Reference no: EM133478318
Assignment: Nursing Assessing Community Health Care Needs Report
Description
Assess the health care needs of a selected community by completing a virtual windshield survey and environmental analysis. Summarize the results of your assessment in a report.
Introduction
Health care must be evidenced-based, effective, efficient, and affordable. It must provide resources that meet the needs of the community as a whole. Nurse leaders must understand and thoroughly evaluate the environment to enable the efficient and equitable allocation of resources.
What is a windshield survey? This is a method of gathering information about the status of a community either from a car or by foot. Conditions and trends in that community which could affect the health of the population are noted and the data provides context for making changes and/or improvements.
What is an environmental analysis? This is an examination of the factors that can impact the health of a community. Examples include air quality, water quality, chemical and/or industrial waste, etc.
What are social determinants of health? These are included as a part of the environmental analysis. There are five domains: economic stability, education quality & accessibility, healthcare quality & accessibility, neighborhood & built environment (human-made surroundings such as parks, green space, buildings/infrastructure), and social and community context (types of settings in which people engage). [Resource: HealthyPeople2030].
Preparation
Executive leaders at Vila Health have asked you to provide them with your assessment of the health conditions in one of the communities served by the Vila Health system. Knowing that a windshield survey is needed to validate any underlying assumptions about the needs of the community and inform evidence-based decision making and strategic planning, you have decided to conduct a first-hand exploration of the community, followed up by an environmental analysis. An environmental analysis examines the factors that can influence the performance of a health care organization, which is important in a rapidly changing health care environment. To prepare for the assessment, you are encouraged to begin thinking about how an environmental analysis and windshield survey contribute to assessing community health care needs. In addition, you may wish to:
Review the assessment requirements and scoring guide to ensure that you understand the work you will be asked to complete.
I. Review Guiding Questions: Assessing Community Health Care Needs [DOCX], which includes questions to consider and additional guidance on how to successfully complete the assessment.
II. Review the Windshield Survey and Environmental Analysis Checklist [DOCX], which includes questions to consider and additional guidance on how to complete the windshield survey and environmental analysis.
III. Vila Health: Environmental Analysis and Windshield Survey.
IV. Vila Health is a virtual environment that simulates a real-world health care system. In the various Vila Health scenarios, you will apply professional strategies, practice skills, and build competencies that you can apply to your coursework and in your career. The information you gather in this scenario will help you to complete the assessment.Templates. Use this template for your community health assessment.
V. Community Health Assessment Template [DOCX].
Task
I. Complete this assessment in two steps: If you have not already done so, complete the Vila Health: Environmental Analysis and Windshield Survey simulation.
i. Review the "Vila Health: Environmental Analysis and Windshield Survey" resource to assist you to complete the assessment.
II. Write your community health assessment including your windshield survey, environmental analysis with social determinants of health, and your summary of findings for the Vila Health Executives.
III. Use Table 1 located in the assessment template to help you organize and document your findings. Include this as an appendix in your document. The community health assessment requirements outlined below, correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide, so be sure to address each point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. The Guiding Questions: Assessing Community Health Care Needs document provides additional considerations that may be helpful in completing your assessment. In addition, be sure to note the requirements below for document format and length and for citing supporting evidence.
A. Assess, via a windshield survey, the general condition and needs of a community from a public health perspective.
B. Analyze the environmental factors affecting population health in a community.
C. Identify the social determinants of health in a community.
D. Summarize windshield survey and environmental analysis findings for executive leaders.
E. Write clearly and concisely in a logically coherent and appropriate form and style.
F. Support findings and conclusions with relevant and credible evidence.