1. According to the United States Census Bureau (2011), approximately 48.6 million people in the United States lacked health insurance in 2011. How can nurses, in their role as teachers, influence legislators to improve the healthcare system and promote access for all Americans?

Reference

United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce (2011). Highlights in health insurance for 2011.
Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/hlthins/data/incpovhlth/2011/highlights.html.

2. Some professional nursing organisations have created codes of ethics and standards for professional nursing practise. These codes and standards guide our practise and interactions with patients, other nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

Choose at least one of the ethical or practise standards and explain how you use it in your current practise or how you plan to use it in the future. Which of the following standards is the most difficult for you to meet, and why?

3. Throughout history, many outstanding nurses have shaped the nursing profession. How will you contribute to shaping nursing’s future? How do professional organisations play a role in shaping the future? What is the professional nurse’s responsibility in being a member of these organisations?

4. Consider the roles and activities of a professional nurse as described in this course. What kind of future do you see for yourself based on these roles? Which roles will you work to develop in your practise? How will you alter your practise and career to incorporate the principles and roles of a professional nurse? Focusing on the roles of the professional nurse presented in the Week 3 lesson, use the career map format from the Week 8 lesson to plan your future!