Policy and Politics in Nursing- Reproductive Health

Policy and Politics in Nursing The healthcare industry has undergone significant transformations, including integrating health technology, policy, and politics into nursing. These changes focus on enhancing patient safety and satisfaction and improving the quality of life. Unfortunately, not all changes in the healthcare industry are associated with positive outcomes. Some changes, like increased patient population, high healthcare costs, limited resources, and nurse turnover, are associated with negative outcomes (Comite, 2022).

Healthcare leaders acknowledge the significance of implementing proper policies and change management protocols to avert risks associated with complex issues in the industry.

Therefore, healthcare leaders liaise with legislators to create policies to address issues affecting the public (Vito et al., 2020). The leaders identify issues that hinder healthcare delivery and propose solutions to address healthcare access challenges. Healthcare problem identification is coupled with planning, implementation, and evaluation of health interventions.

Some healthcare issues require policy implementation to achieve a positive outcome. The common healthcare issues affected by the policy include reproductive health, mental health, health equity, environmental health, overdose prevention and data privacy (Comite, 2022). This paper explores the prescriptive contraceptive issue associated with women's reproductive health.

This issue generates huge controversy across the continuum. The paper will begin by identifying the healthcare issue and highlighting relevant background information and policy implications.

Also, the paper will identify the stakeholders and address the policies that could impact the identified healthcare issue.

Healthcare issue directly affected by policy: Reproductive Health.

Reproductive health policy is a sensitive issue touching on the basic rights of individuals to make the right decisions regarding their reproductive health independently. This policy acknowledges that individuals have a right to access relevant information and attain the highest reproductive health standard. Also, as highlighted by ASTHO (2022), reproductive health incorporates all health aspects, including the mental, social, and physical well-being of individuals concerning the reproductive system.

Public health agencies acknowledge the significance of reproductive health and initiate programs to promote public wellness. For instance, these agencies promote health education and awareness, provide funds, promote access to reproductive health data, and coordinate programs addressing reproductive health issues. Further, states and territories are working on policies addressing various aspects of reproductive health, including access to contraception, comprehensive sex education expansion, and reproductive health data security and privacy (ASTHO, 2022).

Reproductive health policies are intended to tackle problems such as unintended pregnancies, which increase the risk of poor maternal and child health outcomes. The Convenient Contraception Act is one of the current policies relevant to the reproductive health issue. This policy advocates for a year supply of prescription contraceptives to women within the childbearing age. The purpose of this policy is to reduce the challenges facing women in consistently accessing prescription contraceptives when their insurance plans only cover 1 to 3 months of supplies (Power to Decide, 2023). This policy promotes equity, creates a ground for improved maternal health outcomes and reduces unintended pregnancies. It has already been enacted in 23 states including the District of Columbia.

Background

Unintended pregnancies are a significant reproductive health issue in the United States (Swan, 2021). Nearly 50% of pregnancies are unintended and women within the child-bearing age are at risk of unintended pregnancy. This problem can only be averted through correct and consistent contraceptive use. Unfortunately, many women face challenges in using contraception consistently. These challenges are attributable to affordability, inappropriate health insurance plans, limited access to hospitals and embarrassment in using contraceptives (Swan, 2021). For instance, most insurance plans cover below three months of prescriptive contraceptives supply.

Limiting prescriptive contraceptives supply to three month intervals affects access thus creating gaps in use. The limited supply of contraceptives increases the risk of unwanted pregnancies and poor reproductive health outcomes. Increasing access to contraceptives enables women to make practice reproductive health decisions. Reliable and convenient prescriptive contraceptives supply enables women to decide when to get pregnant and have a child.

Many women rely on publicly funded family planning programs. Unfortunately, they live in areas where access to hospitals is a challenge. Limited access to hospitals further limits the access to full-range of contraceptive modalities. Minority communities and low-income families are disproportionately affected by limited supply of prescriptive contraceptives.

Some factions believe that increasing the supply of prescriptive contraceptives will encourage harmful sexual behaviors such as premarital sex. However, sexual health education increases women’s knowledge, views on health risks, beliefs and sexual experiences. Increasing the supply of contraceptives does not lead to risky sexual health behavior but enables women to plan their reproductive health.

Leaders in various political divides have opposing views concerning the Convenient Contraception Act. Proponents argue that the Act can reduce unwanted pregnancies, improve

maternal health, reduce maternal mortality, and eradicate racial and socioeconomic disparities.

However, opponents argue that regulations are needed to ensure the increased supply of contraceptives does not achieve the intended health benefits.

Personal statement: Increasing the access to prescription contraceptives empowers and enables women to make informed reproductive choices.

Stakeholders Unintended pregnancies have huge consequences on almost everyone in society.

However, women are affected more by these outcomes than men. Therefore, women are the main stakeholders in health policies addressing unintended pregnancies. Unwanted pregnancies are linked to poor maternal and child outcomes. Swan (2021) pointed out that women exhibit unhealthy behaviors when they get unintended pregnancies. For instance, due to extreme maternal depression and stress some women may delay getting the necessary maternal health services during the pregnancy, thus affecting the child’s health (Enthoven et al., 2022). In extreme cases, women may initiate harmful abortion plans.

Healthcare professionals are also significant stakeholders in policies relating to reproductive health. The key role of these professionals is to educate women on all reproductive health issues including contraceptive use. Health professionals facilitate t implementation of the convenient contraceptive act by increasing the understanding, knowledge and control over contraceptive use among women (Rahayuwati et al., 2023).

Policymakers are key stakeholders in reproductive health. They liaise with healthcare professionals and other stakeholders to create policies that improve and maintain public health.

Other stakeholders are the community and religious leaders (Rahayuwati et al., 2023). Since family planning is pegged on religious, demographic and cultural platforms religious leaders are

significant elements in developing reproductive health policies that affect family planning. These leaders educate and train people to promote good morals and ensure they do not engage in unhealthy behaviors. Leaders also encourage the public to comply with health directives from healthcare professionals.

Bills that could impact the identified healthcare issue The two Bills that could impact the health care issue are the “Affordability is Access Act” HR. 3589/S.1698 and the Convenient Contraception Act hr. 4816/s.2427. The affordability is access bill intends to enhance access to over the counter birth control measures. This Act requires insurance companies to cover over the counter birth control services given to beneficiaries. One benefits of this Bill is that it will increase access to prescriptive contraceptives among women in remote regions. Also, this Bill will eliminate barriers like access to providers and cost that limits the options available for women.

The Convenient Contraceptive Act will lower cases of unwanted pregnancies since it increases access to prescription contraceptives. This Bill proposes that insurance plans under Federal government jurisdiction cover a 365-day prescriptive contraceptives supply. This ACT eliminates barriers like access to hospitals since the supply should dispense at one time.

Conclusion Politics and policy are integral components of nursing practice. Legislators, policymakers and leaders participate actively in healthy policy development. These policies address public health issues like unintended pregnancies and other reproductive health issues. Health care professionals implement these policies at the hospital and community level to ensure the intended public health benefits are achieved. For instance, health leaders support policies that increase access to prescription contraceptives among women since these policies curb

unintended pregnancies and improve maternal and child health outcomes. Also, these policies promote equity by ensuring that women in remote regions can access contraceptives and make appropriate reproductive health decisions.

References ASTHO (2022). ASTHO Unveils Top 10 Public Health Policy Issues to Watch in 2023. https://www.astho.org/communications/newsroom/2022/astho-unveils-top-10-publichealth-policy-issues-to-watch-in-2023/#:~:text=The%20issues%20on%20the%20list,and %20nicotine%20products%2C%20and%20HIV. Comite U., (2022). Handbook of Research on Healthcare Standards, Policies, and Reform. IGI Global.

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Power to Decide (2023). Power to Decide applauds reintroduction of federal bill to expand access to contraception. https://powertodecide.org/about-usnewsroom/power-decideapplauds-reintroduction-federal-bill-expand-access-contraception#:~:text=Underwood %20and%20Sen.,contraceptives%20dispensed%20at%20one%20time.

Rahayuwati, L., Ekawati, R., Nurhidayah, I., Hendrawati, S., Agustina, H. S., Suhenda, D., ... & Fauziyyah, R. N. P. (2023). Stakeholders’ perceptions of family planning programs during the COVID-19 period: A descriptive qualitative study. Enfermería Clínica, 33, S45-S49. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.enfcli.2023.01.008

Swan, L. E. (2021). The impact of US policy on contraceptive access: a policy analysis. Reproductive Health, 18(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186%2Fs12978-02101289-3 Vito, C., Cornel, M. C., Villari, P., Pastorino, R., Ádány, R., & Boccia. S (2020). Personalised Health Care: Fostering Precision Medicine Advancements for Gaining Population Health Impact. Springer International Publishing.