Rethinking student evaluation of teaching: A policy analysis.

Institutions of higher education with tenure and promotion policies that rely heavily on student evaluations of teaching may create academic progression barriers for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) faculty. The purpose of this policy analysis is to explore how current practice of utilizing Student Evaluation of Teaching (SETs) as the major source to evaluate teaching effectiveness, impacts tenure for BIPOC faculty, using Bardach and Patashnik's (2019) eight steps of policy analysis. Context provided includes cultural history, policy and evidence regarding the use of SETs. Evaluation criteria focuses on two national nursing reports and nursing accreditation standards, along with utilization of the 2020 Teaching Quality Framework for Evaluation of Teaching. The status quo utilizes SETs as the major evaluation tool for overall teaching effectiveness. SETs are shown to produce an unacceptably high error rate and fail to identify the best teachers. Teaching evaluations that utilize both formative and summative methods provide a global, less biased view of instructional pedagogy. Making a change in the way teaching is evaluated is a critical component in the retention of BIPOC Faculty and their ability to attain tenure.

Professional advocacy: linking Virginia's story to public policy-making theory, learning from the past and applying it to our future.

Too often the nursing profession has been shortsighted regarding its ability to educate legislators and the public on the value of the nurse and the need for policy change. This has stagnated the profession's agenda setting, influence, and position. Virginia nurses, however, rose to the challenge a few years ago. They addressed the nursing faculty shortage by introducing legislation to improve faculty salaries and promote nursing education. They fully defined their problem, formed a unified coalition to develop a solution, and found the political environment favorable for policy change. Their advocacy success story can lend guidance and encouragement for advocacy for the profession. Linking their successful road to policy change to the B. B. Longest (2010) public policy-making framework provides a roadmap for future success.

The influence of a change in medicare reimbursement on the effectiveness of stage III or greater decubitus ulcer home health nursing care.

This study was designed to describe and evaluate the influence of a change in a Medicare reimbursement on the effectiveness of home health nursing care for stage III or greater decubitus ulcer patients. This health policy originated from the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 and took its full effect with initiation of the Prospective Payment System (PPS) on October 1, 2000. A quantitative quasi-experimental design used OASIS data from the state of Virginia to evaluate 555 stage III or greater decubitus ulcer patients, age 65 or older. Comparisons were investigated between pre-PPS, 2000, and post-PPS, 2001, outcomes related to reported ulcer healing, lengths of stay, and discharge disposition. Results demonstrated significant differences for the outcomes studied. In addition, sanitation, ulcer healing, and discharge disposition were linked as predictors for length of stay. Results demonstrated that PPS has affected nursing care effectiveness for stage III or greater decubitus ulcer home health patients.

Nurse and client perceptions of home health wound care effectiveness after a change in Medicare reimbursement.

The purpose of this study was to begin to explore client and nurse perceptions related to how a change in a Medicare reimbursement, Prospective Payment System (PPS), affects home health care. The target population included home health clients with stage III or greater decubitus ulcers, age 65 years or older. Six Virginia home health agencies were randomly selected. From those sites, all 39 charts that met population criteria were accessed and analyzed, and then 16 care recipients were purposely selected. In addition, 26 home health nurses with pre- and post-PPS experience were purposefully selected. Semistructured, audiotaped interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results demonstrated PPS adaptive behavior and an increase in use of education and family caregivers related to wound care. Themes that emerged included professional competence, caregiver as key, and sense of support. Perceptions emphasize the necessity for resource management, collaboration, and patient advocacy.