Policy Memo to an elected state or federal offical - Assignment Example

Nurses form the largest group or component of the health care work force and are the front-liners and first responders in most medical cases. As such, they are often in the best position to advise on how to further improve the delivery of health care services and enhance patient safety. All of these desired changes can be achieved if an appropriate law is passed allowing nurses to practice to the full extent of their education and training, similar to the way physicians services today are covered under Medicare.

This was one of the four recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in its 2011 report that is entitled “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health” and in particular that of Recommendation No. 2 (Expand opportunities for nurses to lead and diffuse collaborative improvement efforts) requires legislative support to amend certain state laws and provisions in this regard. Reforms in the health care system under Obamacare likewise mandate this change. Background – the recent passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare in 2010 was to initiate comprehensive reforms in the American health care system to provide safer, higher-quality, more affordable, and easier accessibility health care services to increasing diverse populations of America with its changing demographics towards more elderly citizens.

Intention of these reforms is to provide wellness and disease prevention programs that will enhance overall health outcomes and at the same time provide for compassionate health care across the entire life span of an individual patient by improving the quality of life (Institute of Medicine, 2011). The ACA is expected to bring into the formal health care system an additional 32 million Americans (ibid.) which will further put pressure on the resources of the present health care system to