Overview

Prepare a 3-4-page report that describes methods for promoting new health care services in a rural community. In your report, explain evidence-based strategies for an interdisciplinary health care team to work with a diverse rural population, potential barriers to health and wellness for a rural population, and communication strategies and techniques for the interdisciplinary team.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

Competency 1: Explain the principles and practices of highly effective interdisciplinary collaboration.

Recommend communication strategies and techniques for an interdisciplinary health care team working with a rural community population.

Competency 2: Describe the concepts, processes, and tools required to conduct comprehensive health assessments for individuals, families, communities, and populations.

Describe methods for promoting health care delivery services in a rural community.

Explain culturally sensitive evidence-based strategies for working with a diverse rural population.

Competency 3: Explain the internal and external factors that can affect the health of individuals, families, communities, and populations.

Explain potential barriers to health care for a rural community population.

Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with the expectations of a nursing professional.

Write content clearly and logically with correct use of grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.

Correctly format paper, citations, and references using current APA style.

Context

When assessing health individually or within a community, it is important to consider the social aspect. Many issues can affect health, including work and life stressors, as well as cultural beliefs and practices.

We know that lifestyle behaviors affect health; however, from a nursing perspective, the social aspect of health has grown in importance.

The social aspect of a health assessment can be performed through the dimensions of the individuals and their families-and then into the broader sense of their communities and all that those communities entail. Clark and Paraska (2014) outline the theoretical foundations for health-promotion concepts, theories, and models, along with ways to apply them to research and practice.

Reference

Clark, C. C., &Paraska, K. K. (2014). Health promotion for nurses: A practical guide. Burlington, MA. Jones & Bartlett.

Questions to Consider

To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community.

How might a social assessment as part of a community health assessment assist in developing a community health care action plan?

What kind of link exists between lifestyle behaviors and choices, socioeconomic status, and health?

Suggested Resources

The following optional resources are provided to support you in completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom.

Click the links provided below to view the following multimedia pieces:

Social Assessment and Analysis Framework | Transcript.

Assessment Instructions

Imagine your organization has been asked to partner with another health care organization to serve the health care needs of a rural community located a significant distance from the urban area. Each organization will provide a number of health care professionals to work collaboratively to deliver quality health care services that address the needs and concerns of the rural population.

You are one of the professionals selected to participate in this outreach effort. Each member of the outreach team has been asked to develop an action plan from his or her professional perspective. Use the information below to develop your evidence-based community health action plan from the nursing perspective.

Community information for the town of Red Deer Valley and the surrounding farms

Total population of area: 1232.

Economy:

Median household income: $32,020.

Poverty level: 30 percent of the families live at or below poverty level.

Languages:

English speakers: 78 percent of the population speaks English.

Spanish and English speakers: 13 percent of the population speaks Spanish and some English.

Hmong and English speakers: 9 percent of the population speaks Hmong and some English.

Age:

Under 18: 20 percent of the population is under the age of 18.
Over 65: 22 percent of the population is over the age of 65.

Preparation

Search the Capella library and the Internet for peer-reviewed articles or information on professional Web sites about developing collaborative community health care outreach. You will need at least 4 resources to support your work on this assessment.

Directions

Develop an evidence-based community health action plan, from a nursing perspective. Specifically, you must complete the following:

Describe methods for promoting the use of the health care delivery services. In other words, how will you let the community know that health care services are available locally, along with the types of services provided?

Explain culturally sensitive evidence-based strategies for working with this diverse community. (Hint: Consider things such as age, traditional medicine, socioeconomic status, attitude, and so on.)

Explain potential barriers to health and wellness for the community population.

Recommend communication strategies and techniques for the interdisciplinary teams that will be working to improve population health and reduce barriers to preventative health care and disease maintenance. Consider things such as frequency (daily? weekly? as needed?) and method (electronic? paper? face-to-face?)

Format this assessment following current APA style and formatting guidelines, paying close attention to headings and subheadings, paragraph structure, proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Additional Requirements

Include a title page and reference page.

Ensure your assessment is 3-4 pages.

Use double-spaced, 12-pt., Times New Roman font.