| Course | NURS 501 Health Policy and Ethics (NURS501) |
|---|---|
| Credit hours | 3 |
| Program | MSN |
| Length | 8 Module/Weeks, online |
| Weeks with written work | 7 of 8 |
| Samples on this site | 7 week sample papers |
| Sources | Liberty's 2026-2027 catalog and the published NURS 501 course guide |
| Updated | October 2026 |
What NURS 501 covers
Liberty pairs policy with ethics in NURS 501 because a nurse who argues for a bill also has to reason about who benefits and who bears the cost. The course guide opens with a legislative letter on a current federal bill, moves to a reflection on an error or ethical breakdown in the student's own practice, and spends Weeks 4 and 5 on legal case briefs discussed with peer-reviewed articles, the textbook and Scripture.
The second half of the course is one policy project. In Week 6 students submit a health policy issue paper with an abstract and 10 to 15 citations on a state or federal bill or policy that is pending, existing or in need of revision; in Week 7 they brief decision makers on the same issue in a ten-slide narrated presentation; and in Week 8 they give feedback on classmates' presentations alongside a final discussion forum.
This course examines policy decisions and related issues that shape the organization, financing, and implementation of health care services and delivery systems. Ethical, social, and political issues that affect the provision of health care, nursing services, communities, and society are critically analyzed. Dynamics related to the roles and influences of health care providers and consumers, government, and law are discussed. Advanced nursing practice and its impact on policy decision making and health care is emphasized.
NURS 501 week by week, with the sample for each
| Week | Written work in the course guide | Points | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Legislative Letter: a one to two page business letter on a current federal bill, with a title page, reference page and at least one citation | 100 | Read the Week 1 sample |
| Week 2 | Reflection Assignment: two to four pages on an error, ethical dilemma or teamwork breakdown in the student's practice, with one or two recent peer-reviewed articles | 100 | Read the Week 2 sample |
| Week 3 | Quiz on informed consent; no paper due | No written paper this week | |
| Week 4 | Case Studies Discussion 1: a 500-word thread on a legal case brief with two peer-reviewed articles, the textbook and the Bible, plus two 250-word replies | 100 | Read the Week 4 sample |
| Week 5 | Case Studies Discussion 2: a second legal case thread and two replies to the same standard | 100 | Read the Week 5 sample |
| Week 6 | Health Policy Issue Paper: 12 to 15 pages with an abstract and 10 to 15 citations on a state or federal bill or policy | 225 | Read the Week 6 sample |
| Week 7 | Health Policy Issue Position: a ten-slide narrated briefing for policy decision makers, 15 minutes or less, five or more recent citations | 175 | Read the Week 7 sample |
| Week 8 | Position Feedback in the group forum, plus the final Discussion Board Forum (500-word thread, two replies) | 125 | Read the Week 8 sample |
Where NURS 501 papers lose points
Students lose points when the Week 1 letter reads like an essay rather than a business letter to a legislator, when the bill is described from a news story instead of its text, and when the reflection names an error but never analyzes the system around it. In the policy paper, the common losses are a position stated before the evidence, a cost or political feasibility section that is missing, and citations older than five years where current data exist. The briefing loses points when slides carry paragraphs and the narration repeats them word for word.
Using a NURS 501 sample well
Treat the Week 6 paper and the Week 7 briefing as a pair: the paper shows the full argument with its evidence, and the slides show how the same case is cut down for a busy listener. Your own bill and your instructor's rubric decide the content; the samples show the form and the level of support each part needs.
NURS 501 questions, answered
What bill should I use for the NURS 501 legislative letter?
The guide asks for a current federal bill relevant to nursing, patient care or health care. Choose one you can read in full on congress.gov, check its status the week you write, and quote its provisions accurately.
How long is the NURS 501 health policy paper?
The course guide sets 12 to 15 pages in APA format, not counting the title page, abstract and references, with 10 to 15 citations. It must address a state or federal bill or policy that is pending, existing or in need of change.
Does the NURS 501 position presentation have to match the paper?
The guide describes both as parts of the Health Policy Issue assignment, so most students brief the same bill or policy they wrote about, with ten content slides, narration and at least five recent scholarly citations.
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