About this Assignment
So far in this course you have started building your found
About this Assignment
So far in this course you have started building your foundation of understanding the elements of health service policy. You have learned what a policy is, and you have distilled that information down to identify a health policy. You have learned about the health care system organization, operation, financing and delivery. You have also distinguished the differences between individual and community/public health. In each of these areas you have seen examples of health policies in action (vaccination and disease prevention policies, health service financing and delivery policies such as the Affordable Care Act, etc.)
Now it is time to apply all of this knowledge. You know there are many health policies in place that impact our lives every day. There are policies that affect our direct, individual health care; polices that impact financing of health care we receive; and those broader community health policies that impact society as a whole. Those broader impact health policies are often referred to as national health policies. The World Health Organization defines national health policies as ‘policies, strategies, and plans that play an essential role in defining a country’s vision, priorities, budgetary decisions and course of action for improving and maintaining the health of its people.’ You will use that information to complete this assignment, and help prepare you for the rest of the course.
To start you should identify a current national health policy of interest. Take some time to research areas that are of interest to you, and pertinent to your profession/field of study. Once you have selected a national health policy, spend some time researching that policy. You will want to do a broad review of appropriate materials, including a minimum of three scholarly, peer reviewed journal articles, among other primary and secondary resources.
Once you have completed your research, and have your resources in order, you will write a 1,000 word essay. This essay should connect the selected policy, the information you have covered in the course, and your research to formulate a well written narrative that includes the following main points:
An overview of the policy you selected to review, and why you chose that policy;
Historical information about the need for and development of this policy;
The area of health and population that the policy impacts/affects;
Discussion of the benefits or strengths of this policy;
Discussion of any challenges that this policy poses, and who do these challenges impact; and
Any recommendations for changes/updates/ additions to the policy that you found in your research.
The paper should include an introduction, a supporting body of information, and a conclusion, and be supported by examples, relevant data and research. You should include a coversheet that contains your name, the date submitted, the title of the paper and the class name. Please follow proper APA format while writing your paper, and include a reference page.
Related Lessons
U.S. Healthcare Spending: Overview & Types
Developing & Implementing Health Policy
Public Policy Overview, Types & Examples
Using Sources
You should refer to the course material for supporting evidence, but you must also use at least three credible, scholarly resources from outside of the course. This information should be in directly linked to your chosen health policy, and be cited in your reference page using APA format.
Please include a mix of both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are documents or records that report on a study, experiment, trial or research project; and are usually written by the person(s) who did the research, conducted the study, or ran the experiment. You may use resources like CIHNAL, Google Scholar, and/or Science/Direct to find articles that are considered primary sources.
Secondary sources list, summarize, compare and evaluate primary information. Secondary sources include reviews, meta-analysis, newsletters and professional news sources, practice guidelines & standards, clinical care notes, or patient education information. Secondary sources may also come from reputable websites with .gov, .edu, or .org in the domain. (Wikipedia is not a reputable source, though the sources listed in Wikipedia articles may be acceptable.)
If you use any Study.com lessons as sources, please also cite them in APA format (including the lesson title and the instructor’s name). If you are unsure about how to use the APA format to cite your sources, please see the following lessons:
What is APA Formatting
How to Format APA Citations
Grading Rubric
Your assignment will be graded based on the following rubric:
Category Unacceptable (0-1) Needs Improvement (2-3) Good (4) Excellent (5) Total Possible Points
Structure (x2) Written narrative structure is illogical or significantly hinders understanding. Elements of narrative (intro, supporting body, conclusion) are missing or incomplete. The written narrative is difficult to follow; ideas are disjointed and do not flow in a logical, easy to read manner. One element of narrative (intro, supporting body, conclusion) is missing or incomplete. Structure of written narrative is adequate and includes introduction, supporting body, and logical conclusion. Transitions and connections between sections are utilized appropriately. Structure of written narrative is well integrated; ideas flow logically; introduction, supporting body, and strong, logical conclusion are identifiable. Transitions are evident and well used to advance narrative. 10
Analysis (x3) An appropriate health policy was not selected, or the policy selected did not meet the assignment guidelines. Health policy review and analysis is not clear or apparent. Narrative does not cover main points. No connection to course information is included. Original thought/writing is not apparent, or in question. Health policy selected is appropriate and meets the assignment guidelines. Health policy review and analysis is included; however, it is not clear and easy to follow. All main points are not covered in narrative. Points that are covered are not fully explored or lack depth. Overall, information provided seems to lack original thought and/or writing. Health policy selected is appropriate and meets assignment guidelines. Narrative includes a complete review and analysis of the health policy selected. All main points are covered completely. Original thought and writing is apparent throughout the narrative. Health policy selected is appropriate and meets assignment guidelines. Complete and thorough overview of health policy is provided throughout narrative. All main points are established and presented in a manner that leads to deeper understanding of the policy. Original thought and writing is clear and evident. 15
Research/ Original Writing (x3) Assignment does not meet requirements regarding classroom lesson information and/or credible, scholarly resources from outside class. Assignment does not reflect research to selected health policy. No examples are used, or examples do not logically apply. No relevant data or supporting evidence is included. Assignment is lacking classroom lesson information or does not connect to selected health policy. Assignment includes three outside resources; however resources are not credible and/or scholarly, and/or do not connect to health policy selected. Few or weak examples are given to support main points. Little relevant data and supporting evidence is included. Research is not apparent in narrative. Assignment features classroom lesson information and three credible, scholarly resources intended to support written narrative. Minimum relevant data, examples and supporting information is included. Assignment features clear and logical connect to classroom lesson information and a minimum of three credible, scholarly resources. Information provided to support narrative clearly indicates research. Examples are provided. Relevant data and supporting information are included. 15
Mechanics (x2) Incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and use of standard English grammar hinders understanding. No use of APA formatting. Cover sheet and/or reference sheet not provided. Word count is lower than 50% of the minimum word count for assignment. Several instances of incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage of standard English grammar. APA formatting is limited or incorrect. Cover sheet and reference page are provided; however, all information is not included and/or format is not correct. Word count is 50-74% of the minimum word count for assignment. Few instances of incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage of standard English grammar. Use of APA formatting is appropriate with few or minimal errors. Cover sheet and reference page are provided and include all information in correct format. Word count is 75-89% of the minimum word count for assignment. No or very few instances of incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage of standard English grammar. Appropriate use of APA formatting with no or very few errors. Cover sheet and reference page are provided and include all information in correct format. Word count is 90% or more of the minimum word count for assignment. 10
Before you Submit
When you have completed your presentation, we suggest taking some time to check for any errors or to add some final touches. We also suggest that you use online plagiarism checkers such as PlagScan or DupliChecker. This will help to make sure that your essay is not too similar to any existing materials. Plagiarized submissions will NOT be graded.
How to Submit Your Assignment