As part of a public hearing on amending health policy in the state, the nurse is asked to present identified health issues that directly impact the community and to assess the current health policy. In this role, the nurse is operating as a(n):

Question

1. Citizen.
2. Activist.
3. Politician.
4. Researcher.

Answer 1

Answer: 4
Explanation: 4. In this situation, the nurse is acting as a researcher. As a population health expert, the nurse is qualified to publicly address the merits and drawbacks of health issues that affect a population and draws upon current research for presentation. Assessing a proposed health policy change for its effect on the population allows the nurse to assess its quality, integrity, and identification of issues as well as review decisions to ensure they reflect current knowledge. A citizen's role is to stay informed, but by speaking as a population expert, the nurse goes beyond that role. In an activist role, the nurse would work for a specific outcome, but in this situation the nurse has been asked to present and comment on health issues. The nurse is not proposing legislative policy issues, so it is not a politician role.