Posted: June 27th, 2015

Community Health Nursing

Paper Outline

1. Introduction
2. Community description – demography of Easton PA

• Data interpretation

1. Community genogram
2. Easton PA Community Diagnosis
3. The scope of the diagnosis

• The health status of Easton community
• Health determinants in the community

1. Potential for the development of a healthy community
2. Conclusion
3. References

 

Community health nursing

Introduction

The development in healthcare has put more emphasis on community health as a foundation of good health. More radical changes have been taking place in the healthcare industry. These include change in policies and financing of the healthcare industry (Lundy & Janes, 2009). One of the policies of improving the provision of healthcare to the population of US has been the embrace of community healthcare programs. These programs make use of community nurses who assesses the health status of the community members. The assessment also aims at determining the prevalent gaps in needs as well as assets in discharging community health practices (Hunt, 2008). It helps in forward planning for community health practices. Community health nursing assessments act as strong bases on which nursing diagnoses and evaluation outcomes are made (Basavanthappa, 2008). This paper thus presents a diagnosis report of community health nursing for a given community in the United States. The report focuses on the Easton community found in the state of Pennsylvania.

Community description – demography of Easton PA

The Easton community is found in Northampton country in the state of Pennsylvania in the US. It is a relatively ancient community though with a well maintained environment. Easton is a small community or city with fully functional services. Most of the services are offered to the population by the municipal. It has well established security and disaster preparedness or risk reduction service providers like a fully functioning fire department and a police department that is highly influential. The city is clean, and the population is served with clean and safe water. There are about ten large hospitals in Easton with other smaller health facilities that provide primary healthcare services (Panto, 2012).

It has an approximate population of approximately 27 thousand people, which is a slight projection from the 2010 US census report. It has a slow or tamed population growth rate which has grown for only 2 percent during the 2000 decade. There is an exceptionally minute gap in gender distribution of the population with males averaging 50.5 of the population while females form 45.9 percent of the total population of Easton (Tulchinsky & Varavikova, 2009). The average age of the population according to the 2010 census report is 43.3 meaning that a majority of the population is made up of adults of between 30 and 30 years. When presented on a graph, a normally distributed curve is attained. There are few children and few adults in the community. Majority of people in the community is whites forming 58.6 % of the total population. They are followed by Hispanic at 19.9%, the Blacks at 15.4 %, intermixed races at 3.2% and Asians at 2.3%. The remaining percentage is composed of other races. Though, with differing races, the population lives in close neighborhoods and work in similar places. The housing policies also support the collective ownership of houses in Easton (Pennsylvania Department of Health, 2012).

The fertility, morbidity and mortality records are well kept by the Pennsylvania department of health. The fertility rate in the community of Easton is low. It is approximate to be at less than one percent per year. The mortality rate is also lower with a majority of admissions and death being recorded on the population who are aged 85 years and above. Maternal admission and death rate is also unusually low with only extraordinarily complicated cases resulting in maternal-child deaths. Most of the mortality cases results from chronic diseases like cancer and heart diseases. This is a true reflector of the causes of deaths in the United States. The prevalence rate of common ailments like malaria, measles, diarrhea and other ailments is unusually low. This can be attributed to the elaborate community health measures which aid in disease prevention like high sanitation standards (Center for Disease Control, 2010).

With good health systems and low birth, death and morbidity rates, Easton has a well-functioning economy. The per capita household income of the population is approximated at $ 40 while that of the state is approximated at $50. This denotes that most of the people in the community live an above average life. Majority of the population in the community is well educated. The unemployment rate in Easton stands at approximately 8 percent. A majority of the population in the community can afford a medical cover for primary healthcare (“Easton, Pennsylvania”, 2012).

Data interpretation

The Easton community has a small population which lives in a quite extensive area. The population lives in close neighborhoods and is well supplied with essential services like water by the municipal. This is an indicator of a good basis for ensuring that a sound healthcare system is prevailing. With a population of approximately 28 thousand, it is easy to control or even diagnose health problems prevailing in the community. The community is composed of enlightened people who are presumably aware of how to conduct primary healthcare practices. Moreover, the economy of the community is above average with most of the households having the ability to gain access to both primary and secondary healthcare services.

Fertility and mortality rates are far too low which implies that the community healthcare system is above average. The main worry is the population that is which cannot afford medical cover. Such a population forms part of the need to develop unemployed, community nursing healthcare services. With low prevalent rates of common ailments, there is a favorable environment to establish and sustain community health nursing practices in Easton (Gallin, Ognibene & ScienceDirect, 2012).

The problems of community health nursing arise when the population that is in dire need of healthcare supersedes the capacity of the policy implementers (Lundy & Janes, 2009). For Easton, the distribution of the population is favorable for community health nursing. The most vulnerable population is small and is comprised of the elderly who are exposed to chronic diseases. With already high standards of cleanliness, community health nursing will be vital in enhancing the preparedness and disease awareness levels in the community. The level of exposure of the community top epidemics is low with a low rate of morbidity. However, with changes in climate, a number of infections are recorded. However, the rate is not usually high and is easily mitigated.

 

Community genogram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1.0 Community genogram for Easton PA

Source: Author

The community genogram shows how different structures interact in the society with the family being the basis (Ivey, Ivey & Zalaquett, 2010). The community is comprised of different institutions and their proximity matter a lot in the running of community health practices. This genogram is a representation of the Easton community and shows how institutions are linked up in the community to form a functional community. From This genogram, it is evident that the community has vital services especially so healthcare services, which are provided both in the health center and hospital. The furthest health facility is located only one mile away from the homestead. For the health facilities which are presented in this genogram, there is a reasonable implication to community health of the community. The community awareness of health can easily be conducted. This has also other sub-implications.

The access to health facilities is quick and easy which can help in cubing down the mortality rate arising from both chronic and other emergent ailments. The morbidity rate may be high but due to the closeness to health institutions and healthy ties these cases cannot easily translate into mortality. Most people in the community live adjacent to their relatives with close kinship ties being observed. However, this may encourage sexual relations between these members leading to hereditary diseases. Close ties encourage close relations with strong supportive characters which enhances community health. The absence of many other social institutions in the community is a notable factor as is depicted in the genogram. It might imply how the community is economically inclined ignoring other facets of life, which may pave the way for lifestyle diseases.

Easton PA Community Diagnosis

The scope of the diagnosis

The Easton community is one of the most advanced communities that are found in the United States. This diagnosis has thus been developed basing on extensive assessment of the community by its characteristics and also in the context. Population studies have been extremely resourceful and have formed the bulk of this diagnosis report.

The health status of Easton community

Easton community is one of the most known communities belonging to the state of Pennsylvania. The community has a small population of approximately 28, 000 people. The community is well supplied with basic facilities like water and sanitation which sets a solid basis on which the community can improve its health status. Majority of the population are working and can sustain healthy primary and secondary medical covers. The population is extremely productive with many with low rates of fertility, morbidity and mortality. The presence of efficient and effective healthcare facilities supports the prevalence of a healthy population in the community. Diseases are mostly prevalent in the aging population who mostly suffer from chronic maladies.

Health determinants in the community

The health of the community is based on a number of factors which include the maintenance of a sustainable population and the presence of equipped healthcare providing institutions. Other determinants are the presence of a sustainable economy and supportive socio- economic institution like schools and other social facilities. These enhance awareness and provide a platform for learning and acquainting with health enhancement practices.

Potential for the development of a healthy community

Having studied the health status and practices in the community, it is evident that there is an open room for improvement of community health in the community.

Conclusion

Achieving a healthy community requires a review of healthcare determinants and improving ion where weaknesses are eminent. The Easton community has an enormous potential for improvement of healthcare nursing potential. The improvements will be based on the stable institutional health environment posited in the city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Basavanthappa, T. (2008). Community health nursing. S.l.: Jaypee Brothers Medical P.

Center for Disease Control. (2010) “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report”. Surveillance Summaries, 59(10): pp. 1-221 Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss5910.pdf

Easton, Pennsylvania. (2012) Retrieved from com/city/Easton-Pennsylvania.html”>http://www.city-data.com/city/Easton-Pennsylvania.html

Gallin, J. I., Ognibene, F. P., & ScienceDirect. (2012). Principles and practice of clinical research. London: Elsevier/Academic Press.

Hunt, R. (2008). Introduction to community-based nursing. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Health.

Ivey, A. E., Ivey, M. B., & Zalaquett, C. P. (2010). Intentional interviewing and counseling: Facilitating client development in a multicultural society. Belmont, Calif: Brooks/Cole.

Lundy, K. S., & Janes, S. (2009). Community health nursing: Caring for the public’s health. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Panto, J.S. (2012). City of Easton. Retrieved from http://www.easton-pa.com/index.html

Pennsylvania Department of Health. (2012). Birth, Death and Other Vital Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/health_statistics/14136/birth%2C_death_and_other_vital_statistics/590070

Tulchinsky, T. H., & Varavikova, E. (2009). The new public health. Amsterdam: Elsevier / Academic Press.