UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
COLLEGE OF NURSING
COURSE SYLLABUS
SUMMER/2011
COURSE NUMBER
NUR 4837
COURSE TITLE
Healthcare Policy, Finance, and Regulatory Environments
CREDITS
2
PLACEMENT
BSN Program: 3rd Semester Upper Division
PREREQUISITE
NUR 3638 Population Focused Care
COREQUISITE
NUR 3826 Legal and Ethical Issues in Nursing
FACULTY
Joanne Richard, PhD, ARNP
joanner@ufl.edu
HPNP 4201 (352) 638-5736
Office hours: Monday 11:30am -12:30pm and 2:30 to 3:30pm
DEPARTMENT CHAIR
M. Josephine Snider, EdD, RN
snidemj@ufl.edu
HPNP 4221 (352) 273-6359
Office hours: By appointment only
JACKSONVILLE CAMPUS DIRECTOR
Andrea Gregg, DSN, RN
greggac@ufl.edu
Jacksonville (904) 244-5172
Office hours: By appointment only
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this course is to examine the foundations of healthcare policy, the financial
structure of healthcare systems, and the regulatory environments that have impact on nursing
practice and client care. Emphasis is on selected issues affecting healthcare policy. Focus is on
the influence of the nursing profession on policy and regulation.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, the student will:
1. Demonstrate basic knowledge of healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments,
including local, state, national, and global healthcare trends.
2. Examine legislative and regulatory processes relevant to the provision of healthcare.
COURSE OBJECTIVES (continued)
3. Examine the roles and responsibilities of regulatory agencies and their effect on care
quality, workplace safety, and the scope of nursing and other health professionals’
practice.
4. Discuss the implications of healthcare policy on issues of access, equity, affordability,
and social justice in healthcare delivery.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Section
8093
Day
Monday
Time
12:30 – 3:15pm
Room
1404
E-Learning (Sakai) is the course management system that you will use for this course. ELearning is accessed by using your Gatorlink account name and password at http://lss.at.ufl.edu.
There are several tutorials and student help links on the E-Learning login site. If you have
technical questions call the UF Computer Help Desk at 352-392-HELP or send email to
helpdesk@ufl.edu.
It is important that you regularly check your Gatorlink account email for College and University
wide information and the course E-Learning site for announcements and notifications.
Course websites are generally made available on the Friday before the first day of classes.
ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to be present for all scheduled classes, other learning experiences, and
examinations. Students who have extraordinary circumstances preventing attendance should
explain these circumstances to the course instructor prior to the scheduled class or as soon as
possible thereafter. Instructors will then make an effort to accommodate reasonable requests. A
grade penalty may be assigned for late assignments, including tests. Students are responsible for
responding to online assignments as part of their attendance. Make-up for exams (not quizzes)
will be given only under extenuating circumstances that could not have been predicted ahead of
time and may be in a different format then the test given at the scheduled time.
ACCOMMODATIONS DUE TO DISABILITY
Each semester, students are responsible for requesting a memorandum from the Disability
Resource Center to notify faculty of their requested individual accommodations. This should be
done at the start of the semester.
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are to refer to the College of Nursing Student Handbook for information about College
of Nursing policies, honor code, and professional behavior.
TOPICAL OUTLINE
1. The organization of healthcare systems
2. Economics of healthcare delivery
3. Regulations that affect workplace safety, healthcare outcomes, and the scope of nursing
and other health professionals’ practice.
4. Legislative and regulatory processes
5. State, national, and global healthcare trends, related policies and regulations.
6. Political activism and the role of professional organizations in healthcare policy, finance,
and regulatory environments
7. Access to and fair distribution of healthcare
TEACHING METHODS:
Lecture, web-based activities, small group discussion, assigned readings,
LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
Participation in classroom activities, web-based projects, discussions, written assignments
EVALUATION METHODS/COURSE GRADE CALCULATION
Policy Paper
Test
Participation
Presentation
Quizzes
25%
25%
15%
20%
15%
100%
GRADING SCALE/QUALITY POINTS
A
95-100 (4.0)
A93-94 (3.67)
B+
91- 92 (3.33)
B
84-90 (3.0)
B82-83 (2.67)
C+
80-81 (2.33)
* 74 is the minimal passing grade
C
CD+
D
DE
74-79* (2.0)
72-73 (1.67)
70-71 (1.33)
64-69 (1.0)
62-63 (0.67)
61 or below (0.0)
REQUIRED TEXTS
Porche, D.J. (2012). Health policy: Application for nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.
WEEKLY CLASS SCHEDULE
DATE
TOPIC/EVALUATION
5-9-11
Introduction to healthcare policy
5-16-11
US healthcare system
5-23-11
US healthcare access and
economics
5-30-11
Memorial Day Holiday
6-6-11
Legislative and regulatory processes Chapters 2,3,4,and 5
6-13-11
Political activism and the role of
nurses and professional
organizations
6-20-11
Break week
6-27-11
Healthcare trends and related
policies
7-4-11
Independence Day Holiday
7-11-11
Test
7-18-11
Student Presentations
7-25-11
Student Presentations
8-1-11
Student Presentations
Approved:
Academic Affairs Committee:
General Faculty:
UF Curriculum Committee:
ASSIGNMENTS/READINGS
(in text unless stated
otherwise)
Chapters 1 and 12
Sakai site-ResourcesWebsites-Article 1
Sakai site-ResourcesWebsitesArticle 2
09/09
09/09
10/09
Chapters 6,7, and 8
Chapters 9 and 10