The role of the community health nurse is vital in reducing mortality rates and increasing health and wellness within their community. The primary role of the community health nurse is to provide treatment to patients who live in the community. Community health nurses implement care that involves evidenced-based research and advancing sciences while taking into consideration the communities cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. The goal of community health nurses is to promote and protect the health of those who live within their communities by providing direct patient care, conducting research to improve healthcare, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and educating the community on disease prevention (The Nurse’s Role in Community Health: NSU Online, 2017). Community health nurses evaluate the care that is provided to the people within the community while taking into consideration new evidence-based practices that can improve overall patient care.

Community health nurses have an important role in offering education to its members, which allows them to continuously maintain a healthy lifestyle. They plan education assemblies, hand out informative fliers, conduct health screenings, administer immunizations and dispense medication to people within the community (The Nurse’s Role in Community Health: NSU Online, 2017). Community health nurses play a vital role in controlling the amount of people who obtain health issues.

It’s important to appraise community resources as part of a community assessment because it gives the nurses a better understanding of the community they will serve. Appraising community resources allows community health nurses to evaluate areas that need improvement. Evaluating the community resources allows a visualization of the needs of a community. After the needs are detected, and data is collected, community health nurses can use evidence-based practice to implement strategies to help improve the overall wellness that resides within their community. Community resources are important in population health promotion because they provide a means for the community members to better their overall health. The amount of community resources that are available have a direct effect on the health of a society.

Reference:

( September 20, 2017). The Nurse’s Role in Community Health: NSU Online.  Retrieved from: https://nursingonline.nsuok.edu/articles/rnbsn/nurses-role-in-community-health.aspx

Explain the role of the community health nurse in partnership with community stakeholders for population health promotion. Explain why it is important to appraise community resources (nonprofit, spiritual/religious, etc.) as part of a community assessment and why these resources are important in population health promotion.

In a community environment, community health nursing, also called public health nursing or community nursing, blends primary health care and nursing practice. Community health (CH) nurses provide families or populations with health services, preventive care, intervention, and health education. Public health nursing is the practice of promoting and protecting the health of communities using nursing, social, and public health knowledge, according to the American Public Health Association (2013).

As part of community assessment, it is important to assess history, culture, economics, spiritual, beliefs and values. Such separate and interdependent relationships establish a context in which community members feel belonging. Evaluation and examination of social experiences, shared interests, goals, and various other attributes helps determine health status and health needs.

American Public Health Association. (2013). The definition and practice of public health nursing. Retrieved from https://www.apha.org/~/media/files/pdf/membergroups/phn/nursingdefinition.ashx