NR443 Guidelines for Caring for Populations

Milestone 2: Assessment and Diagnosis

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an opportunity to utilize community assessment strategies, uncover a community health problem, and identify the components of the problem related to the community dynamics.

Course Outcomes

This assignment enables the student to meet the following Course Outcomes.

CO 1. Evaluate the planning of delivery of care to individuals, families, aggregates, and communities in a variety of healthcare settings based on theories and principles of nursing and related disciplines. (PO 1)

CO 2. Integrate clinical judgment in professional decision-making and implementation of the nursing process through analysis of community health nursing practice. (PO 4)

CO 7. Accept accountability for personal and professional development as part of the life-long learning process. (PO 5)

Directions

This paper is expected to be no more than four pages in length (not including the title page and reference list). Typical papers are usually three pages. Below are the requirements for successful completion of this paper.

• Introduction: This should catch the reader’s attention with interesting facts and supporting sources and include the purpose statement of the paper. This should be no more than one or two paragraphs.
• Community: Identify the community by name that you will be using for this paper and provide a brief, general description of the community. Your community should be the area where you live or work. This should be one or two paragraphs.
• Demographic and epidemiological data: Compile a range of demographic (population description) and epidemiological (causes of health problems and death) data for your community by examining census reports, vital statistic reports, city records, morbidity and mortality reports, and other agency sources. Using these data, describe the community and the problem. Compare your community data to state or national data. This comparison will help to identify a community health problem specific to your community. A summary of these data should be no more than one page.
• Windshield survey: Provide a brief summary of the findings from your first assignment. Make sure to discuss elements that link your observations to your identified problem. This should be no more than one or two paragraphs.
• Problem: Using the assessment data, identify the problem that you consider to be a priority concern. Provide a rationale for your choice and relate your choice to one of the Healthy People 2020 specific numbered objectives. Healthy People objectives are located within a topic area under the Objectives page. Your rationale should also include why this is specifically a problem in your community. This should be no more than three paragraphs. Include support of your rationale with at least two scholarly sources such as professional journal articles related to your problem.
• Summary: The summary paragraph of your paper should include a statement about the problem, the population at risk for this problem, and the major direct or indirect factors that contribute to this problem. This information should be no more than one or two paragraphs.
• Reference page: All references cited within the paper should be included on a separate References page.

Guidelines

• Application: Use Microsoft Word 2010™ to create this assignment.
• Use the categories above as APA headings for the sections of your paper.
• Length: This paper is expected to be no more than four pages in length (not including the title page and reference list). Typical papers are three pages.
• Submission: Submit your file via the basket in the Dropbox: Caring for Populations: Assessment and Diagnosis
• Technical writing: APA format is required. Review APA tutorials in Doc Sharing and use the resources of Smarthinking for writing tutors.
• Do not use first person (I, me, my, our) in this paper. Make the community the subject even in your windshield survey summary.
• Save your paper with your last name in the document title (e.g., “Smith Assessment and Diagnosis”).
• Late submission: See the course policy on late submissions.

Best Practices in Preparing the Paper

The following are best practices in preparing this project.

• Complete the demographic, epidemiologic, and windshield survey prior to choosing a problem to focus on.
• Choose a nursing problem specific to your community.
• Make sure all elements of the paper are addressed and headings for each category are included.
• Review directions thoroughly.
• Cite all sources within the paper as well as on the References page.
• Proofread prior to final submission.
• Check for spelling and grammar errors prior to final submission.
• Use the A column of the rubric below to ensure that you have included all the needed elements.
• Abide by the CCN academic integrity policy.

Link to Module 1: Caring for Populations: Milestone1: Community Windshield Survey Form

4 Pages

APA 4 References