...A Healthy Community There are infinite details and particulars that come to mind when a person begins to think of a healthy community, but the most important ones that I can see are being able to strongly provide social, economic, and developmental solutions and relief while also having the ability to feel safety within these certain areas. People are not always going to agree on the details within these certain areas, but these seem to be the basic necessities for a community maintaining self-sustainability. Before any of these solutions can be addressed there first must be an overall mind state of being a community, or in other words, everyone in it together, as a whole. The CDC states on their website that " a community that is continuously creating and improving those physical and social environment and expanding those community resources that enable people to mutually support each other in performing all the functions of life and in developing to their maximum potential."[“About Healthy Places.”] The community in which I live in surely does not meet these solutions mentioned perfectly, but the feeling of everyone on the same page is defiantly there, so there is hope and a good base on which to begin the changes necessary. Communities that are successful need to consist of strong social networks able to provide ways for people to meet, interact, build relationships, and have the ability to choose what religious sect they want to be a part of. I feel that people will...
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...A healthy community is a place where people can thrive both physically and socially, reaching their full potential. In these communities health promotion is adopted, and every member works at maintaining a healthy lifestyle free from injury, illness, and disease. These communities improve the quality of life of their inhabitants by providing its members with healthy, available, accessible, and affordable options. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). These communities invest “in proven prevention programs and policy changes that make it easier to make healthier choices, like smoke-free restaurants and workplaces, affordable access to fresh healthy foods, and safe places to be active in neighborhoods and communities.” (HealthySD.gov, 2010). Healthy communities have a lot in common. These communities “embrace the belief that health is more than merely an absence of disease; [and that] it includes those elements that enable people to maintain a high quality of life and productivity.” (HealthySD.gov, 2010). These communities are continuously evolving to meet the needs of their inhabitants and provide the healthiest lifestyle possible. They provide a healthy environment including; clean air, proper sanitation, clean water, land maintained, education, and health promotion. There are many different views on what the ideal healthy community is and how to obtain it. If I was providing care to a community that did not match my idea of a healthy community, I would voice...
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...My idea of a healthy community is a community in which people take care of one another by reaching out, making sure that those around them have what they need to get by, and where those who have more or are well do more to help those in need. By definition, “A healthy community is one in which residents are happy with their choice of location and which exhibits characteristics that would draw others to the location” (Maurer 394) Going on to state that members of these healthy communities are also functional for their age, the community is safe, the air is clean, the water is safe to drink, there are good schools, the people in general are well taken care of by the area around them (Maurer 394) If I felt that my idea of a healthy community was in matching my communities definition of a healthy community I would provide care to my community by making a larger effort to become involved in my communities legislative processes and maintaining and active influence on the politics in my area. By voting, being a regular member of local political committees, and attending legislative day’s for nurses I would make sure my voice was heard in a way that would benefit those needing holistic and comprehensive care in my community. References: Wiltgen, L. (2011). Community/Public Health Nursing [Lecture notes]. Retrieved from.https://lcugrad1.gcu.edu/learningPlatform/user/users.html?operation=loggedIn#/ learningPlatform/loudBooks/loudbooks.html?viewPage=past&operation=inner...
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...Base on the expert committee report on community health nursing of the World Health Organization “A community is a social group determined by the geographic boundaries and/ or common values and interests. Its members know and interact with one another. It functions within a particular social structure and exhibits and creates norms, values and social institutions” World Health Organization (WHO), 1974, p.7). However, the direct, hands-on clinical nursing care delivered to individuals or families in a community setting as a whole is the target and the intended of the nursing practice in community health. Community health on the other hand according to the reference book is the meeting of collective needs by identifying problems and managing behaviors within the community itself and between the community and the larger society. It emphasizes the process dimension and also includes the dimensions of status and structure (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2008). The approach of looking at the care of the client in all dimension guides the nurse to think upstream and identify risks that could be prevented. The author’s subjective perspective is that it is easier said than done, one being that there is a popular misconception that by providing health care makes a healthy population in my opinion. Another point to consider is that we are caring for a culturally diverse population. Caring for the culturally diverse groups has been a focus of nursing from its beginning. As early as 1893, under...
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...My idea of a healthy community is one where there are low crime rates and good physical and emotional health. A healthy community should promote well-being of its inhabitants in various ways such as: strong social networks, clean water, pollution-free air, affordable quality healthcare, and great schools. A healthy community is one that promotes well-being by encouraging its residents to screen for illnesses for prevention to avoid the burden of chronic disease. Education campaign should be organized to sensitize people about the most common illnesses and educate them on how to avoid them to achieve a better life. Resident should be aware of resources available to them in their community, allowing them to feel safe. In my opinion, there is a strong relationship between healthy people and strong communities. I consider the community I live in – Phoenix, Arizona - a fairly healthy community overall, compared to most. There has been an improvement in air quality since the ban of smoking in all public areas about five years ago. The community offers a multitude of hospitals and great schools districts at walking distance for residents of each community. There is also a variety of public parks and recreation areas accessible to the general public at no cost of a very small fee. But more needs to be done when it comes to the general health of the residents of Phoenix: obesity continues to be a huge problem in my community. According to Men’s Fitness Magazine (mensfitness.com, 2012)...
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...Online Participation Leading to Successful Students and Healthy Learning Communities Amanda Grand Canyon University: UNV 501 April 8, 2014 Online Participation Leads to Successful Students and Healthy Learning Communities Enrollment for online courses is climbing but the input from participants is not keeping up. For years, many have stated that active participation and becoming a part of the learning community in any educational setting is crucial, especially online, when it comes to successful completion. Participation is beneficial to the student, to the students’ grades, and to the learning community as a whole. The authors sought after evidence to show, “the importance of student online visibility apparent in the quantity and quality of participation” (Nagel, Blignaut, & Cronjé, 2009, 38). The study was conducted on a computer-integrated education Masters course that was 8 weeks long (Nagel et al., 2009). The course was presented fully online and consisted of students of varying age ranges. Reaserchers then chose a mixed methodology while conducting this research. This choice allowed them to explore various aspects within the course such as, students’ posts, online quizes, discusion posts, and exmination essays (Nagel et al., 2009). Many factors, for example, the amount of times participants accessed the course and discussions played a role in course completion and integration into the learing community (Nagel et al., 2009). Those who rarely were visible...
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...A healthy community to me is where most people know each other and look out for each other, you know your neighbor kids and they know yours, if a stranger is in the area everybody knows it, if a strange car drives thru, someone will notice and keep an eye on it, People can be trusted to check on your house while you are on vacation, that is another example of a good community. It’s a place where there is no violence, if a problem arises everybody sits down and talks it out, no secrets. A healthy community works together to make an evaluation on programs to promote a healthy environment .To make needed local, national and global strategies. To met demands on prevention to stop abuse and violence. To have a common purpose to promote community and public health. Learn and discover how to keep a community healthy. To help the town have a common vision. To assure parents that their children will not be turned away if they need to see a doctor. Things that healthy communities have in common are: Social Networks: A healthy community has strong social networks that offer mutual support opportunities, facilitates social exchange, and the sharing of skills, resources, and assets.(Bruce 2011) Physical Assets: A healthy community has physical assets, such as buildings, parks, commercial, and other public spaces that are safe, clean, and comfortable, and provide opportunities for interaction and exchange. The physical assets of the community are aesthetically pleasing and offer the community...
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...Nurs 427 dq 1-1 What is your idea of a healthy community? Provide specific examples. What do healthy communities have in common? How would you provide care for a community if your idea of a healthy community does not match your community's definition of a healthy community? Maurer & Smith (2009), stated, “A healthy community is one in which residents are happy with their choice of location and which exhibits characteristics that would draw others to their location. The majority of community residents are relatively functional for their age and health status” (p. 394). My idea of a healthy community is to live by a good school district and most people want to move to this area, and no homeless people on the major streets that are begging for money. As cited in National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) 2013, the healthy community characteristics included the following: Equity, a strong economy& employment opportunities, health care & preventive health services, housing/shelter, opportunities for active living, transportation, access to healthy food, a stable and sustainable ecosystem & environment, safety, education, an empowered population, healthy child development, and healthy public policy (NNPHI, 2013). NNPHI further stated, “These healthy community characteristics most often mentioned are not directly related to physical health. They are what we now call the social determinants of health, such as employment opportunities...
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...Community Health Nursing Reflection NUR/405 2012 Diane Schlicke RN MSN Community Health Nursing Reflection The role of the community health nurse in the participating family’s community is to focus on the health needs of the aggregate or group. Community health nursing refers to a systematic, comprehensive focus on wellness, health protection, and disease, and injury prevention for the population residing in a specific area. The nurse functions as advocate, case manager, consultant, health care provider, educator, and collaborator with other agencies for healthy outcomes of the entire community. Nurses involved in the health of a specific community such as the family participating will assess the members living in the demographic area, and monitor the environment for potential predisposing factors that may lead to illness. The conclusion of the community assessment by the nurse directs, which types of services required to maintain the health of the population. The nurse may determine that preventive health care will benefit the community, (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). The initiation or campaign for infant and children vaccinations may be a priority in this community because the 30 to 50 age range of adults who may be childbearing. The community’s amenities for maintaining a healthy lifestyle are vast. Walking trails, bike paths, ice skating rink, and playing fields offer recreational activities that will appeal to most of the population. Informational sessions for...
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...Persuasive Letter Nur/ 405 May 2012 Persuasive Letter Dear Editor, Recently I have done a windshield survey of the community of Vale and an assessment on a family and would like to bring to your attention about a health problem that is affecting both groups. Vale has a host of health problems which includes drug and alcohol use, but the one that I am addressing is obesity. The Friedman family assessment done on the family I chose also cooks in a lot of grease and carbohydrate that is affecting their family’s health. This indicates to me that these unhealthy choices need to be addressed because the family may be at risk for heart disease. Both the community and the family are at risk for health problems that are related to obesity. This problem is related to the culture of the people in the community which is similar to the culture of the family. I am writing to you as a member of the Vale community and a healthcare professional that has worked with the family at risk. I am confident that with proper knowledge and adequate resources in place, both groups would benefit by learning how to incorporate what they learn in their daily activities and how to make healthy food choices. The National institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, (2011), states that “obesity refers to an excessive amount of adipose tissue and occurs when more calories are consumed than burned; energy balance is tipped toward weight gain, overweight, and obesity.” Some people...
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...Community Health Nursing Reflection NUR/405 August 7, 2012 Community Health Nursing Reflection According to Phyllis Meadows (2009), “Community health nurses are valued for their adaptability and willingness to provide care in many settings, including community health clinics, churches, homeless shelters, and schools,” (p. 19). Community health nurses aim to improve health outcomes and improve the infrastructure used to monitor and manage disease within the community. Healthy People 2020 has established benchmarks and monitored progress over time to improve health outcomes. Each community has unique needs and the role of the community health nurse is to work with and provide comprehensive care to patients within the community. This reflection addresses the role of the community health nurse with the participating family and their community in Spring Mills, Pennsylvania. Community health nurses working in the Spring Mills, PA are faced with numerous challenges in this small rural community. Construction and manufacturing account for 42% of the industry of Spring Mills. With these professions comes increased risk of work related injuries and illnesses. Educational services account for only 3% of the industry, wholesale and retail trade account for 10%, accommodation and food services 15%, and 30% account for a combination of professional, scientific, and technical services. Community health nurses play a role in ensuring safety in the workplace by creating and implementing...
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...Colorado’s Access to Fresh Food Draft Access to affordable and nutritious food has become a topic of interest to the residents of Colorado. Food deserts, as defined by the Nutrition Digest, are “parts of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas. This is largely due to a lack of grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and healthy food providers” (Gallagher). Areas of Colorado such as this exist in largely rural and urban or low-income neighborhoods throughout the state. In these underserved communities, the issue lies with the ability to reasonably travel to get fresh food and the, often, non-existent retail food presence. In an article published by International Health Geographics, authors Joseph Sharkey, et al. explain that “Individual and community concerns with food security, limited access to supermarkets, higher costs for food (food...
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...PERSPECTIVES IN COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION Assessing a Targeted Family applying the MAP-IT steps Glen Williams Access the areas of greatest need in your community; in this case, assisting your target family to access health care, as well as the resources and other strengths that you can tap into in order to address those areas. Incorporate the goals of Health People 2010 when feasible. Overarching Goals * Attain high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death. * Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all groups. * Create social and physical environments that promote good health for all. * Promote quality of life, healthy development, and healthy behaviors across all life stages. INTRODUCTION The MAP-IT approach is a step-by-step, structured plan devised to tailor one's community needs and improve the health of a community. To increase the quality and years of healthy living for all Americans and to eliminate disparities in health status, individuals and communities must works together to make certain the benefits of health are available to all. There are five steps in the MAP-IT process. The second step in building a healthier community is to assess the greatest needs of the community with the goal determining what you want to improve. . Assessing a Targeted Family applying the MAP-IT steps The second step in building a healthier community is to assess...
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...My idea of a healthy community is what my spouse and I looked for when we were looking to buy a house. Some place where there are resources available for the essentials of living (clothing, food), one that has a good school system, and a place where you can tell other people want to live (not someplace everyone is trying to get out of). A place where I can raise my children and feel safe, where my children would be able to go outside to play without having to worry about them all the time. A place that has clean air (no pollution), one where there is good health care available (hospital, physician), safe water (tested regularly), and has a low tax rate (making cost of living more affordable). If my idea of a healthy community did not match the community’s idea of a healthy community, first I would have to look at the community from the people of the community’s eyes. Everybody’s ideas of a healthy community may not be identical; this does not mean both are incorrect. First I would need to look at the security of the community (what the crime rate is). If the crime rate is high work with community leaders to help develop community action groups (neighborhood watch) permitting people to assistance themselves so the community does not feel that somebody from the outside is trying to come in and take over. Developing a form of health care available for the population that is in the most need close to where they live is something that could be done. Not feeling safe can be...
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...Community Health and Population-Focused Nursing Hillsborough County, Florida is the 4th largest county in Florida. It is comprised of 1,048 square miles of land and 24 square miles of inland water area for a total of 1,072 square miles located midway along the west coast of Florida. It has a diverse culture of people cohabitating in a large community. Assessing the community allows you to see a broader picture of diversity and layers of multicultural issues that affect the community as a whole. Population Economic Status Assessment Hillsborough County is an average sized county for all intents and purposes with a population of approximately 1,316,298 people. The county is also average in income levels with the average household income of $49,596 and only 16.8% of this population being at or below poverty level and 83.2% above the poverty level. Isolating ethnicity, it is the Native Americans with the highest percentage of “poor” individuals 29.8% and African Americans second at 27.7%. Approximately 3% of the population is receiving public assistance in various forms. are receiving assistance in one way or another. According to the Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative there are approximately, 1,931 people living without a fixed residence in the county. This number is slightly down from 2014 numbers of 1,944. The majority race in Hillsborough County is Caucasian at 75.6%, followed by Hispanic or Latino at 26% and African...
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