Global and Community-Based Nursing

Course Description

This course explores the factors that impact the health of individuals, communities, and populations at the local, national, and global levels. Issues including public health, environmental health, emerging infectious diseases, and chronic illness will be explored, while incorporating societal and cultural issues.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

1. Explain health and development within a global health context. (PLO)
2. Demonstrate an understanding of global demographic and health determinants. (PLO)
3. Identify global health challenges and issues. (PLO)
4. Utilize the process of critical thinking to develop strategies for dealing with social and ethical dilemmas in delivering healthcare in low and middle resource settings. (PLO)
5. Discuss the major communicable and noncommunicable disease burdens impacting global health. (PLO)
6. Discuss programmatic approaches to specific global health issues. (PLO)

Required Materials

Stanhope, M. & Lancaster, J. (2016). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community. (9th ed.). Maryland Heights, MO: Elsevier. ISBN: 978-0323321532

Welcome to NUR 378: Global and Community-Based Nursing

This subject introduces you to the foundational principles of epidemiology and the processes utilized to perform a health assessment on a community as “client.” Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease in populations. Today, public health science of epidemiology has made major contributions to the understanding of all possible factors that contribute to health and disease in all its forms. This understanding makes up the framework for the practice of nursing in public health. This topic will focus on basic epidemiological models that nurses use to assess the dimensions of health in a community. What do you already know about assessing aspects of health in a community setting? You will apply the nursing process steps of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation to a community. The Community Health Nurse’s assessment creates an understanding of the community at the individual, family, and group levels in order to solve identified problems. Tools that are utilized to study a community include Windshield Surveys, data from Healthy People 2030, data from sites such as City-Data.com, and local hospitals Community Assessments.

ASSIGNMENT

Reflect on one of Dr. Jean Watson’s 10 Caritas and describe how that Caritas is incorporated into the role of the Community Health Nurse within a global health context. From a Community Health Nurses perspective, include your thoughts on how global demographic and social health determinants play incorporate caring by the Community Health Nurse.

• Length: Minimum of 350 words
• Format: APA 7th Edition

The Caritas Processes

#1: Practicing Loving-Kindness, Compassion and Equanimity Toward Self and Others

#2: Being Authentically Present: Enabling Faith/Hope/Belief System; Honoring Subjective Inner Life-World of Self and Others

#3: Cultivating One’s Own Spiritual Practices; Deepening Self-Awareness; Going Beyond Ego-Self

#4: Developing and Sustaining a Helping/Trusting Authentic Caring Relationship

#5: Being Present to, and Supportive of, the Expression of Positive and Negative Feelings

#6: Creatively Problem-Solving, ‘Solution Seeking’  Through Caring Process

#7: Engaging in Transpersonal Learning Within Context of Caring Relationship; Staying Within Others’ Frame of Reference

#8: Creating a Healing Environment at All Levels

#9: Assisting with Basic Needs as Sacred Acts, Touching Mind/Body/Spirit of Others; Sustaining Human Dignity

#10: Opening to Spiritual, Mystery and Unknowns; Allowing for Miracles