NURS 6720: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation

NURS 6720: Population-based Public Health Nursing Interventions | Week 2

As you move through the remainder of the course, a real-world example of a public health program targeting infant mortality among African American populations will be presented as an exemplar to illustrate concepts that are covered each week.

Public Health Nursing in Action: Case Scenario

A significant health disparity plaguing the United States is the increased rate of infant mortality seen in various racial and ethnic groups. Infant mortality is used to compare the health and well-being of populations across and within countries. Despite substantial reductions in the overall infant mortality rate over the last few decades, the gap in rates between African Americans and Caucasians has remained high in many parts of the country, including the state of Ohio. This led a public health nurse to develop an intervention with the overall goal of improving health outcomes for mothers and babies living in a low-income urban community of Cincinnati. Over the course of a two-year period, the PHN, as a member of a larger team, conducted an in-depth assessment of this community. This assessment was done in partnership with the residents of the community and a parish nurse agency with a presence in the community. Various sources of information were gathered using the Community as Partner Model. These included state, county, and city health data, social and environmental data, and interviews with key stakeholders: community residents, parish nurses and other health care providers serving the area, and trusted community social service agencies and churches. This assessment highlighted community resources and strengths, and identified opportunities for improvement. One important outcome of this assessment process was the formation of key partnerships with trusted members of the community who served as gatekeepers, thus allowing the PHN (a community outsider) entrance into the community, and access to the community’s residents (insiders).

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As a PHN, you will follow the same nursing process you learned in your first nursing program — providing care to individuals. This same process is also used to guide the planning and delivery of population-based care. Over the next 10 weeks, you will explore each of the stages in the nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation) as they apply to your specific agency placement and the planning of a public health intervention targeting the populations served by that agency.

This week you will examine the Assessment phase of the nursing process. The following diagram depicts the nursing process. The Assessment phase is highlighted indicating that this is the phase you are focusing on this week. This diagram will be used throughout the course to highlight the phase you are focusing on and where each phase falls in the process.

The phase we are focusing on this week, Community assessment, is the act of becoming acquainted with a community. The people and agencies that serve the community are partners with PHNs and have a vital role in contributing to the assessment. During the Assessment phase, PHNs identify factors, both positive and negative, that impact the health of the people in the community. Information gathered during the Assessment phase will be used later to develop strategies for health promotion. The Community as Partner Model (Anderson & McFarland, 2015) will guide this assessment phase.

This week, you will begin the Assessment phase with your orientation to your community agency. As you learn about your agency, you will also gather information about various community agency components that provide the context from which you will promote the health of the community.

As you continue to engage in your practicum, remember to record your hours and activities and reflect on your experiences in your practicum setting. Your Practicum Time Log and Journal are due in Week 3.

Learning Objectives (NURS 6720: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation)

Students will:

• Analyze community agency components (A*)
• Analyze how agency components influence public health issues (A*)
• Identify focus for practicum projects(P)

*The Assignments related to these Learning Objectives are introduced this week and submitted in Week 3.

Assignment: Addressing a Public Health Issue Part 1: Understanding Your Community Agency

Part of your role in working with an agency is to determine the most relevant need(s) of the population(s) the agency serves. This determination leads to the ability to identify a priority issue for intervention. However, you cannot make this determination independently. A first step is working to gain a comprehensive understanding of your community agency. For this Assignment, you begin the process of investigating agency details that will later inform course project intervention decisions.

Note: This Assignment will be based on your practicum site placement.

To Prepare:

• Review this week’s Learning Resources.
• Gather information on your specific placement agency through a meeting with your faculty and/or preceptor.

The Assignment:

In a 2-to-3-page paper that addresses the following:

Part 1: Agency Description

Describe each of the following components regarding your specific agency:

• Mission
• Vision
• Strategic plan
• Stakeholders
• Population(s) served
• Issue(s) addressed
• Environmental climate (social, political, cultural)
  • Sources of funding
  • Community that agency is embedded in and community being served
• Agency history (where did the funding come from, how did they end up at specific location)

Part 2: Influences on Public Health Issues

Briefly explain how each selected component from Part 1 influences the public health issue of focus

Submit Parts 1 and 2 of this Assignment by Day 7 of Week 3. NURS 6720: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation