Health delivery systems and resources available at the global, national, state

  Nurses must be able to knowledgeably plan services for individuals, families and the community. In order to effectively plan, it is essential that you assess the current health status of the community and its resources. Assessment may include the following strategies: Mining of health data bases, windshield or walking surveys, and more formal quantitative and qualitative research investigations involving community members and other stakeholders. A “windshield survey” is conducted from a car and provides a visual overview of a community (may also be done as a walking survey). Conditions and trends in the community that could affect the health of the population (social determinants) are noted. Most surveys of this type must be validated and expanded through data mining of available online and other databases of demographic and health-related statistics. Evidence collected during a formal community assessment forms the basis for planning to improve the health status of the community, which impacts individuals’ health downstream. Objectives: At the end of this activity, the student will be able to: 1. Identify social determinants of health present in assigned community (socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood and physical environment, employment, social support networks). 2. Identify healthcare resources that are available in the community. 3. Analyze actual health of the assigned community, utilizing resources to gather vital statistics, such as morbidity and mortality data. 4. Create a list of strengths and weaknesses of the community. 5. Prioritize weaknesses to identify the highest priority need of the community. 6. Identify community resources (actual, available resources or proposed resources) to address the highest priority problem. 7. Share community assessment and analysis in a formal, group presentation. Course Outcomes This activity aligns with several of the course outcomes as stated below: 1. Examine health delivery systems and resources available at the global, national, state, and local levels. 2. Examine effective methods for health promotion and health maintenance for individuals, families, and communities at every stage of development. 3. Analyze the environmental, biological, and psychosocial risk factors for disease and disability.