Community Health Nurse Role Reflection - Lynda's Nursing ...



Community Health Nurse Role Reflection

Lynda Chase

Ferris State University

Abstract

There are numerous roles that nurses can assume in the community setting. This paper will reflect the roles of the nurse with direct contact serving at risk populations in the community, a nurse manager that organizes projects behind the scenes, and the main focus of the nurse working as a change agent to facilitate local, state or national policies. This paper’s main focus is to spotlight on nursing and how they provide resources and assistance to obese high school students and how this is an epidemic both locally and throughout the United States.

Nurses have critical roles throughout the community. Nurses are teachers and patient advocates. According to Harkness and DeMarco “Eliminating health disparities is a combined effort of health professionals in all settings, but community and public health nurses deal directly with these issues, often on a personal basis” (Harkness & DeMarco, 2012, p. 19). As community health nurses we need to enoucourage making the right choice regarding nutrition. This would improve their overall health beginning at an early age to help minimize the complications of obesity later in life. Harkness and DeMarco state that “Services are provided to individual clients and families as a means of improving the health of the population (Harkness & DeMarco, 2012, p. 9).

According to the data collected on the Michigan Department of Community Health website it states that “The percentage of overweight adolescents in Michigan has remained fairly steady with the percentage of adolescents in the United States, climbing above the national average in 2007 and dropping below the national average in 2009 (Michigan Department of Community Health, 2011). As healthcare providers we need to take action not only in our community but at a higher level. We need to include lawmakers in our fight against childhood obesity.

Community nurses play a large role in influencing not only their own community but reaching out to other nearby communities as well. One of the key factors is that the community nurse has direct contact with the population in need. People in the community have a resource that can guide them to better health. This type of nurse typically works in the schools and in public settings such as a clinic. The action plans for these healthcare workers are driven by local, state, and federal guidelines.

The role of the nurse manager includes effective communication and effective decision making. This may take part in a community such as organizing a health fair to educate our youth on proper nutrition or on a larger scale coordinating healthy meals for children whose parents are not able to be at home to provide breakfast prior to the child leaving for school. They may also seek out funds to support this project.

I believe we not only need to educate our community on childhood obesity but our lawmakers. Michigan is on the high side of the national average for childhood obesity. There are many organizations that provide lobbyists to voice the concerns of the community.

In 2011 Michigan’s governor directed the Michigan Department of community Health, “To incorporate information about body mass index into the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR), which tracks childhood immunization records. This rule change allows health care providers to report height and weight measurements on the registry, with the goal of increasing obesity screening rates and improving treatment of childhood obesity, which is significantly under-diagnosed in children. Another goal is to improve the quality of pediatric obesity care by highlighting the need for an annual screening of body mass index, which correlates with future obesity, hypertension, and diabetes” (National Conference of State Legislature, 2012). Granted that the schools are where the biggest contact can be made to our children, I still believe that education needs to start in the home. That being said, nurses need to be involved with local chapters of organizations and also with our legislators to promote policies. According to the American Nurses Association standards of professional performance one of the responsibilities is to function as part of the team and a professional responsibilities is policies (Ferris State University –Nursing 2010).

To influence change within the community the nurse would have to have an impact on change. The community would have to know, like, and trust you for them to believe in your vision. If the community does not possess these beliefs, barriers will be created. Being able to communicate the rationale for your decision is important to the community. Disparities may affect the children in this population (grades 9-12) because they would like immediate gratification. They’re not willing to put forth the effort to drive this change, even though it may be detrimental to their health.

The community health nurse can have numerous roles and responsibilities. They may be giving direct patient care or they may be on the steps of the Whitehouse lobbying for a specific cause or policy. The student would have a difficult time with the role of a change agent. I have experienced this and it’s a challenging role. Policies and laws are lobbied for years on end with the end result of not even making it to the legislators. This process is long and grueling. The student must present with a positive attitude, great organizational skills, and communication skills that can influence everyone. This student would be appropriate for the nurse leader role or a manager in the community setting. Solid skills of management and collaboration with not only staff but clients, is a must. The student may be challenged with this population because many of them are not committed to improving their health.

Community nurses have a large scope of practice in which they may influence a population. To solve or at least improve the obesity issues with this population is going to take a combined effort of not only the community nurse, but parents and lawmakers alike.

References

Ferris State University - Nursing. (2010). Standards of Professional Nursing Practice. Retrieved from

Harkness, G.A. & DeMarco, R.F. (2012). Community and Public Health Nursing. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Michigan Department of Community Health. (2011). Critical health indicators. Retrieved from

National Conference of State Legislature. (2012). Childhood Obesity – 2011 Update of Legislative Policy Options. Retrieved from

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download