Leadership: Influencing Health Care Reform

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course code
NURS 4515
Descriptive
Leadership: Influencing Health Care Reform
Department
Nursing
Faculty
Health Sciences
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15
Max class size
36
Course designation
Certificate in Global Competency
Industry designation
None
Contact hours

Lecture: 4 hours/week

Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Learning activities

Faculty will facilitate the student's integration of nursing theory and promote the development of critical inquiry, clinical reasoning and judgment through learning activities such as lectures, group discussions, client-based scenarios, and using electronic resources.

Course description
In this course, students synthesize concepts from previous leadership courses. Using primary healthcare as a foundation, students refine their critical inquiry skills by examining emerging healthcare issues and trends. Emphasis is on the nurse's role as an innovative leader in influencing change and participating in Canadian healthcare system reform.
Course content

Overview of the current Canadian healthcare context:

  • Ministry of Health, Canada Health Act 
  • Structure and organization of Canadian and provincial healthcare system
    • Federal and provincial Ministries of Health
    • Health authorities
    • Emerging trends/issues
    • Healthcare reform

Factors influencing the current Canadian healthcare context:

  • Historical
  • Economic
  • Cultural
  • Political
  • Social
  • Legal

Framework for influencing healthcare reform:

  • Primary Healthcare
    • Accessible, client-centred, quality, cost-effective healthcare
    • Emphasis on clients’ wellness, illness prevention, and poverty reduction
    • Coordinated client care by educated healthcare professionals/interprofessional collaboration
    • Public participation
    • Health innovation
    • Multisectoral approaches
  • Role of the Multidisciplinary Healthcare Team

Concepts/strategies related to healthcare reform:

  • Advocacy
  • Change theory and practice
  • Health care partnerships
  • Health literacy
  • Health-related research
  • Interprofessional collaboration 
  • Leadership theory and practice
  • Organizations
    • Type and structures
    • Policy development 
    • Strategic planning and visioning
    • Risk management
    • Culture and environment
  • Political action
  • Role of the nurse
  • Technology and innovative healthcare practices

Emerging trends and issues in global healthcare systems:

  • World Health Organization
  • Critical examination of healthcare reform in selected countries  
  • Global health contributions/initiatives to healthcare reform and their impact on the Canadian healthcare system

Professional and supportive nursing practice environments:

  • Professional practice standards
  • Quality assurance
  • Quality improvement
Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Describe the current Canadian healthcare system, including the historical, economic, cultural, political, legal, and social contexts;
  2. Explain the emerging trends and issues within the current Canadian healthcare system and global healthcare trends and issues that could impact the Canadian healthcare system; 
  3. Apply principles of primary healthcare to critically examine healthcare contexts at the local, regional, national, and international levels;  
  4. Integrate leadership skills to influence change and participate in healthcare system reform;
  5. Participate in creating and maintaining professional, safe, supportive, and healthy practice environments.
Means of assessment

This is a graded course, and the means of assessment are consistent with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor's course outline will be available to students by the first class and list the evaluative components of the course.

Textbook materials

The instructor's course outline will be available to students by the first class and list the required textbooks and materials that students must purchase.

Prerequisites

NURS 3411 AND NURS 3412 AND NURS 3413 AND NURS 3415 AND NURS 3417

Students in the BSN program are required to maintain a passing grade of 65% (C+) in all courses in order to progress in the program.

Corequisites
Which prerequisite