NUR 513 Topic 3 DQ 1 Identify a population that you will likely serve as an advanced registered nurse that you think is particularly vulnerable to issues of health disparities/inequity
NUR 513 Topic 3 DQ 1 Identify a population that you will likely serve as an advanced registered nurse that you think is particularly vulnerable to issues of health disparities/inequity
Identify a population that you will likely serve as an advanced registered nurse that you think is particularly vulnerable to issues of health disparities/inequity. Discuss the contribution of your particular specialty to health promotion and disease prevention for this population. How do issues of diversity and global perspectives of care contribute to your understanding of health equity as it relates to this population?
As a nurse educator, I will most likely be pursuing an instructor position for nursing students. Students can be particularly vulnerable to health disparities and/or inequities. Nursing school is no easy task, and the teaching about selfcare and daily health habits must be incorporated into the curriculum for optimal performance within the classroom and clinical settings. Facilitating learning in a healthy environment can help set up the nursing student with a positive vantage point to pursue high quality patient care.
Re: Topic 3 DQ 1
My target population as an informatics nurse would be children. Children have been designated as a vulnerable group in our healthcare system since they are unable to consent on their own and are subject to conditions beyond their control (economic, financial, access to healthcare, abuse, exploitation, etc.). There is an increased health risk connected with the lack of pediatric research because of the concerns mentioned (Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, 2016).
Because of the legality of consent, the willingness to participate in research, and the cognitive ability to recognize any potential risk involved with the research, pediatric groups are understudied. Health determinates and health metrics within a population are essential markers of how healthcare should evolve in terms of preventative actions and education (DeNisco & Barker, 2016).
This necessitates quantifying the effectiveness of preventative health measures, programs, and education (DeNisco & Barker, 2016). An informatics nurse can make a substantial contribution to data quantification, technological advancement, and health-care delivery (AMIA, 2020).
In terms of global perspective and diversity, the United States continues to see population growth and increased diversity as a result of immigration. In California, I primarily work with Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and Middle Eastern ethnic minorities. I’m sure we’ve all seen how this can impede access to health care and how nursing care is delivered. Minorities with low incomes and/or language barriers often have less access to healthcare and poorer health outcomes, according to DeNisco and Barker (2016, p.580).
Health disparities among minorities become an even greater challenge when dealing with an already vulnerable pediatric population. In terms of health equity, initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act have helped to close some gaps, but we still have a long way to go. Western medicine is heavily reliant on the physician model of treatment, in which everything is predicated on a diagnosis. However, as our country grows, so does the need for cultural competency and sensitivity, as well as caring for the patient as a whole, including cultural and spiritual needs, rather than just their illness (Watson, 2008).
Also Check Out: NUR 513 Topic 4 DQ 2 Select two different nursing theories and describe how they relate to patient care
References
American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA). (2020, April 14). Nursing informatics in the times of COVID-19: Achievements, challenges, and new ideas. AMIA COVID-19 Webinar series. https://www.amia.org/sites/default/files/AMIA-COVID19-Webinar-Series-NIWG-ANI-Clinical-Informatics-3.pdf
DeNisco, S. M., & Barker, A. M. (2016). Advanced practice nursing: Essential knowledge for the profession (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. (2016). Vulnerable populations in safeguarding children: Pediatrics medical countermeasure research.https://bioethicsarchive.georgetown.edu/pcsbi/sites/default/files/6%20Vulnerable%20Populations%20Safeguarding%20Children%209.30.16.pdf
Watson, J. (2008). Nursing: The philosophy and science of caring (Rev. ed). Boulder, CO: University Press of Colorado.
RESPOND HERE (150 WORDS, 2 REFERENCES)
This is insightful, Gina; nurse informatics play significant roles in the management of pediatric care. Given that children are vulnerable to diseases and different complications, there is always the need to rely on the previous data and information to initiate
effective care (American Nurses Association, 2015). Additionally, given that children cannot provide consent to the treatment processes, there is always the need to help them deal with circumstances beyond their control. Children often need quality care, and this calls for specialized interventions coupled with research and evidence-based practices.
Therefore, informatics nurses, with their high-level technical roles, are able to use data and technology to monitor, the program carefully, and develop effective patient care initiatives to enhance treatment and general care for the patients (Grover, Sharma, & Mehra, 2020). Pediatric studies are critical, especially when it comes to the enhancement of primary care. However, in reality, pediatric populations are understudied due to the legality of consent and lack of cognitive abilities to understand any form of perceived risk associated with the research processes.
References
American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practice. Retrieved from: http://mtshohoe.edu.gh/library/index.php?p=show_detail&id=855&keywords=
Grover, S., Sharma, N., & Mehra, A. (2020). Stigma for Mental Disorders among Nursing Staff in a Tertiary Care Hospital. Journal of neurosciences in rural practice, 11(2), 237–244. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0040-1702916
Re: Topic 3 DQ 1
The population that is vulnerable to issues of health disparities that I would like to focus on is patients with mental health disabilities. As an advanced registered nurse focusing on health care quality and patient safety, it is my duty to address mental issues related to safety in the same degree as physical ailments. There are a lot of patients with mental illness that do not seek medical care because of fear of rejection. Among the various factors, which influence help seeking, stigma, discrimination, social prejudice, and negligence are considered to be important factors which prevent mental health care and treatment (Grover, et al., 2020).
In order to address the health promotion and disease prevention for this population, it is important to first eradicate the stigma towards them. Stigma toward mentally ill people not only originates in general public but also among health care professionals (Grover, et al., 2020). An example is when we had a homeless patient come in the hospital frequently asking for anxiolytics to help calm down. Some staff thought of this person as “drug-seeking”, but in reality, he suffered from anxiety disorder and PTSD from a prior traumatic experience.
This is a common misconception among psychiatric patients. In order to prevent worsening of symptoms, he should receive the appropriate care that he deserves. Incorporating quality of service such as medical screening evaluation performed by a qualified provider, educating him about his medical problems and prescribing medications appropriate for his symptoms and diagnosis are forms of health promotion. Prevention in this case includes suicide risk screening and providing resources for support groups.
Health equity should be globally addressed because every human deserves quality care and treatment. Though there may be diversities in socio-economic status, cultural background, religion, and ethnicity, there should be no room for inequity. It is every one’s fundamental right to achieve health and wellness. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care (Braveman, et al., 2017).
References
Braveman, P. (2017). What is health equity? Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2017/05/what-is-health-equity-.html
Grover, S., Sharma, N., & Mehra, A. (2020). Stigma for Mental Disorders among Nursing Staff in a Tertiary Care Hospital. Journal of neurosciences in rural practice, 11(2), 237–244. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0040-1702916
RESPOND HERE (150 WORDS, 2 REFERENCES)
This is insightful, Maria; there are increased cases of mental illnesses in the healthcare systems. In the United States, one in five adults suffers from mental health problems; in other words, over 43.8 million people are diagnosed with mental health problems every year (Hai et al., 2020). There are also serious cases of mental health problems where one in twenty-five people are affected in a given single year. Also, there are many patients with mental illness who do not seek medical care because of fear of rejection.
Advanced registered nurses, with their research skills, are able to undertake evidence-based practice processes to identify the best strategies that can be employed to enhance the management of patients suffering from mental health problems. Also, advanced registered nurses have the capability of reducing the stigma associated with mental health problems. Stigma toward mentally ill people not only originates in the general public but also among health care professionals (Shim & Compton, 2018).
References
Hai, A. H., Lee, C. S., Oh, S., Vaughn, M. G., Piñeros-Leaño, M., Delva, J., & Salas-Wright, C. P. (2020). Trends and correlates of Internet support group participation for mental health problems in the United States, 2004–2018. Journal of psychiatric research, 132, 136-143. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022395620310153
Shim, R. S., & Compton, M. T. (2018). Addressing the social determinants of mental health: If not now, when? If not us, who?. Psychiatric Services, 69(8), 844-846. Retrieved from: https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ps.201800060
Re: Topic 3 DQ 1
The current focus of healthcare in the United States remains on the curative model, which focuses on disease treatment and illness cure. This is typically a physician-taught acute care approach to human health. Changing the perspective, the holistic model provides a balanced approach to considering a person’s mental, social, and spiritual health in addition to physical health. This naturally leads the holistic practitioner to provide preventative and maintenance care to the individual in addition to curative care (Barker and DeNisco, 2016).
The uninsured population, which includes everyone from older adults to adolescents and newborns, suffers greatly from the curative approach. Because of the scarcity of health insurance in relation to one’s ability to spend money on this economic “good,” our country’s uninsured population does not always have access to the best medical treatment, whether preventative, curative, or maintenance (Barker and DeNisco, 2016). This vulnerable population in the acute care arena is certainly deserving of careful consideration and strategic planning to ensure access to health care services when the inequalities of the uninsured appear insurmountable at times.
The uninsured patient population is a frequent customer for the advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who works as a nurse administrator in the acute care setting. With chronic conditions like diabetes, heart failure, and renal disease on the rise and thus claiming the title of the leading causes of death in the United States, nurse administrators are being called to action now more than ever to advocate for and provide equitable care for these populations while maintaining a successful business model that allows the hospital to remain open and accessible to the public (Barker and DeNisco, 2016).
To effectively promote health and wellness, as well as disease prevention, to the uninsured, the nurse administrator must address not only the acute needs of patients who enter their facility, but also plan for preventing these sometimes acute-on-chronic conditions before they arrive. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, uninsured populations vary in age, race, and socioeconomic status (ODPHP). Nonetheless, this vulnerable population is more likely to visit the ER frequently, die prematurely, and have poor overall health (2021).
Through collaboration with policymakers, preventative services, and emergency medical services, the nurse leader’s role is to advocate for this population’s access to medical providers. Despite the fact that access to care is frequently based on deeper disparities such as residential location, the nurse administrator may advocate for an innovation such as telehealth visits in the hopes of removing barriers to quality care delivery (ODPHP, 2021).
Diversity issues and global perspectives on care help me understand health equity in a variety of ways as it relates to the uninsured population. First, according to the international concept of social justice, access to all areas of healthcare is a social resource and a human right. This includes a social approach to addressing medical care costs, the use of public health problem-solving measures to combat prevalent chronic health conditions, and, at its core, a collective agreement to work for the greater good of our society (Barker and DeNisco, 2016).
Moving forward, the emphasis on curative treatment and inpatient care has no significant impact on total community health; thus, a collaborative approach involving all stakeholders – inpatient leaders, community health leaders, public policymakers, local leadership, and federal leadership – must come to the table on a regular basis to discuss and execute the most meaningful way to improve the community’s quality of life, overall health, and resilience (Barker and DeNisco, 2016).
This is very insightful, Kristi; the uninsured often have difficulty accessing quality medical services. In most cases, they must pay more for the services provided to them. Health insurance is necessary because it allows individuals to plan for their treatment plans. Most uninsured people in the United States have at least one worker in their family. Furthermore, low-income families are more likely to be uninsured (Van Der Steen et al., 2015).
Given that medical plans do not favor other populations, new strategies for ensuring that different populations are covered in insurance plans are always required. With their advanced skills and knowledge in healthcare processes, advanced registered nurses can determine the best strategies for managing the population of uninsured patients. Uninsured people range in age, race, and socioeconomic status (Wouk et al., 2020). Nonetheless, this vulnerable population is more likely to visit the emergency room frequently, die prematurely, and have overall poor health.
References
Van Der Steen, A., Knudsen, A. B., Van Hees, F., Walter, G. P., Berger, F. G., Daguise, V. G., … & Lansdorp‐Vogelaar, I. (2015). Optimal Colorectal Cancer Screening in States’ Low‐Income, Uninsured Populations—The Case of South Carolina. Health services research, 50(3), 768-789. Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1475-6773.12246
Wouk, K., Morgan, I., Johnson, J., Tucker, C., Carlson, R., Berry, D. C., & Stuebe, A. M. (2020). A Systematic Review of Patient-, Provider-, and Health System-Level Predictors of Postpartum Health Care Use by People of Color and Low-Income and/or Uninsured Populations in the United States. Journal of Women’s Health. Retrieved from: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jwh.2020.8738
Health disparities in the United States have been extensively documented. Healthy disparities emerge because of social, economic and environmental disadvantages. To the end, the African Americans form part of the disadvantaged groups, and they are vulnerable in the aspect of health disparity. Studies show that many African Americans do not have health insurance, have challenges in accessing healthcare services and are more affected by certain health conditions as compared to other groups such as the whites (Bell et al., 2020).
Thus, the population that I will serve as an advanced registered nurse are the African Americans. The role that will be played in this population as a family nurse practitioner.
The population health of the country will greatly benefit if underserved persons have efficient and affordable access to primary care. Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) may be particularly important in providing people who need it most with high-quality primary care and health education. The FNP role is vast, but it also fits well with the new healthcare requirements for underprivileged populations (Ortiz et al., 2018). FNPs are prepared to provide primary care, make diagnoses, and write prescriptions for drugs as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).
Additionally, they might be given full practice power by state law, which would allow them to operate independently without direct medical supervision. Together, a FNP’s clinical skills and the expansion of their complete practice authority are effective instruments for getting the primary care services that underserved populations require.
Furthermore, healthcare disparities have causative effects on diversity and global care perspectives. Diversity has an important role to play in the realization of health equity because of the increase in minority groups (Zhang et al., 2019). Statistics show that many groups in the society will be minorities with the African Americans being a major part of that. This therefore calls for an increase in diversity among the healthcare providers to address the issue of inequality.
Moreover, the global health perspective demands that there be an increase in diversity among the healthcare providers to ensure that the diverse healthcare population can access care services without any form of prejudice. The existence of diversity and global perspectives is therefore important because it influences the development of cultural competence among healthcare providers, and this improves equity for the different minority groups such as the African Americans.
References
Bell, C. N., Sacks, T. K., Thomas Tobin, C. S., & Thorpe, R. J. (2020). Racial non-equivalence of socioeconomic status and self-rated health among African Americans and whites. SSM – Population Health, 10, 100561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100561
Ortiz, J., Hofler, R., Bushy, A., Lin, Y.-ling, Khanijahani, A., & Bitney, A. (2018). Impact of nurse practitioner practice regulations on rural population health outcomes. Healthcare, 6(2), 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare6020065
Zhang, H., De, T., Zhong, Y., & Perera, M. A. (2019). The advantages and challenges of diversity in pharmacogenomics: Can minority populations bring us closer to implementation? Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 106(2), 338–349. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpt.1491