1: Issues in Health Care Reform (Interview) According to the AACN (2006), “Political activism and commitment to policy development are central elements of professional nursing practice” (p. 13). Throughout this course, you will hone the skills and competencies required for this type of involvement in policy. Research is an essential step in the process of acquiring the skills and competencies, and interviews are one form of research that can serve as a valuable source of information. As such, this Assignment (which you will start this week, and submit by the end of Week 9) provides an opportunity for you to identify a health reform issue of interest and discuss the issue with a state or national politician (or their aide). To prepare: Identify a state or national politician (state representative or legislator. senator, congressman, governor, etc.), or aide, whom you would like to interview regarding current issues in health care reform. As soon as possible, contact the individuals office to request a meeting. Keep in mind that it may be difficult to get on their calendar, so plan accordingly. You may conduct the interview in person or by phone. In advance of the interview, ask yourself: What health care policy issue is important to me personally? What issue do I want to bring to this person’s attention? With this in mind, develop your list of questions for the interview around your selected health policy issue. In addition, you may wish to include questions related to health care reform: What are your constituents most concerned about regarding health care reform? What are the trade-offs associated with recent health care reform policy? By Day 7 of Week 9 To complete: Write a 3- to 4-page paper providing a summary and analysis of the interview and the health care reform issues you discussed.