Undergraduate and graduate nursing students, break keep out the pen and paper laptops and iPads. A great thought on the next steps of health reform and no more than 1,000 words could mean a win for you. And a win for us all.

The KaiserEDU Essay Contest ends February 28, 2011, 5 PM EST. The specific topic?

In March 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).  There has been extensive debate over the law, and Americans remain divided about what lawmakers should do going forward.  Some favor expansion of the law, some want to leave it as is and focus on implementation, and some want to repeal parts of or the entire law.

You’ve just been hired as a health aide to member of Congress (choose one) who has asked you to prepare a memo summarizing what the next steps should be on health reform.  In 1,000 words or less, please explain and justify your recommendations, identify major challenges, and discuss how they could be addressed.

Undergraduate and graduate students will be judged separately. First place is $1500, and second place is $750 (not to mention a sweet little mention of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation on your resume!). Check out all the details, and write away. (The Kaiser Family Foundation is an excellent source to learn more about health reform. They even have animation to make it fun.) Nursing students could knock this out of the park! Go for it!