NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 1 Discussion
Community Health Issues
To prepare for this Discussion, you will be required to read the assigned chapters in your Stanhope and Lancaster text. Then, call the Department of Health or your local Public Health Department and speak to a nurse. Find out the top health concern(s) for your community. Please focus your attention on the unique tools that nurses who work in the community utilize to care for populations, including the Intervention Wheel.
Please listen to Dr. Attia’s Ted Talk in the resources for this week and then respond to the following questions:
Pick a top health issue in your community and describe some ways in which a nurse might improve this issue at the population level.
Are the problems that your colleagues are sharing the same as you are seeing in your communities, or are they different?
Help each other consider different aspects of intervention(s) at the system and community levels of care to address health problems in their own communities. Consider Dr. Attia’s profound message as you respond to your peers and think outside the box.
By Day 3
Post your response to this Discussion.
Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.
Notes Initial Post: This should be a 3-paragraph (at least 250–350 words) response. Be sure to use evidence from the readings and include in-text citations. Utilize essay-level writing practice and skills, including the use of transitional material and organizational frames. Avoid quotes; paraphrase to incorporate evidence into your own writing. A reference list is required. Use the most current evidence (usually ≤ 5 years old).
Read two or more of your colleagues’ postings from the Discussion question.
By Day 7
Respond to at least two colleagues. Your responses should be substantial and should contribute to the Discussion. Support with evidence, if indicated.
Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 2 Discussion
An Epidemic in the Community
To prepare for this Discussion, visit the CDC Wonder site in this week’s resources. Investigate the incidence and prevalence of TB in your community. What information did you find? Analyze how your community compares to county, state, or national data for the same topic. Was the incidence and prevalence of each higher or lower than you expected?
Consider the following scenario: This is Debbie’s first year working as a nurse at the local health department in a rural county. Most of her days are spent in the clinic seeing clients who often do not have health insurance.
Over the past month, Debbie has noticed that several young Hispanic men have come to the health department, each diagnosed with tuberculosis. Debbie is concerned about what the outbreak of tuberculosis among the migrant workers could mean for the community. Through a community health profile, Debbie identifies the group of migrant farm workers as being at highest risk for contracting tuberculosis.
Using the Epidemiologic Triangle concept, consider the relationship among causal agents, susceptible persons, and environmental factors. Then, respond to the following:
As a BSN-prepared community health nurse, what steps should Debbie take next?
Considering economic and social considerations within the community, what are the primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions that Debbie might use in managing this outbreak?
Can similar interventions be applied to your community and its TB prevalence?
What considerations need to be addressed within your community that are different form Debbie’s community?
By Day 3
Post your response to this Discussion.
Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.
Notes Initial Post: This should be a 3-paragraph (at least 250–350 words) response. Be sure to use evidence from the readings and include in-text citations. Utilize essay-level writing practice and skills, including the use of transitional material and organizational frames. Avoid quotes; paraphrase to incorporate evidence into your own writing. A reference list is required. Use the most current evidence (usually ≤ 5 years old).
Read two or more of your colleagues’ postings from the Discussion question.
By Day 7
Respond to at least two colleagues. Your responses should be substantial and should contribute to the Discussion. Support with evidence, if indicated.
Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 3 Discussion
Discussion – Week 3
Evaluating Culture From the Nursing Perspective
This week, we will examine a case study about smokers in Poland. As noted in Levine (2007), prior to 1989, Poland had the highest rate of smoking in the world, with three-fourths of all men aged 20–60 smoking every day at a rate of 3,500 cigarettes per person per year. It should be noted that 30% of all women smoked every day, as well. This behavior resulted in a life expectancy of about 60 years due to the highest rates of lung cancer in the world and all-time high levels of smoking-related cancers and cardiovascular and respiratory disease.
To prepare for this Discussion, you will be required to read Case 14 in Levine and complete readings in Stanhope and Lancaster, then respond to the following questions:
What happened to change the culture of smoking in Poland?
Understanding that we all have bias when discussing health issues and precipitating factors, what social and political factors allowed cigarette smoking to become a part of the Polish culture?
Reflecting on your own practice, how do you overcome cultural bias? Do you find it more difficult to deal with some groups than others? How do people use the cultural information that they learn about others? Do you think this leads to stereotyping? Does cultural knowledge influence or change your practice and interaction with others?
By Day 3
Post your response to this Discussion.
Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.
Notes Initial Post: This should be a 3-paragraph (at least 250–350 words) response. Be sure to use evidence from the readings and include in-text citations. Utilize essay-level writing practice and skills, including the use of transitional material and organizational frames. Avoid quotes; paraphrase to incorporate evidence into your own writing. A reference list is required. Use the most current evidence (usually ≤ 5 years old).
Read two or more of your colleagues’ postings from the Discussion question.
By Day 7
Respond to at least two colleagues. Your responses should be substantial and should contribute to the Discussion. Support with evidence, if indicated.
Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 4 Discussion
Disaster Planning
Scenario: You are the PHN working at your local public health department in the nursing division. It is the middle of summer, and you have been receiving telephone calls asking about “the flu season” since the vaccine wasn’t accurate in predicting the strains of influenza that affected your community last year, and many people contracted the virus. Business and community leaders are concerned because they don’t want a repeat performance of last year. You have been asked to develop some solutions to community concerns. Select two of the following scenarios and respond to the questions that are posed in each. As you consider the scenarios you have selected, think about the following considerations as you develop your responses.
Which agencies are available to lead and assist in the disaster response?
What resources are available in your community?
How might resources be used most efficiently?
Are there any gaps that may pose a problem?
Identify potential strengths and weaknesses in the community
Scenario 1: Imagine that initial pandemic flu cases have been identified in your jurisdiction. Some people are home sick, and others are staying home fearful that they may become infected with the flu. What advice would you give to local business owners to prepare for this event? Name two actions that business owners can take to keep their businesses open.
Scenario 1, Part B. As incidents of influenza continue to rise, local business owners are worried about loss of revenue if several large planned conventions are forced to cancel due to the flu. What advice can you give these business owners? Should all events be cancelled?
Scenario 2: Disease rates are rising, and estimates are that as many as 20% of the population are ill with confirmed influenza. Several businesses have closed and services have been suspended. What advice would you give to local law enforcement officials so they can continue to serve the needs of the people? Describe two actions that law enforcement workers can take to remain on the job. How will the gaps in personnel created by those who are ill be covered by those who are still well? What advice will you give?
Scenario 3: Disease rates are remaining at 20% of the population, and many schools have closed due to teacher absence. Since parents still have to work if they are not sick with the flu, what advice can you give day care providers? What two ideas can you share with them so they can stay open and able to care for the children of working parents? Should all school sporting events be cancelled? What information should parents be given? Should announcements be given daily?
Scenario 4: The numbers of influenza victims has reached 25% of the population. Many of the large grocery stores in your community are short-staffed due to employee sick calls. Shelves are bare since many of the workers are home with the flu, and even if the storeowner could stock the shelves, cashiers are home sick, too. In-store pharmacists are struggling to keep their pharmacies open to serve the public. Consumables like bread and milk are in short supply since many delivery drivers are home sick. What two actions can you recommend to these storeowners so that your community doesn’t suffer?
Scenario 5: With 25% of the total population sick with influenza, your hospital is short of staff at a time of very high census. While many of the administrative positions are unaffected by illness, at least 40% of the nurses have called in sick or are at home caring for very sick children. Name two recommendations that you can give your hospital administration to keep their services available for the community.
Scenario 6: The community is turning to the Health Department for assistance because reported incidents of influenza have risen from 5% of the population to 10% of the population in a matter of days. What is your first response to this situation? What steps will you take? Where will you start?
By Day 3
Post your response to this Discussion.
Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.
Notes Initial Post: This should be a 3-paragraph (at least 250–350 words) response. Be sure to use evidence from the readings and include in-text citations. Utilize essay-level writing practice and skills, including the use of transitional material and organizational frames. Avoid quotes; paraphrase to incorporate evidence into your own writing. A reference list is required. Use the most current evidence (usually ≤ 5 years old).
Read two or more of your colleagues’ postings from the Discussion question.
By Day 7
Respond to at least two colleagues. Your responses should be substantial and should contribute to the Discussion. Support with evidence, if indicated.
Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 6 Discussion
Advocating for Social Justice
Consider the following topics. In many U.S. communities, low-income populations use the emergency room instead of going to a physician or mid-level provider’s office. They often do not pay the bill for their service, which shifts the cost of their care to other, paying patients at the hospital. This practice drives up the cost of health care, but what else can hospitals do? They have to have a certain amount of income to keep their doors open. Is this fair? What if these sick people remain untreated and infect others? Is this just? Do they deserve care so that they don’t infect others? We talk about a culture of poverty in this country. What does this mean to you? What about those people who seem to bilk or misuse the health care system? Do they deserve care? If so, who should pay for it? Shouldn’t everyone be forced to carry health insurance so that everyone has a pay source? Can we expect people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps?
To prepare for this Discussion, you will need to read the assigned chapters, and then consider the following questions:
What does social justice mean to you? Is social justice the same as socialized medicine or even communism?
The notion of social justice is fairness so that everyone can achieve a certain level of health and wellness. After all, the Constitution guarantees everyone the right to pursue happiness. Is the health care system fair?
If you could wave a magic wand and fix the health care system, what is the first thing you would notice indicating that it had changed? Or, in your opinion, do you think it needs to be changed at all?
By Day 3
Post your response to this Discussion.
Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.
Notes Initial Post: This should be a 3-paragraph (at least 250–350 words) response. Be sure to use evidence from the readings and include in-text citations. Utilize essay-level writing practice and skills, including the use of transitional material and organizational frames. Avoid quotes; paraphrase to incorporate evidence into your own writing. A reference list is required. Use the most current evidence (usually ≤ 5 years old).
Read two or more of your colleagues’ postings from the Discussion question.
By Day 7
Respond to at least two colleagues. Your responses should be substantial and should contribute to the Discussion. Support with evidence, if indicated.
Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 1 Practicum Group Discussion
Identification of a Population in Your Community
As a community of practice your task for this week is to collaborate with professionals across the health care system and with your community of practice in the discussion in order to find a gap in care or social determinant that often results in poor health care outcomes. You will begin to take the lead in advocating for and collaborating with others to improve the health care outcomes for populations at risk.
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 2 Practicum Group Discussion
Epidemiology: Define Your Population and Selected Problem
This week, you will further refine your population and problem and compare your suspicions about this problem to local, state, and national data on the topic. Your practicum project should come into clear focus as you continue to analyze related health data, and you should consider how you, as the nurse, might help them avoid development of the problem in the first place (primary prevention measures).
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 3 Practicum Group Discussion
Population Cultural Considerations and Genetic Predispositions
This week, you will identify any genetic predisposition your chosen population has to a particular disease and develop primary practice interventions that reflect the cultural considerations of the population. Then, you will develop culturally appropriate, measureable interventions to help your population members maintain an optimal state of health, avoiding the problem that you identified them being at risk for developing.
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 4 Practicum Group Discussion
Evidence-Based Practice and Evaluation of the Project Through Measureable Goals
Dr. Marcia Stanhope (2016) explained that evidence-based public health practice refers to those decisions made by using the best available evidence, data and information systems and program frameworks; engaging community stakeholders in the decision-making process; evaluating the results; and then disseminating that information to those who can use the information.
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 5 Practicum Group Discussion
Present Your PowerPoint Presentation to Your Community Members
This week, you will be presenting your practicum project to community members, community professionals, or mentors to elicit their opinions about your project and to gather their suggestions for improvement, which you can then incorporate into the document before it is due by Day 3 of Week 6
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 6 Practicum Group Discussion
Presentations
This week, you will present your PowerPoint presentation to the class incorporating the feedback you received from the presentation to community members in Week 5. The presentation is due in the discussions by Day 3 of Week 6. (Presentation also needs to be submitted to the Week 6 Assignment link.)
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 3 Assignment
Assignment: Windshield Survey/Community Assessment
Conduct a “Windshield Survey” in a section of your community. Instructions for the survey can be found in Stanhope and Lancaster (2016) on page 416, Table 18-6. As you notice, conducting a Windshield Survey requires that you either walk around or drive around a particular section of the community and take notes about what you observe. A Windshield Survey cannot be conducted by reviewing websites or Google Earth only. It requires actually taking a look at the selected area of the community. This survey should be focused on the problem and population you have selected for your practicum project. If you choose, for example, obesity among Hispanic schoolchildren, you might want to locate a section of the community where many Hispanic children live, or you might want to conduct the Windshield Survey around where Hispanic children attend school. If Hispanic children are not found in a specific section of your community (e.g., Chinatown in San Francisco or Harlem in New York), then you may select the section of the community where you live or work but pay particular attention to your practicum population and practicum problem as you conduct a survey of the community as viewed through the eyes of the public health nurse.
By Day 7 of Week 3
Submit a 3- to 4-page paper including:
Introduction to the community, including the name of the community and any interesting or historical facts you would like to add about where you live
Photographs of the selected area of the community that serve as evidence of your observations and hypotheses
Windshield Survey findings, including a description of the section of your community that you chose to survey
Description of the Vulnerable Population and Available Resources
Demographics of the vulnerable population
What social determinants create their vulnerable status?
What community strengths exist to assist this population?
Conclusions based on Nursing Assessment of the Community
Based on what you have found, what conclusions can you draw about your community and your selected population for your practicum?
Select at least 5 scholarly resources to support your assessment. Websites may be included but the paper must include scholarly resources in its development.
For this Assignment, review the following:
AWE Checklist (Level 4000)
BSN Program Top Ten Citations and References
Walden paper template (no abstract or running head required)
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 5 Assignment
Assignment: Disaster Planning for Public Health
By Day 7 of Week 5
Select a potential natural or man-made disaster that could happen in your community. Then, write a 3- to 4-page paper about the disaster from the community nurse’s perspective.
Section 1: The Disaster, Man-Made or Natural
What disasters may strike your community and why? For example, do you live in “Tornado Alley,” or has climate change resulted in unusual cold weather snaps or blizzards in your community? Are you located in a flood plain? Include possible diseases that may result from a natural disaster, such as tetanus or cholera.
Section 2: The Nursing Response
Formulate responses to the disaster, considering systems and community levels of intervention.
Review websites where a disaster plan may be available for the public, or if one is not currently available, call public health department to see if a disaster plan exists for your community and what the plan contains.
In addition to reviewing websites for information about your local disaster plan, you will need to locate best practice/evidence-based practice guidelines in professional literature to determine whether your community’s disaster plan is as sound as it might be or if there is room for improvement.
Section 3: Is My Community Prepared for a Disaster?
What conclusions can you draw about your community’s preparedness plan from having completed this evaluation?
For this Assignment, review the following:
AWE Checklist (Level 4000)
BSN Program Top Ten Citations and References
Walden paper template (no abstract or running head required)
The Week 5 Assignment Rubric
NURS-4211 Role of the Nurse Leader
Week 6 Assignment
Your Assignment is a PowerPoint presentation that summarizes your Population-Based Nursing Care Plan Project. Include a minimum of 7 slides (15 maximum) and the information as presented in the weekly Practicum Discussions.