ANSWER:
Discussion Point B: Discuss how nurses in your chosen specialty (Community Health Nursing) impact the health and wellness of vulnerable populations.
Community Health Nursing plays a vital role in promoting and improving the health and wellness of vulnerable populations. These populations, including low-income individuals, homeless individuals, immigrants, and marginalized communities, often face multiple barriers to accessing healthcare services and experience health disparities. Nurses in community health settings focus on providing holistic care, health promotion, and disease prevention to address the specific needs of these populations.
One example of nurses in the specialty impacting the lives of vulnerable populations is the response to the opioid crisis. Over the past 30 years, the opioid epidemic has affected communities across the United States, significantly increasing opioid-related deaths and substance use disorders. Community Health Nurses have been at the forefront of this crisis, working in various roles to address the needs of individuals and communities affected by opioids.
For instance, community health nurses have been involved in harm reduction programs, such as needle exchange programs, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among individuals who inject drugs. They provide education, counseling, and support to individuals struggling with addiction and connect them to appropriate resources for treatment and recovery. These nurses also collaborate with community organizations, healthcare providers, and policymakers to advocate for policy changes that promote access to addiction treatment, mental health services, and supportive resources for vulnerable populations.
Through their efforts, community health nurses have significantly impacted the health and wellness of vulnerable populations affected by the opioid crisis. They have contributed to reducing the transmission of infectious diseases, increasing access to treatment and recovery services, and promoting overall well-being among individuals struggling with addiction.
Reference:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Understanding the epidemic. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html
QUESTION:
Step 1: Chose one of the following specialties of nursing:
Community Health Nursing
Public Health Nursing
Step 2: Select either A or B discussion point below and respond to the prompt. SELECT ONE DISCUSSION POINT ONLY.
A. Compare and contrast the chosen specialty (from step 1) to another specialty of nursing practice that you have studied. Chose at least 2 of the following points to discuss and support your views with scholarly evidence:
Focus of nursing interventions
Family and client relationships
Nursing autonomy
Scope of professional responsibility
Nursing roles
B. Discuss how nurses working in your chosen specialty (from step 1) impact the health and wellness of vulnerable populations
Give a specific example from the news or the literature of nurses in the specialty impacting the lives of people in vulnerable populations. Select an example that occurred in the past 30 years.
Example: providing triage or other services after Hurricane Katrina
Your initial post should be 2-3 paragraphs long and follow the requirements outlined in the discussion rubric. Please add to the discussion in your peer responses with informative responses, instead of posts similar to “great idea! I really agree with you.” The initial post and the peer responses have different deadlines. Make sure that your discussion adheres to these deadlines.