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Read Me First

Week One

Introduction

AS THE 21ST CENTURY UNFOLDS, ALL HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE POOR, SOCIALLY MARGINAL, OR CULTURALLY DIFFERENT FROM MAINSTREAM SOCIETY. THE VALUES, ATTITUDES, CULTURE, AND LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY RESIDE MUST BE CONSIDERED WHEN PLANNING HEALTH PROMOTION AND PREVENTION ACTIVITIES. SOME FACTORS THAT MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ARE RECOGNIZING HOW THESE POPULATIONS ARE REPRESENTED IN CURRENT RESEARCH, CONNECTING WITH POPULATIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND RECRUITING THESE POPULATIONS TO SEEK HEALTH CARE. THE FOCUS OF NUR/440 IS TO EXAMINE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, ASSESS THEIR NEEDS, DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING HEALTH PROMOTION INTERVENTIONS, AND UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND COMMUNICATION IN SUCH RELATIONSHIPS.

This week in relation to the course and the program

YOUR PREVIOUS NURSING CLASSES ADDED NEW KNOWLEDGE AND REINFORCED PREVIOUSLY LEARNED CONCEPTS ABOUT PROFESSIONAL NURSING. YOU WILL SPEND THE NEXT FEW WEEKS INCREASING YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF CURRENT AND EMERGING DIVERSE AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, EXAMINING THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS FROM NEW PERSPECTIVES, AND INVESTIGATING STRATEGIES FOR DELIVERING CARE THAT PROMOTES HEALTH AND WELLNESS. THE GOALS OF HEALTHY PEOPLE 2020 AND THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE CULTURALLY COMPETENT PROGRAMS ARE CONSIDERED.

This week, you identify a vulnerable population based on various social factors, health needs, or specific conditions and diseases. Nursing theories are also explored, especially the concepts of the metaparadigm: person, health, environment, and nursing. Watson’s theory of human caring and its components of the caring moment and the interpersonal relationship with the patient are applied to vulnerable populations. A realization of self is important in any exploration of care with vulnerable populations. First, the best thing nurses can do to prepare for working with vulnerable populations is to know themselves. The more a person knows and acknowledges his or her biases, the more easily the person can put them aside and concentrate on the patient as a person, not a stereotype. Ethnocentric bias is a term derived from anthropology and refers to the notion that one’s cultural beliefs, practices, folkways, values, and norms are right. Ethnocentric biases develop from our experience of living in our cultures; growing up in families, attending educational institutions with certain emphases, and interacting with people we like or do not like. Ethnocentricism is neither good nor bad. “The danger lies in misinterpreting data. If the investigator cannot bracket his or her biases, then it becomes highly likely that he or she will miss the point of what participants were trying to say.” (De Chesnay & Anderson, 2012, p. 193).

Hints for a reading strategy of the assigned materials

THIS COURSE PROVIDES GREAT INSIGHT INTO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND OFFERS NATIONAL AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON NURSING PRACTICE AND RESEARCH. ELECTRONIC RESERVE READINGS ARE CHOSEN TO EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF EACH WEEK’S TOPICS BEYOND THE TEXT. EXAMINE CONTENT IN YOUR TEXT THAT RELATES TO THE APPLICATION OF LEININGER’S THEORY OF CULTURE CARE AND WATSON’S THEORY OF HUMAN CARING. YOU WILL FIND LENINGER’S THEORY AND WATSON’S THEORY IN THE INDEX. THESE READINGS WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHY IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR NURSING STUDENTS TO HAVE EDUCATIONAL AND FIELD EXPERIENCES WITH VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. ALLOW THIS COURSE TO OPEN NEW DOORS OF AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING.

There are recommended journal articles that will enhance the text and add further exploration to identifying who might be in an underserved population based on ethnicity.

An optional reading that will give you a glimpse of vulnerability from a teacher’s perspective is “A Framework for Understanding Poverty,” by R. K. Payne.

Some questions to ask as you develop your critical thinking

THIS WEEK, AS YOU WORK WITH PATIENTS, EXAMINE YOUR ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS TOWARD VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE. OBSERVE THE BEHAVIORS OF YOUR COLLEAGUES.

1. What evidence of bias, prejudice, or stereotyping do you observe in your colleagues or in yourself?

2. How do your biases and attitudes affect your delivery of nursing care?

3. Reflecting on a patient interaction, how can you evaluate how your care was received?

4. What are your thoughts when you see a person who appears to be homeless?

Summary

THIS WEEK IS A FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE ASSIGNMENTS. YOU WILL BUILD ON PERSPECTIVES OF SELF-AWARENESS, WATSON’S THEORY OF HUMAN CARING, AND CURRENT AND EMERGING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AS YOU COMPLETE THE ASSIGNMENTS. HOPEFULLY, BY THE END OF THE COURSE, YOU WILL SEE OTHERS THROUGH NEW EYES AND HAVE GREATER INSIGHT INTO YOURSELF.

Reference

DE CHESNAY, M. AND ANDERSON, B. A. (EDS.). (2012). CARING FOR THE VULNERABLE: PERSPECTIVES IN NURSING THEORY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH (3RD ED.). SUDBURY, MA: JONES AND BARTLETT.

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