The Affordable Care Act was established to put America on the path to good health. It was founded on the premises of providing high quality and affordable care for each and every one.
When it comes to the community and public health, the important elements in the act supports the transformation of health care from a "sick" model to a "healthy" model, provision of care by addressing the nursing shortage, improvement in quality and patient safety, provide community-based interdisciplinary/ inter-professional teams to support primary care practices, support nurse-managed health centers (centers operated by advanced practice nurses that provide comprehensive primary care and wellness services to underserved or vulnerable populations), and improve the choice of affordable health to individuals in order to make sure all American have health insurance coverage.(American Nurses Association, 2014) Today, nurses play an integral and leadership role implementing the laws of Affordable Care Act.
They provide improvement in quality of care and safety through nursing research which help shape the scientific base for clinical practice, processes, prevention, and improved patient outcomes. The nurse also serves as a valuable asset when it comes to educating the community on illness prevention, wellness promotion, available resources and cost containment. It is the duty of all nurses to equalize the health disparities among lower socioeconomic and minorities groups in the health care setting. By advocating for fair and equal treatment and adherence to laws the nurse can improve the health of the community as a whole.