3.3 Applying the Nursing Process to Community Health (22/20) -- Community and Population Health Nursing

3.3 Applying the Nursing Process to Community Health Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN) Community health nurses apply the nursing process to address needs of individuals, families, vulnerable populations, and entire communities. See Figure 16.7[1] for an illustration of the nursing process in community health nursing. Assessment The community health nurse typically begins a community health needs assessment by determining what data is already available.[2]As previously discussed in the “Community Health Concepts” section, national, state, county, and local health needs assessments are widely available. Secondary analysis refers to analyzing previously collected data to determine community needs. Community health nurses may also engage in primary data collection to better understand the community needs and/or study who may be affected by actions taken as a result of the assessment.[3] Primary data collection includes tools such as public forums, focus groups, interviews, windshield surveys, surveys, and participant observation. Public Forums Public forums are gatherings where large groups of citizens discuss important issues at well-publicized locations and times. Forums give people of diverse backgrounds a chance to express their views and enhance understanding of the community’s specific needs and resources. Forums should be planned in a convenient location with accessibility to public transportation and child care. They should also be scheduled at convenient times for working families to gain participation from a wide range of populations. Focus Groups Focus groups are a systematic method of data collection through small-group discussions led by a facilitator. Participants in focus groups are selected to represent a larger group of people. Groups of 6-10 people with similar backgrounds or interests are interviewed in an informal or formal setting. Focus groups should be scheduled at several dates and times to ensure a broad participation from members of the community. Here are advantages of focus groups: - Community member involvement in assessing and planning community initiatives is encouraged. - Different perceptions, values, and beliefs by community members are explored. - Input can be obtained from specific subpopulations of the community. Example of subpopulations include young mothers caring for infants, individuals receiving home hospice care, individuals struggling to find housing, residents of the prison system, individuals coping with mental health disorders, or residents in group homes. Interviews Interviews are structured conversations with individuals who have experience, knowledge, or understanding about a particular topic or issue. Key informant interviews are conducted with people in key positions in the community and have specific areas of knowledge and experience. These interviews can be useful for exploring specific community problems and/or assessing a community’s readiness to address those problems.[4] Advantages of inte