I now understand that health policy nurses are not just advocates, but we
are leaders, researchers, change agents, lobbyist, and activists. The concepts I learned during this
course will impact every aspect of my nursing career and education now and in the future.
Throughout this course, I feel that I have developed a deeper understanding of how healthcare
policy nurses use in-depth knowledge of the history, structure, theory, and process of health
policymaking in the United States to shape and develop policy changes in the political arena. As
I continue to develop strong leadership skills in critical thinking, effective communication,
problem solving, and negotiation within my organization I can organize and lead initiatives to
identify problems in patient safety and health disparities; devise and implement a plan for
improvement utilizing evidence-based research, professional standards, and clinical guidelines to
track improvement over time; and make necessary adjustments to realize established goals of
improved outcomes (Abood, 2007; Grady & Hinshaw, 2011). I can influence patient outcomes
and the nursing profession by shaping and developing policy changes at the organizational level.