Explain an action a nurse leader can take to impact a law, policy, or regulation.

Overview
Nurses are social justice advocates uniquely positioned to promote health equity. The latest version of the Future of Nursing (2021) highlights priorities for the nursing profession with an overarching theme of health equity. Health is shaped by a complex system of healthcare, environment, economic status, and social determinants, among others. This means one strategy for nurses to make a positive change toward equitable health is by addressing social determinants of health at multiple levels of the healthcare system.
The Social Determinants and Social Needs model identifies strategies and tactics for addressing social determinants of health at the downstream, midstream, and upstream levels. Nurses need to understand the interrelationship among these levels and engage in advocacy at each level to improve outcomes for individuals, communities, and populations.
Scenario
Imagine you are an MSN professional nurse in an organization that has identified one social determinant of health that is a specific concern within the community you serve. You have been tasked with creating a report for your leadership colleagues. In this report, you need to identify potential actions that nurse leaders in the organization can take to improve outcomes related to the identified social determinant of health.
Prompt
Refer to the Future of Nursing (2021) report to choose one social determinant of health (e.g., employment, incarceration, health literacy, etc.) and write about the upstream, midstream, and downstream actions.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
Social Determinant: Describe a social determinant of health for an MSN professional nurse’s practice setting. Be sure to select one that has a strong impact on the organization and community you serve.
Upstream Action: Explain an action a nurse leader can take to impact a law, policy, or regulation.
Midstream Action: Explain an action a nurse leader can take to address individuals’ social needs and disease prevention. Include considerations of interprofessional collaboration in your discussion.
Downstream Action: Explain an action a nurse leader can take related to individuals’ direct healthcare interventions to treat disease and manage chronic conditions.
What to Submit
Your submission should be a 2- to 3-page Microsoft Word document. Use 12-point Times New Roman font, double spacing, and one-inch margins. Sources should be cited according to APA style.

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