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Discussion, Nursing, Pages: 1

Advocacy Priorities

Advocacy Priorities

Advocacy Issues for Undocumented Immigrants

Undocumented immigrants are one of the most disadvantaged groups in the US healthcare system. Due to restrictive immigration policy and their ineligibility for federal insurance programs such as Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, this group is likely to have less access to even basic medical care: Advocacy Priorities.

Priorities for advocacy with this population include more access to affordable, culturally relevant care independent of immigration status, more resources for safety-net providers like community health centers, and the institution of sanctuary policies to prevent deportation of undocumented patients when they seek care (Garcini et al., 2021). Mental health services, chronic disease management, language access services, and safe housing are also needed by this population, and all of these have a profound effect on health outcomes.

Policy and Disparities

The disparities experienced by undocumented immigrants are inherent and compounded by discriminatory policies. For example, their exclusion from public insurance programs is a factor in high uninsurance rates, which translate into delayed care, unmet conditions, and increased emergency department visits (Garcini et al., 2023). These are not random findings; they are policy outcomes, direct results of policy.

In the meantime, these health inequities are occasionally quoted as the basis for ongoing exclusion, setting up a self-sustaining cycle. Federal and state policies also generally produce climate conditions of fear, deterring people from accessing care in case they initiate immigration repercussions, which further erodes public health initiatives and equity.

Nursing’s Role in Policy Advocacy

Nurses are in a good position to advocate for policy change to foster justice for undocumented communities. Nurses can utilize their firsthand experience to advocate for the effect of discriminatory policies on patient well-being. Collectively, the nursing profession can influence policy through collaboration with special interest groups, professional organizations, and policymakers in lobbying for equitable health reform.

Nurses are morally obligated to advocate for marginalized groups, and their role as trust agents in society positions them to lead change (Flaubert et al., 2021). By influencing the political determinants of health, nurses promote social justice and provide more equitable care for everyone.

References

Flaubert, J. L., Menestrel, S. L., Williams, D. R., & Wakefield, M. K. (2021). The role of nurses in improving health equity. In www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573898/

Garcini, L. M., Daly, R., Chen, N., Mehl, J., Pham, T., Phan, T., Hansen, B., & Kothare, A. (2021). Undocumented immigrants and mental health: A systematic review of recent methodology and findings in the United States. Journal of Migration and Health, 4(4), 100058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2021.100058

Garcini, L. M., Vázquez, A. L., Abraham, C., Abraham, C., Sarabu, V., & Cruz, P. L. (2023). Implications of undocumented status for Latinx families during the COVID-19 pandemic: A call to action. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 53(1), 10–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2022.2158837

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Question 

Identifying barriers and challenges that impact vulnerable and marginalized groups is an important first step, but advocates cannot stop there. What can be done to address the inequities, the challenges, and the barriers? How might an advocate use policy to enact change?

The Allegory of the Orchard required you to consider the barriers and challenges of specific vulnerable or marginalized populations. In our Week 1 Discussion, you identified a specific population connected to your practice, organization, or experience. This week you will explore that population further by determining a specific advocacy priority for the population.

To Prepare:

  • • Review your selected population discussed in the Module 1, Week 1 Discussion: Allegory of the Orchard.
  • • Review the resources on vulnerable or marginalized populations.
  • • Consider the factors that create and maintain these populations.
  • • Reflect on nursing’s relationship with these populations and how this shapes our role in policy advocacy.

    Advocacy Priorities

    Advocacy Priorities

By Day 3 of Week 2
Using the selected population discussed in the Week 1 Discussion: Allegory of the Orchard, post a response detailing the following:

  • • What are the advocacy priorities for the population? What are the needs of this population?
  • • How are disparities reflected in policy and policy reflected in the disparities?
  • • What is the role of nursing, individually and collectively, in influencing policy decisions that adversely impact vulnerable populations?
Notes:
  • I’ve attached the instructions for Module 1, Week 1 Discussion: Allegory of the Orchard discussion. Please check the instructions and choose the population to use in this discussion.