Improving health policy competency through collaboration and enhanced curriculum delivery

Health policy is a key criterion for the academic preparation of nurse practitioners. To meet this criterion, faculty frequently utilize standard passive learning assignments that leave students feeling ill prepared to create and advocate for health policy upon graduation. To meet this need, faculty at two independent schools of nursing created curriculum to enhance health policy education for nurse practitioners. Using a variety of techniques based on real-world experience, nurse practitioner students gained increased retention of knowledge and increased activation in the health policy arena upon graduation. This finding supports that active learning increases retention and utilization in the area of health policy.