Regulatory Agencies in U.S. Healthcare: Scope, Authority, and APRN Relevance

Agency Synopsis

Identify regulatory agencies that regulate health and the health care system within the US, create a table listing your 5 regulatory agencies and address the following:

1. Describe the agency, level of regulatory authority (local, state, federal), scope of regulatory authority, and role within the US healthcare system.
2. Address relevance of the organization or the organization’s authority to the APRN/DNP graduate.
3. Describe relevance to specialty area, area of practice, or setting of practice. For an example, mental health.

Submission Requirements:

• In the table, write the 3 criteria above and respond to them.
• The table is to be clear and concise and students will lose points for improper grammar, punctuation and misspelling.
• The table is to be complete and thorough. It should include all items indicated in the assignment.
• Your submission will be reviewed for plagiarism with Turnitin.
• Incorporate at least 3 current (published within last five years) scholarly journal articles or primary legal sources (statutes, court opinions) within your work.
  

  Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

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  ✅ Step-by-Step Guide: How to Complete the Agency Synopsis Assignment

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  1. Choose Your 5 Regulatory Agencies

  Select agencies that operate at the federal and/or state level and are directly involved in regulating healthcare. Here are 5 commonly used examples:

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

  • The Joint Commission (TJC)

  • State Boards of Nursing (e.g., Texas BON, California BON)

  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

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  2. Create a Table with 3 Columns

  Structure your table with these columns:

  | Agency | Regulatory Authority, Scope, and Role in U.S. Healthcare | Relevance to APRN/DNP & Practice Specialty |

  Then for each agency, fill out:

  • Whether it’s local, state, or federal

  • What areas of healthcare it regulates

  • How it impacts your specialty (e.g., mental health, family, pediatrics)

  • Why the agency matters to you as an APRN or DNP graduate

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  3. Write Clear, Concise, APA-Compliant Content

  • Use complete sentences in each table cell.

  • Stay within APA 7th edition guidelines for formatting and citations.

  • Avoid vague language—be specific and evidence-based.

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  4. Include 3+ Scholarly or Legal Sources (APA Style)

  You must reference at least 3 current sources (2019 or later). Suggested scholarly sources:

  1. Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
     https://doi.org/10.1891/9781284154273

  2. Kaplan, L., & Brown, M. A. (2020). The influence of regulatory policy on advanced practice registered nurses. Nursing Outlook, 68(2), 188–194.
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2019.11.006

  3. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2022). Quality, safety & oversight. CMS.gov.
     https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/SurveyCertificationGenInfo

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  ✅ Quick Tips for Success:

  • Check spelling and grammar closely before submission.

  • Align agency functions with your clinical focus for full points.

  • Cite all sources in APA style, both in-text and in a reference list below the table.

  • Save and upload as a Word document (.docx) to your learning portal.