Government Policy Reports: Documents That White Paper

Some position papers are too open-ended to become white papers because position paper can mean "We believe x," and nothing else. A white paper means "We believe x and therefore we recommend y and z." A writer would transform an open-ended position paper into a white paper by clearly proposing policies or actions. Based on the data included in the position paper, the writer would take the work one step further toward creating possible solutions.

The field of nursing should utilize white papers in the upcoming election process. Nursing professionals can refer to government-issued white papers on health care issues when planning professional intervention programs in their community. Similarly, nursing professionals can use business-issued white papers to prepare for upcoming technological or medical changes or changes to preferred therapeutic interventions. The field of nursing can also use white papers to gauge changes to official health care policy that would result from an administration change. When determining which candidate would best serve the health care community and its clients, nursing professionals may rely on the white papers issued by each candidate or party. Those white papers may illustrate deficiencies in one or the other party's knowledge of specific health care issues, ranging from insurance to the prevention of disease.

Nursing professionals should respond to the public's lack of awareness about health care issues with white papers. The nursing community should also address white papers directly to the political candidates that directly serve their communities: state and local officials who may have a stronger bearing on the day-to-day operations of hospitals.Nursing professionals should also publish white papers on pressing health care matters to inspire and encourage changes to public policy. For example, some communities may be facing epidemics in contagious diseases that are not affecting other communities. White papers are essential for outlining the causes of and possible solutions to those health care problems. When determining which local, state, and federal candidates to support, the nursing community should rely on responses to white papers as general attitudes toward the health care issues that matter to them.

Those health care issues may include embracing new technologies and techniques. Health care product manufacturers issue white papers as marketing tools for their products, and nurses need to read those papers with care. Nursing professionals should also publish white papers that address public health issues, with the goal of influencing future policy. The white papers may be distributed to both the Republican and the Democratic parties. The publications would therefore influence a bloc of voters concerned about the specific health care issue(s) raised in the white papers.

References

Sakamuro, S. (2006). Writing a white paper. OWL at Purdue. Retrieved Oct 23, 2008 at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/546/01/

Smith, T.D. (2002). What is a white paper? Retrieved Oct 23, 2008 at http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,sid26_gci213361,00.html.....