NURS 6050 – Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health (Walden University)

Module 2 / Week 4 Assessment (2026): Legislation Grid and Testimony/Advocacy Statement

Course and Assessment Positioning

Course: NURS 6050 – Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health (Walden MSN core)
Assessment: Module 2 / Week 4 Assignment – Legislation Grid and Testimony/Advocacy Statement (individual written assignment)
Level: Graduate (MSN, including APRN and non-clinical tracks)
Length: Legislation Grid (1–2 pages, template) plus a 1-page testimony/advocacy statement (approximately 300–500 words)
Timing: Week 4 (Module 2), following content on agenda setting, the policy process, and legislative actors

This assignment structure reflects current NURS 6050 practice, pairing a completed Legislation Grid with a concise advocacy testimony for a selected health-related bill and emphasizing the professional role of the RN or APRN as a policy advocate.

Assignment Overview

You will select a current health-related bill at the state or federal level and complete a legislation grid that summarizes its intent, key provisions, stakeholders, and potential impact on population health. You will then write a brief testimony or advocacy statement that clearly supports or opposes the bill and demonstrates how nurses participate in the legislative process to influence health outcomes for patients and populations.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

• Analyze a health-related bill in terms of legislative intent, stakeholders, and potential impact on cost, quality, and access to care.

• Explain how social determinants of health intersect with legislative proposals and policy decisions.

• Apply professional communication skills to advocate for or against a bill in a manner appropriate for legislators.

• Demonstrate understanding of the RN/APRN role in policy advocacy within the legislative process.

Task Instructions

1. Select a Health-Related Bill

• Identify a current or very recent state or federal health-related bill, such as legislation addressing APRN scope of practice, mental health parity, maternal health, telehealth reimbursement, or gun violence prevention.

• Ensure official bill text and legislative history are publicly available.

• Confirm the bill has clear implications for population health, cost, quality, or access.

2. Complete the Legislation Grid (Template)

Using the course-provided Legislation Grid Template, complete all required sections, including:

• Bill name and number

• Federal or state designation and sponsoring legislator(s)

• Legislative intent and key provisions

• Target population(s) and stakeholders

• Expected impact on cost, quality, and access to care

• Current stage in the legislative process

• Relevant nursing organization or coalition position, if available

3. Analyze Social Determinants and Policy Impact

• Within the grid, discuss how one or more social determinants of health (such as income, race and ethnicity, education, geography, or gender) influence who is most affected by the bill.

• Indicate whether the bill is likely to reduce or worsen disparities and briefly explain why.

4. Write the Testimony or Advocacy Statement (1 Page)

Prepare a concise testimony addressed to a legislator or committee that:

• Clearly states whether you support or oppose the bill

• Explains the population health problem the bill seeks to address

• Uses at least two scholarly or credible outside sources and two to three course-related resources to support your position

• Addresses at least one opposing argument respectfully and with evidence

• Uses a professional, clear, and persuasive tone appropriate for legislative communication

5. Submission

Submit both the completed Legislation Grid and the one-page testimony or advocacy statement together using the Week 4 assignment submission link.

Module 2 / Week 4 – Legislation Grid and Testimony Rubric (2026)

Bill Selection and Grid Completeness (20%)
Relevant bill selected; all grid fields completed accurately and concisely.

Analysis of Legislative Intent and Impact (20%)
Clear explanation of intent and anticipated effects on cost, quality, and access.

Social Determinants of Health and Equity (15%)
Thoughtful discussion of equity implications and population-level effects.

Testimony Position and Argumentation (25%)
Clear advocacy position supported by evidence and respectful engagement with opposing views.

Use of Evidence, Organization, and Writing Quality (20%)
Appropriate source use, clear organization, and graduate-level writing quality.

Policy assignments in NURS 6050 become more meaningful when students approach them as real-world advocacy exercises rather than abstract academic tasks. A strong legislation grid and one-page testimony demonstrate how a proposed bill could shift cost, quality, and access for specific populations while modeling the concise, evidence-based communication nurses must use when engaging with legislators and policy stakeholders.

Active nurse engagement in policy advocacy has been shown to improve the relevance and practicality of health legislation by ensuring that frontline clinical perspectives inform decision-making. Research suggests that when nurses contribute evidence and patient-centered narratives to legislative debates, policies are more likely to address equity, feasibility, and population health outcomes effectively (Milstead and Short, 2019).

References

• Walden University (2023) NURS 6050 – Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health. Walden University Catalog. https://academics.waldenu.edu/catalog/courses/nurs/6050

• Milstead, J. A. and Short, N. M. (2019) Health Policy and Politics: A Nurse’s Guide. 6th edn. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

• American Nurses Association (2021) ANA Advocacy Toolkit. Silver Spring, MD: ANA. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/

• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2021) The Future of Nursing 2020–2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25982

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022) Social Determinants of Health. https://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/index.htm

• Oliver, T. R., Leavitt, J. K. and Shindul-Rothschild, J. (2018) ‘Political competence in nursing: Advancing nursing leadership in public policy’, Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 50(1), pp. 1–9.