U.S. Health Policy & Nursing Exam: Agenda Setting, Policy Formation, Adoption
& Implementation, Policy Evaluation, Health Policy Framework, Executive &
Legislative Branch Roles, Regulatory Agencies (HHS, CDC, FDA, OSHA, DHSR,
CMS), HIPAA Compliance, Affordable Care Act, The Joint Commission
Accreditation & Certification, State Board of Nursing Licensure, Nurse Advocacy,
Nursing Professional Organizations (ANA, NCNA, N-PAC), Managed Care,
Population-Based Health Services, Preventive, Primary, Secondary & Tertiary
Care, Restorative & Continuing Care, Quality & Safety, Evidence-Based Practice
(EBP), IOM Competencies, Patient Satisfaction (HCAHPS), Health Informatics &
Technological Advancements, Nursing Shortage, Competency Standards, Access
to Healthcare, Health Disparities, Health Economics, Health Policy Evaluation,
National Priorities Partnership, Care Coordination, Palliative Care, Overuse
Reduction, Patient & Family Engagement, Future Nursing Roles in U.S.
Healthcare Reform Exam Questions Verified and Provided with Complete A+
Graded Rationales Latest Updated 2026
Agenda setting
a health issue or problem is identified. The process of defining and identifying the issue will
include many steps, but overall it will include why it is an important issue/problem, what are the
causes, who it effects, what are the boundaries for correcting/making improvements, what
other opinions or assumptions are relevant to this health issue
Policy Formation
Interventions for creating change to the identified health issue are proposed and considered
,Policy Adoption
the best intervention...or the one most agreed upon is selected
Policy Implementation
Educate all stakeholders (people that will be affected or have a vested interest) about the
change to policy; Implement the new policy/process...usually have a start date for new
policy/process and an end date for old policy/process.
Policy Evaluation
Is the new policy/process meeting the objectives? Achieving the desired goals?
Health policy
is built through several steps. The steps may require consideration of: evidence, quality, safety,
ethical issues, economic value, and current law or legal concerns.
Goal directed decision making about health that is the result of an authorized, public decision-
making process.
Those actions, non-actions, directions, and/or guidance related to health that are decided by
governments or other authorized entities
Examples of this definition would be:
State-mandated immunizations
The adoption of a federal or state funded health program.
, Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010: Where a percentage of students within a school are
eligible for free or reduced price school lunches under the school lunch program established
under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.
Health Policy:
Political Decision Making
Health policy at different government levels:
Executive branches (federal and state governments)
Examples:
Obama Administration and Drug Control Policy
NC Drug Control
Legislatures (state and national)
Courts & Judiciary (state and national)
Regulatory Agencies
Executive Branches
President and state governors oversee agencies and implementation of laws and health policy.
Control vast resources (budgets) and have the power to influence health policy goals and veto
decisions.
Legislatures
US Congress and state legislatures can create laws and establish funding for agencies that will
carry out the law or implement the policy.
Example: NC Nursing Practice Act is regulated by NC General Assembly; defines the practice of
nursing within North Carolina
& Implementation, Policy Evaluation, Health Policy Framework, Executive &
Legislative Branch Roles, Regulatory Agencies (HHS, CDC, FDA, OSHA, DHSR,
CMS), HIPAA Compliance, Affordable Care Act, The Joint Commission
Accreditation & Certification, State Board of Nursing Licensure, Nurse Advocacy,
Nursing Professional Organizations (ANA, NCNA, N-PAC), Managed Care,
Population-Based Health Services, Preventive, Primary, Secondary & Tertiary
Care, Restorative & Continuing Care, Quality & Safety, Evidence-Based Practice
(EBP), IOM Competencies, Patient Satisfaction (HCAHPS), Health Informatics &
Technological Advancements, Nursing Shortage, Competency Standards, Access
to Healthcare, Health Disparities, Health Economics, Health Policy Evaluation,
National Priorities Partnership, Care Coordination, Palliative Care, Overuse
Reduction, Patient & Family Engagement, Future Nursing Roles in U.S.
Healthcare Reform Exam Questions Verified and Provided with Complete A+
Graded Rationales Latest Updated 2026
Agenda setting
a health issue or problem is identified. The process of defining and identifying the issue will
include many steps, but overall it will include why it is an important issue/problem, what are the
causes, who it effects, what are the boundaries for correcting/making improvements, what
other opinions or assumptions are relevant to this health issue
Policy Formation
Interventions for creating change to the identified health issue are proposed and considered
,Policy Adoption
the best intervention...or the one most agreed upon is selected
Policy Implementation
Educate all stakeholders (people that will be affected or have a vested interest) about the
change to policy; Implement the new policy/process...usually have a start date for new
policy/process and an end date for old policy/process.
Policy Evaluation
Is the new policy/process meeting the objectives? Achieving the desired goals?
Health policy
is built through several steps. The steps may require consideration of: evidence, quality, safety,
ethical issues, economic value, and current law or legal concerns.
Goal directed decision making about health that is the result of an authorized, public decision-
making process.
Those actions, non-actions, directions, and/or guidance related to health that are decided by
governments or other authorized entities
Examples of this definition would be:
State-mandated immunizations
The adoption of a federal or state funded health program.
, Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010: Where a percentage of students within a school are
eligible for free or reduced price school lunches under the school lunch program established
under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.
Health Policy:
Political Decision Making
Health policy at different government levels:
Executive branches (federal and state governments)
Examples:
Obama Administration and Drug Control Policy
NC Drug Control
Legislatures (state and national)
Courts & Judiciary (state and national)
Regulatory Agencies
Executive Branches
President and state governors oversee agencies and implementation of laws and health policy.
Control vast resources (budgets) and have the power to influence health policy goals and veto
decisions.
Legislatures
US Congress and state legislatures can create laws and establish funding for agencies that will
carry out the law or implement the policy.
Example: NC Nursing Practice Act is regulated by NC General Assembly; defines the practice of
nursing within North Carolina
