Description
respond to 2 of your peers posts.No references required . each reply should be about 250-500 words.
1 respond should be to the following post: According to The World Health Organization of 2023, healthcare inequity is defined “as the absence of unfair and avoidable or remediable differences in health among population groups defined socially, economically, demographically or geographically”. Healthcare inequity can also be seen in how resources are distributed across different population groups based on race/ethnicity, gender identity, geography, sexual orientation, income, class, gender identity, and other factors. Data indicates that the US health care system is highly segregated and inequitable. The root causes of these health inequities include, but are not limited to, a pervasive culture of white supremacy in academic health care and research, clinicians’ and employers’ implicit biases, structural and color-blind racism in health care policies and practices.
In the forefront of health care inequities are racial health disparities which have resulted in $2.7 billion in excess medical spending, and another $5 billion in lost productivity. It is understated but understood that health inequity causes preventable deaths. As the NPs scope of practice continues to expand and practice barriers are removed NPs are well positioned to play a major and pivotal role in addressing and creating changes in the landscape of primary care. Nurse Practitioners now have the opportunity to address the many factors which had been ignored or were not within their scope of practice in the setting of primary care .Therefore, it is imperative that Nurse Practitioners, who have the tools to be instrumental in health equity, are given regulatory support to utilize those tools that would improve strategies which would influence equity in health care. These factors which can be strategically introduced in primary care that would influence equity in health care should consist of:
Equitable patient outcomes
Affordable customer pricing
Increased patient trust for health care industry
Greater diversity, equity and inclusion
Enhanced workforce equity
- Reduced systemic bias
- Improved health literacy
- In the article, The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity, it states “Being a nurse practitioner… in 2020 must mean being aware of social injustices and the systemic racism that exist in much of nursing … and having a personal and professional responsibility to challenge and help end them” (Flaubert et al, 2023). NPs should become part of a movement that makes policies that would strengthen the nation’s health which must ensure that individuals and communities are healthy, thriving, and inclusive through long-term, sustained investments. These long terms investment should cater to preventing disease, promoting health, and preparing for and responding to continuous and urgent threats to health, by addressing social determinants of health—such as income, education, housing, employment, transportation, environmental conditions, and neighborhood conditions.
- Furthermore, NPs should be involved in policies which invest in public health infrastructure to disease prevention and health promotion through federal, state, and local agencies that track and predict emerging and persistent threats; respond to health risks and events; and promote health through education and policymaking, while also identifying and addressing health disparities. It is noted that despite spending more on health care than any other country, the health of Americans is declining. Meanwhile, health disparities continue to grow. It is critical to maintain an intentional focus on and provide dedicated funding for the social and structural determinants of health; structural and institutional racism; and access to high-quality health care and supportive services. Only then can the nation with nurse practitioners at the helm take a meaningful step toward improving health and health equity.
- Also of importance is health professions education and training which must equip tomorrow’s health care leaders with the skills to identify and eliminate inequities and to remake health systems. Although achieving health equity will require broad and deep change in nearly every facet of the health care system, practical first steps can be taken at the institutional level, and large-scale change can be catalyzed by nurse practitioners demanding that health care be equitable. As an NP I know that Health equity is important because everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, or socioeconomic status, should have the opportunity to reach their full potential and achieve optimal health and it is now in the hands of those who are willing and are well equipped to do the job.
- References
- Flaubert JL and ; Le Menestrel S;Williams DR;Wakefield MK; (n.d.). The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved February 4, 2023, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34524769/Links to an external site.
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Health inequities and their causes. World Health Organization. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.who.int/news-room/facts-in-pictures/de…
2 respond should be to the following post:Throughout my nursing career, I have seen how socioeconomic factors have an impact on those affected by health disparities. Although we teach patients what to do in the regards to screening, prevention, or treatment measures it means nothing without also evaluating if they are experiencing factors to can cause challenges to our recommendations. For example, if a patient presents with uncontrolled diabetes, and we recommend a change to their medication, diet, and increase physical activity then we must also evaluate their lifestyle, insurance coverage, and affordability of food choices. Depending on these factors, the patient may need food assistance, a change to medication prescribed, and referrals to a nutritionist and social worker. Of course, we need to include cultural considerations as this plays a major role in the overall picture.
As nurse practitioners we must advocate for our patients as much as possible. According to Heath (2020),
Health inequities start with the social determinants of health, … how those social risk factors limit an individual’s ability to achieve wellness. Because traditionally underserved populations, like Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous populations, must contend with structural and cultural limitations to care and other resources, they adversely experience social determinants of health.
There is alarming data that continues to prove that health disparities exist within certain ethnicities and communities. As nurse practitioners I believe we need to advocate through participating in policy change within the institution where we are employed, as well as with nursing organizations who are fighting to change legislation. Although we are ready to help our patients clinically, we can except a greater change for our patients if the challenges are understood and support is provided on a greater scale.
References
Heath, S. (2020, July 22). Why nurse practitioners are pivotal in health equity work. Patient engagement HIT. https://patientengagementhit.com/news/why-nurse-practitioners-are-pivotal-in-health-equity-work
