| Course | DNP 711 Healthcare Policy and Innovation |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 4 |
| Paper type | Health policy brief |
| Length | About 604 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | Doctor of Nursing Practice |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for DNP 711 Module 4
Healing Before Housing Runs Out: A Two-Year Medical Respite Pilot for Patients Discharged Homeless in Arizona
Student Name
Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University
DNP 711: Healthcare Policy and Innovation
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Healing Before Housing Runs Out: A Two-Year Medical Respite Pilot for Patients Discharged Homeless in Arizona
Key Messages
Arizona hospitals regularly discharge patients who have no home to recover in. Many return sicker and at higher cost.
Medical respite care, short-term housing with nursing support, has been associated with fewer hospital days and readmissions.
A two-year, 60-bed pilot funded jointly by the state and Medicaid health plans would test whether the approach works in Arizona and what it saves.
The Problem
People experiencing homelessness are admitted to hospitals more often and stay longer than housed patients with similar conditions. When they are ready for discharge, they often still need wound care, intravenous antibiotics or time off their feet that a shelter or the street cannot provide. Hospitals face a choice between keeping them in an expensive bed they no longer need and discharging them to conditions that undo their treatment. At my hospital, a review of one quarter found 41 discharges of patients without housing who still had skilled needs, and 12 of them were readmitted within 30 days.
What the Evidence Shows
The evidence is promising but not definitive. Most studies are observational, and Arizona-specific data do not yet exist. A pilot with careful measurement would close that gap.
| Study | Design | Main finding | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan et al. (2006) | Cohort of 225 homeless adults referred to respite in Chicago | Respite patients spent 3.7 hospital days in the next year versus 8.3 for those turned away for lack of beds | One program; not randomized |
| Sadowski et al. (2009) | Randomized trial of 405 chronically ill homeless adults | Housing with case management after discharge reduced hospitalizations by 29% and emergency visits by 24% after adjustment | Tested housing and case management, not respite alone |
| Doran et al. (2013) | Systematic review of 13 studies | Respite programs reduced later admissions, inpatient days and readmissions; effects on emergency use and costs were mixed | Studies varied widely in quality |
Options
| Option | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Continue current approach, with hospitals funding beds informally | No new state spending | Few beds, uneven quality, no data |
| 2. Seek a Medicaid waiver amendment now | Durable federal match | One to two years to approval; uncertain federal priorities |
| 3. Two-year state and health plan pilot, then decide on a waiver | Starts within a year; builds Arizona evidence for a waiver | Requires a state appropriation and plan agreements |
Recommendation
Fund Option 3: a two-year pilot of 60 respite beds, 40 in Maricopa County and 20 in Pima County, operated by experienced nonprofit providers selected through a competitive process. Each site would offer a private or semi-private bed, meals, daily nursing visits, medication support, transportation to appointments and a housing navigator. Stays would average about three weeks.
Estimated cost: at a daily rate of about $200 per bed, 60 beds for two years would cost about $8.8 million. The state would fund half through a line item to AHCCCS, and Medicaid health plans would fund half through contract incentives. For comparison, one avoided hospital week at a typical inpatient cost exceeds the cost of a respite month, which is why the pilot should measure net costs rather than assume savings.
Measures
Thirty- and ninety-day readmissions; hospital days in the following year; emergency visits; completion of treatment, such as antibiotic courses and wound healing; housing placement at exit; and net cost per person compared with matched patients discharged without respite. An independent evaluator would report at 12 and 24 months.
The Ask
Include a two-year, $4.4 million state appropriation for a medical respite pilot in the next budget, and direct AHCCCS to work with health plans on matching funds and an evaluation.
References
Buchanan, D., Doblin, B., Sai, T., & Garcia, P. (2006). The effects of respite care for homeless patients: A cohort study. American Journal of Public Health, 96(7), 1278-1281. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2005.067850
Doran, K. M., Ragins, K. T., Gross, C. P., & Zerger, S. (2013). Medical respite programs for homeless patients: A systematic review. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 24(2), 499-524. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2013.0053
Sadowski, L. S., Kee, R. A., VanderWeele, T. J., & Buchanan, D. (2009). Effect of a housing and case management program on emergency department visits and hospitalizations among chronically ill homeless adults: A randomized trial. JAMA, 301(17), 1771-1778. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2009.561
What the DNP 711 Module 4 instructions ask for
The posted syllabus lists one policy brief in DNP 711, worth 150 points or 15% of the grade, due in Module 3 on policy mechanisms, with two optional review sessions held before the deadline. Canvas sets the format, length and rubric. A policy brief is a short document for decision makers that states a problem, summarizes the evidence, compares options and makes a clear recommendation. Expect to write for a specific audience, such as legislators or an agency, in plain language, with key messages at the top and a concrete request at the end. Your blog posts on stakeholders and mechanisms should tell you who the audience is and which route the recommendation takes. Keep the brief short; decision makers read the first page.
How this DNP 711 Module 4 example is built
The brief opens with three key messages, then states the problem with a local figure from the writer's hospital. An evidence table presents three studies with their design, main finding and limits, followed by an honest statement that the evidence is promising but not definitive. A second table compares three options with their advantages and disadvantages. The recommendation describes the pilot's size, sites, services and cost, with the funding split explained and a caution against assuming savings. Measures and an independent evaluation follow, and the brief closes with a single costed request. Three peer-reviewed sources support it. The brief stays close to two pages so a legislator can read it between meetings.
DNP 711 Module 4 rubric: what earns full marks
Policy briefs are typically graded on clarity of the problem statement, accuracy and appropriate use of evidence, analysis of options, strength and feasibility of the recommendation, suitability for the intended audience and professional writing. Key messages at the top and a clear request at the end show command of the format. Presenting evidence with its limits builds credibility with skeptical readers. Comparing at least three options, including the status quo, shows policy analysis. A costed recommendation is far more persuasive than a general call to action. Plain language and tables make the brief usable by busy readers. Faculty also look for a brief that a real decision maker could act on without further explanation.
DNP 711 Module 4 help with common mistakes
Briefs go wrong when they read like a term paper: pages of studies first, the ask hidden on the last page. Lead with key messages. Another is a recommendation with no cost or no responsible body. Avoid overstating savings; say what the pilot will measure. Use local data where you have it, labeled clearly. Identify the decision maker you are writing for, and the desk can draft a two-page brief aimed at that office. Attend the optional review session if you can. Have someone outside health care read the first page and tell you what you are asking for.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
More DNP 711 and Doctor of Nursing Practice sample papers
- DNP 711 Module 1: Blog 1: The Story of a Policy Topic
- DNP 711 Module 2: Blog 2: Stakeholders in the Policy Topic
- DNP 711 Module 3: Blog 3: Statutory and Regulatory Mechanisms
- DNP 711 Module 5: Blog 4: Evidence, Innovation and a Generative AI Critique
- DNP 711 Module 6: Blog 5: Interview With a Policymaker
- DNP 711 Module 7: White Paper
- DNP 711 Module 8: Written and Oral Testimony
- DNP 606 Module 7: Implicit Bias Discussion
- DNP 672 Module 2: Benzodiazepines Versus Antidepressants for Anxiety Discussion
- DNP 713 Module 7: Innovative Space Design Presentation
- DNP 716 Module 6: Team Leadership Discussion
DNP 711 Module 4 questions, answered
Where can I find a free DNP 711 Module 4 sample paper?
The brief above is a complete DNP 711 Policy Brief sample proposing a costed medical respite pilot in Arizona, with an evidence table, three options and measures.
How much is the DNP 711 policy brief worth?
The posted syllabus lists the policy brief at 150 points, 15% of the course grade.
What sections belong in a health policy brief?
Key messages, the problem, the evidence, options, a recommendation, measures and a clear request to the decision maker.
Does medical respite care reduce readmissions?
Studies and a systematic review have found fewer later admissions and hospital days, though most studies are observational and quality varies.
Who should a DNP policy brief be written for?
A specific decision maker who can act, such as legislators, an agency leader or a health system board, named in the brief.