low-income individuals who are ineligible for Medicaid and cannot afford private insurance. This disproportionately impacts homeless individuals and raises concerns about fairness in accessing healthcare services and resources (Clifford et al., 2019). Insufficient financing for mental health care services at the state level poses ethical challenges for coordinating treatment, which may result in insufficient assistance for homeless persons with mental health issues and perpetuate cycles of unfavorable health outcomes. Local policies that criminalize homelessness may result in human rights abuses and worsen health inequalities among the homeless community, making it more difficult for them to receive healthcare services and shelter.

Slide 9: Impact of the Code of Ethics for Nurses on Care Coordination

The Code of Ethics for Nurses significantly influences the coordination and continuity of care, offering guidance to nursing practitioners in delivering services to vulnerable populations, including homeless shelters. By following the Code of Ethics, nurses guarantee fair and excellent care to all persons, irrespective of their social or economic standing.

The Code of Ethics places significant emphasis on the socioeconomic determinants of health, as emphasized in Healthy People 2030 (Treglia et al., 2019). These variables include socioeconomic status, education, physical environment, employment, social support networks, and access to healthcare. Nursing practitioners may identify and address the root causes of health disparities by considering these aspects. This will eventually improve care coordination and overall health outcomes for vulnerable groups. Research suggests that homeless persons often encounter obstacles when trying to receive healthcare services, including limited transportation options, lack of insurance coverage, and absence of identification. Nurses demonstrate their commitment to the Code of Ethics and enhance care coordination by acknowledging these obstacles and promoting legislative reforms that target these hindrances.

Slide 10: Impact of the Code of Ethics for Nurses on Care Coordination

Furthermore, the Code of Ethics for Nurses underscores the significance of cultural competency in care coordination. It is necessary to comprehend and respect the varied cultural origins of patients and customize healthcare to suit their distinct requirements (Clifford et al., 2019). According to research by Benavides and Nukpezah (2020), patients who received treatment from culturally competent healthcare practitioners reported higher satisfaction levels and better health outcomes. Nurses can enhance the coordination and continuity of care for vulnerable people by promoting cultural competency, which helps overcome communication and comprehension barriers (Paat et al., 2021).

Slide 11: Conclusion

It is essential to tackle the intricate ethical and regulatory challenges that affect the structure and uniformity of healthcare for those experiencing homelessness in order to enhance their health outcomes and overall welfare. As proponents of homeless shelters and nurse practitioners, we must consider the determinants that impact health outcomes, fight for equitable legislation, and adhere to the Code of Ethics for Nurses. By engaging in partnership, we can effectively tackle the inequalities in healthcare and establish a more robust and all-encompassing community for individuals. We value your dedication to this important undertaking, and let us continue our collaborative endeavors to enhance the well-being of the folks we support.

Slide 12: References

Benavides, A. D., & Nukpezah, J. A. (2020). How Local Governments Are Caring for the Homeless During the COVID-19 Pandemic. The American Review of Public Administration, 50(6-7), 650–657. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074020942062

Chen, K. L., Chen, K., Holaday, L. W., & Lopez, L. (2021). Assessing Concordance Across Nonprofit Hospitals’ Public Reporting on Housing as a Community Health Need in the Era of the Affordable Care Act. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, Publish Ahead of Print. https://doi.org/10.1097/phh.0000000000001357

Clifford, B., Wilson, A., & Harris, P. (2019). Homelessness, health, and the policy process: A literature review. Health Policy, 123(11), 1125–1132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2019.08.011

Paat, Y.-F., Morales, J., Escajeda, A. I., & Tullius, R. (2021). Insights from the shelter: Homeless shelter workers’ perceptions of homelessness and working with people experiencing homelessness. Journal of Progressive Human Services, 32(3), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/10428232.2021.1969719

Treglia, D., Johns, E. L., Schretzman, M., Berman, J., Culhane, D. P., Lee, D. C., & Doran, K. M. (2019). When Crises Converge: Hospital Visits Before And After Shelter Use Among Homeless New Yorkers. Health Affairs, 38(9), 1458–1467. ‌https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05308