Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example
Introduction
The 21st century has seen health care experience a wind of change in making assessment of the community more than ever before as a tool for health care professionals endeavoring to assist the community in context push themselves towards high level wellness. Notably, the natural consequences of the said changes is limited medical care, imposed self- responsibility for health promotion and disease prevention. The consequences have moved the locus of control for health management back to the community with the community’s teachings, modelling, and interactions having a major impact on the patient’s health. Suffice it to say that variances in community views have significant impact on views towards healthcare, their readiness to realize, observe, and regulate the progression of sickness. Essentially, they consider that health is holistic and that there exists an undeniable link between the body, mind, and soul. A community’s beliefs influence the basis of sickness, appearance of and interaction of health problems and how the community members seek healthcare services. Subsequently, Gordon’s functional health patterns while modelled to provide a holistic model for assessment of at the family level can also be modified to become the functional health patterns community assessment guide. As an assessment tool, the Functional Health Pattern Template comprising of 11 subheadings can be used to organize community assessment data in combination with a Windshield Survey. By definition, a windshield survey refers to an informal survey where the health professional drives around the community or area they are researching and record their observations in using objective data and not their subjective evaluation of the same. Consequently, this essay purposes to compile the key findings following an interview with the nurse manager of the adolescent behavioral unit at a hospital in Las Vegas City. The interview’s outcome is to set up a brief presentation to the unit on hand hygiene.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Background the Community Assessment and Analysis Presentation
During the community assessment and subsequent interview, the nurse researcher has selected the community of Las Vegas City, where the focus group is a group of teenagers (between the ages of 13 and 19 years) admitted to a Behavioral Health Hospital. This community was selected because it is the place where I, the nurse researcher lives. This is the community that I have performed a physical assessment using the Functional Health Patterns Community Assessment Guide. After completing the Provider Interview Acknowledgement Form (herein submitted separately in its respective drop box, I developed the interview questions to collect information regarding the nurse manager’s role in the adolescent behavioral unit at the hospital and the health issues that these youth face. As a result, Part One of the paper is a compilation of the key findings from the interview, inclusive of the interview questions used jointly submitted with Part Two of the community assessment and analysis presentation in PowerPoint form.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Before interviewing the nurse manager in person regarding the interviewee’s role and experiences within the selected community. Needless to say, conducting the community assessment would enable community health nurses (CHNs) to knowledgeably plan services for the specific community after identifying the health related resources that could help the members and learn about existing gaps in services.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Part One: The Functional Health Patterns Community Assessment Guide (FHPCAG)
Value/Belief Pattern
Predominant ethnic and cultural groups along with beliefs related to health.
The top five leading ethnic groups in Las Vegas, Nevada (NV.) are White (Non-Hispanic) (42.3%), White (Hispanic) (16.5%), Other (Hispanic) (14.5%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (10.6%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (7.2%). NaNk% of the people in Las Vegas, NV speak a non-English language, and 89.2% are U.S. citizens. With majority of the population being White-Non Hispanic, the individual level race, behavioral and cultural factors that affect health include risk- taking and health promoting beliefs and practices. The negative practices include smoking, alcohol taking and addictive drugs use. The health promoting practices and beliefs are like proper nutrition, adequate sleep, and physical activity.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Predominant spiritual beliefs in the community that may influence health.
As Christians most of them have faith in God with Catholics having divine objects in their home environment. For the ethnic minorities, language barriers are likely to hinder the appreciation of health promotion practices implying that most seek healthcare services through emergency visits(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Availability of spiritual resources within or near the community (churches/chapels, synagogues, chaplains, Bible studies, sacraments, self-help groups, support groups, etc.).
Religious buildings ranging from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are found with most of them belonging to Christians. In the neighborhoods bible studies abound and the community is alive with religious based support network(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Do the community members value health promotion measures? What is the evidence that they do or do not (e.g., involvement in education, fundraising events, etc.)?
As evidenced by the community members’ active participation in physical activities and sports most of the individuals have morning and evening walks or jogging exercise. This is reflected at the hospital the admitted adolescents take part in sports and conduct clean up exercises for the hospital.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
What does the community value? How is this evident?
In my view, I think the teenagers admitted in the facility rate family, sports and faith in God as their leading possessions or recreational and health promoting activity as do majority of Las Vegas residents. Every one of them is either a member or fan of some sports including but not limited to football, basketball, athletics, and tennis.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
On what do the community members spend their money? Are funds adequate?
Las Vegas City maybe famous for its gambling based on the number of gambling casinos found here but individuals spend their money first on shelter, food, vehicles, and other necessities required not just for basic living but that make live comfortable. Indulgence in betting and gambling indicates that for many Vegas residents enough funds are available
Health Perception/Management
Predominant health problems: Compare at least one health problem to a credible statistic (CDC, county, or state).
Going by the number of deaths attributed to each common cause of death, heart disease, cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease, accidents and stroke are predominant health problems in Las Vegas City. These statistics reflect the CDC (2017) State of Nevada leading cause of death where chronic lower respiratory disease claimed 1, 6 33 in 2017 while accidents claimed 1, 496. Considering that the focus group of this research is teenagers admitted with behavioral problems then one cannot fail to observe that lower respiratory disease ranked Nevada at position 6 at the federal level accidents at 34 and suicide at position 10.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Immunization rates (age appropriate).
Poorly managed influenza is a leading course of chronic lower respiratory disease complications later in life. During the 2016-2017, influenza vaccination coverage, Nevada was the last nationally at 36.1% compared to the national average of 46.8. Influenza is a leading cause of death in the US (Immunize Nevada, 2018).(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Appropriate death rates and causes, if applicable.
Death rates per 1 000 for chronic lower respiratory disease in Nevada stood at 50.0 compared to the US rate of 40.9, accidents at 47.8 against a US rate of 49.4 while suicide was 20.3 against a national rate of 14.0. The three causes of death are of interest because influence can be prevented through hand washing while accidents and suicide have a behavioral dysfunction as a cause.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Prevention programs (dental, fire, fitness, safety, etc.): Does the community think these are sufficient?
Besides vaccination/ immunization against flu, hand washing is another preventive measure as well as boosting one’s immunity through diet and protective clothing. These preventive measures need to be reinforced while patient, family and community awareness education on how to deal with depression the main cause of suicide are advocated.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Available health professionals, health resources within the community, and usage.
At the local, state, and national level preventive programs exist that seek to reduce the incidence of flu and reduce behavioral problems affecting American teenagers. Currently, opioid addiction is treated as a health problem not a crime. Acknowledging that more efforts should be put in place to reduce the incidence of behavioral issues among teenagers is a positive step towards the Les Vegas Community resolving of teenagers behavioral problems.
- Common referrals to outside agencies.
There are many community hospitals and several nursing care institutions that boost the community’s health. There are also mental health hospitals under the state division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH). Referrals include (Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (SNAMHS) West Charleston Clinic and SNAMHS East Sahara Clinic both serving Las Vegas community.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Nutrition/Metabolic
Indicators of nutrient deficiencies.
Many people are either overweight or obese indicating that for whatever reason many individuals in Las Vegas do not take a balanced diet.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Obesity rates or percentages: Compare to CDC statistics.
In Nevada, 12.9% of children aged 10 and 17 have obesity. This compares to 18.5% obesity rate at the federal level (CDC, 2021).
Affordability of food/available discounts or food programs and usage (e.g., WIC, food boxes, soup kitchens, meals-on-wheels, food stamps, senior discounts, employee discounts, etc.).
In Las Vegas community food is plenty and most of the residents can afford to buy a decent meal. Food stamps also cushion those who cannot afford the recommended diet.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Availability of water (e.g., number and quality of drinking fountains).
Like in many other parts of the US, water is readily available from rivers, wells and other forms of surface water.
Fast food and junk food accessibility (vending machines).
The presence of many food vending machines that dominate Las Vegas City means that fast food a significant portion of which is considered junk food is readily available to all particularly the children and the youth who like sweet things.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Evidence of healthy food consumption or unhealthy food consumption (trash, long lines, observations, etc.).
The mushrooming of many vending machines offering junk food points to Las Vegas Community unhealthy eating habits.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Provisions for special diets, if applicable.
Schools and colleges and other institutions of higher learning do offer special diets for those advised to do so by their physicians.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
For schools (in addition to above):
- Nutritional content of food in cafeteria and vending machines: Compare to ARS 15-242/The Arizona Nutrition Standards (or other state standards based on residence)
- Amount of free or reduced lunch
Since the focus group for this research are teenagers admitted to a hospital with behavioral problems, the nutritional content of food in cafeteria and vending machines will not be compared.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Elimination (Environmental Health Concerns)
Common air contaminants’ impact on the community.
High temperatures, minimal precipitation and a fast growing population compounded by transportation, construction, and industrial emissions lead to increased emissions of harmful Levels of PM2.5 and ozone precursor polluants. Despite being the most heavily populated city in Las Vegas the city air quality has in recent years averaged good as per US AQI rating meaning that the residents generally breathe that poses hardly no health risk.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Noise.
For the majority of residents noise pollution is not a problem hospital’s serene atmosphere is sorrounded by natura ;l vegetation.
Waste disposal.
Community members properly dispose their waste and refuse.
Pest control: Is the community notified of pesticides usage?
The hospital community sprays mosquitoes and other pests during the rainy season.
Hygiene practices (laundry services, hand washing, etc.).
The teenagers just like other children in Las Vegas City are taught hand washing and laundry services.
Bathrooms: Number of bathrooms; inspect for cleanliness, supplies, if possible.
The hospital has adequate bathrooms that sufficiently cater for the patients, their families, visitors and staff.
Universal precaution practices of health providers, teachers, members (if applicable).
The hospital workforce are taught universal precautions with regular training drills.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Temperature controls (e.g., within buildings, outside shade structures).
Most of the facilities have natural temperature controls like tree shades while the buildings have fans
Safety (committee, security guards, crossing guards, badges, locked campuses).
Uniformed security personnel with badges work within the hospital in shifts to ensure physical security.
Activity/Exercise
Community fitness programs (gym discounts, P.E., recess, sports, access to YMCA, etc.). Most residents of Las Vegas City community enjoy the services of community fitness programs like YMCA while public and private gyms also exist.
Recreational facilities and usage (gym, playgrounds, bike paths, hiking trails, courts, pools, etc.).
Considering that the hospital attends to teenagers with behavioral issues, it has invested in several recreational facilities mirroring the Las Vegas City community.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Safety programs (rules and regulations, safety training, incentives, athletic trainers, etc.).
To avoid road accidents safety programs like traffic rules, regulations and signs are taught.
Injury statistics or most common injuries.
Most accidents reported in Las Vegas City community are from bicycle riding falls and car accidents.
Evidence of sedentary leisure activities (amount of time watching TV, videos, and computer).
Teenage obesity indicates that a significant number of children in Las Vegas city spend their time passively while sitting down. This may include watching matches.
Means of transportation.
Las Vegas City, where this hospital is located has a good transport network with the main means of transport being road followed by community trains.
Sleep/Rest
Sleep routines/hours of your community: Compare with sleep hour standards (from National Institutes of Health [NIH]).
Most residents in this community take slight more or less than the recommended 8 hours a day of sleep.
Indicators of general “restedness” and energy levels.
Taking the number of teenagers in Las Vegas City and the low per cent age numbers of them who turn up with behavioral issues means many of the community members receive adequate sleep.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Factors affecting sleep:
Shift work prevalence of community members
Majority of the teenagers admit to sleeping once the complete their school work and expected home chores.
Environment (noise, lights, crowding, etc.)
Neither noise, crowding nor light disrupts sleep for these teenagers.
Consumption of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and drugs
Teenagers who admit to using these stimulants report having disturbed sleep patterns.
Homework/Extracurricular activities
The teenagers report having a balanced take- home assignment and adequate extracurricular activities.
Health issues
Residents who have underlying health issues receive appropriate medical care.
Cognitive/Perceptual
Primary language: Is this a communication barrier?
To the majority of residents, English is the primary language of communication and therefore the members hardly encounter communication difficulties.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Educational levels: For geopolitical communities, use http://www.census.gov and compare the city in which your community belongs with the national statistics.
The Census.gov quick facts on Las Vegas city report that between 2015 and 2019 84.8% had a high school graduate or higher while 24.6 had a bachelor’s degree or higher. This however is for individuals above 25 years and not among teenagers.
Opportunities/Programs:
Educational offerings (in-services, continuing education, GED, etc.)
With the focus group being teenagers in elementary and high school opportunities for continuing education were not considered
Educational mandates (yearly in-services, continuing education, English learners, etc.)
With none of the teenagers in employment yearly in-services was not applicable. In Nevada however there is compulsory education for all school age children.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Special education programs (e.g., learning disabled, emotionally disabled, physically disabled, and gifted)
Special education programs abound for teenagers with special needs in Las Vegas City.
Library or computer/Internet resources and usage.
As reported by the Census.gov. quick facts for Las Vegas city Nevada the teenagers who reported that their homes had computers were over 90%. Libraries are also within their reach.
Funding resources (tuition reimbursement, scholarships, etc.).
For gifted teenagers scholarships are also available while the vulnerable also have tuition reimbursement.
Self-Perception/Self-Concept
Age levels.
The selected teenage community are aged between 13 and 19 years.
Programs and activities related to community building (strengthening the community).
There are many community based programs where the teenagers can interact with other community members peacefully.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Community history.
The hospital community have a history spanning over a century since the hospital was founded in 1920s.
Pride indicators: Self-esteem or caring behaviors.
Despite the low self-esteem with which most of the teenagers are admitted with, once in the hospital the members with time hold themselves in high regard. However, self- perception and self- concept vary from one person to the other.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Published description (pamphlets, Web sites, etc.).
The hospital has a website and has several health promotional pamphlets to its credit.
Role/Relationship
Interaction of community members (e.g., friendliness, openness, bullying, prejudices, etc.).
The teenagers interact with each other in a friendly way, with no bullying and no racial prejudicess
Vulnerable populations:
Within the hospital teenagers having behavioral issues with physical deformities or having other comorbidities are vulnerable.
Why are they vulnerable?
Vulnerability stems from the fact that there are not able to fully participate in some of the programs designed to promote their behavior.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
How does this impact health?
The medications taken to treat and manage the underlying health conditions may exacerbate their behavioral issues.
Power groups (church council, student council, administration, PTA, and gangs):
Being a hospital setting, the teenage patients do not have time to form gangs. The hospital board of directors and the sponsoring church act as the power groups.
How do they hold power?
The church council holds power in that the teenagers are expected to attend to various community outreach programs.
Positive or negative influence on community?
The church sponsored activities have a positive impact on these teenagers as they come to value one another and appreciate al humans as created in the likeness of God.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Harassment policies/discrimination policies.
No teenager is harassed or discriminated against. Instead all are treated equally and their behavioral issues addressed without judgement.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Relationship with broader community:
- Police
All the teenagers within the hospital relate well with the police.
- Fire/EMS (response time)
Some of the life skills taught to these teenagers is how to respond to fire and other emergencies in reasonable time.
- Other (food drives, blood drives, missions, etc.)
Those willing can voluntarily donate blood.
Sexuality/Reproductive
Relationships and behavior among community members.
As teenagers in a hospital setting, sexual relationships with members of the opposite sex is discouraged.
Educational offerings/programs (e.g., growth and development, STD/AIDS education, contraception, abstinence, etc.).
Healthy reproductive sexual education is given to the patients including STDs/AIDS education contraception use amongst other programs.
Access to birth control.
Access to birth control methods is not offered to the teenagers. However, those who come already sexually active counselled and treated accordingly.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Birth rates, abortions, and miscarriages (if applicable).
Since most of the teenagers are in school only very few numbers of the selected community give birth, procure abortions or have miscarriages while in the hospital.
Access to maternal child health programs and services (crisis pregnancy center, support groups, prenatal care, maternity leave, etc.).
As noted in an earlier section, only those teenage girls who get to the hospital while sexually active or already pregnant have access to maternal child health programs and related services.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Coping/Stress
Delinquency/violence issues.
Delinquent and violent teenagers are attended to from a health/ mental point of view rather than a criminal justice approach.
Crime issues/indicators.
Only extreme cases of criminal incidences while admitted in the facility are taken up by the CJS. However, no such juvenile felonies like murder or battery have ever been reported at the hospital in the last 50 years.
Poverty issues/indicators.
Some of the teenagers come from low income family background and report to having worked as child laborers whereas they are supposed to have been at school, both gender also report incidences of child exploitation where some had to even engage in drug trafficking or violent crime to make a living.
CPS or APS abuse referrals: Compare with previous years.
Since the focus group for this research is for adolescents admitted in the hospital with behavioral issues, the concerned unit does not keep a record for children refereed to child protective services neither is the facility concerned with adult protection services for adults deemed vulnerable.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Drug abuse rates, alcohol use, and abuse: Compare with previous years.
Compared to the years before 2016, the rate of abuse among teenagers in Las Vegas City have steadily been declining, so have the numbers of those abusing alcohol and other substances.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Stressors.
The hospital notes that some of the stressors identified among the teenagers are school demands and frustrations, poor self- perception, changes occasioned by puberty among others(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Stress management resources (e.g., hotlines, support groups, etc.).
Facilities within the hospital and other community centers have resources to manage teenage stress like counselling services, recreation, support groups and many more.
Prevalent mental health issues/concerns:
Most common mental issue is depression and other mood disorders.
- How does the community deal with mental health issues
The community has toll free hotlines where teenagers or other individuals in need of counselling services and mental health support get it within a reasonable time.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
- Mental health professionals within community and usage
Besides psychiatrists, the city of Las Vegas have c]trained clinical psychologists and social workers and psychiatric care nurses who attend to teenagers and other Las Vegas City community members.
Disaster planning:
- Past disasters
Over the last fifty years the selected hospital has never experienced any serious disaster.
- Drills (what, how often)
Despite there being no past disasters in the facility, the hospital conducts disaster management drills every six months for the staff while disaster management team has monthly drills and refresher training as often as is considered feasible by the hospital management.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Planning committee (members, roles)
The disaster planning management committee is headed by the team manager who in collaboration with other r team members.
- Policies
The hospital disaster management policy has put in place strategies to ensure loss of human life and destruction of property by man or natural disasters is avoided. It also incorporates disaster prevention into the overall hospital development process.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
- Crisis intervention plan
In the event that a real disaster occurs the hospital has an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that outlines how the facility and its community mem birds would respond to and recover from all hazards.
The completion of the Functional health pattern community assessment guide is followed by Part 2 of the community assessment and presentation analysis where I interviewed the nurse manager and together with the Windshield survey compiled the interview findings together with the interview questions used. In the PowerPoint whose outcome to implement a hand washing program at the teenagers behavioral health unit at the hospital. The Provider’s Interview Acknowledgment Form is submitted with the in its respective drop box(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
References
CDC Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in the United States(2012) URL: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html#:~:text=Prevalence%20of%20Childhood%20Obesity%20in%20the%20United%20States&text=For%20children%20and%20adolescents%20aged,to%2019%2Dyear%2Dolds.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(2017) Stats of the State of Nevada URL: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/nevada/nevada.htm
Immunize Nevada (2016) For kids born 1994-2016 Vaccines wil prevent an estimated 855, 0000 deaths in their lifetimes.(Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
State of Childhood obesity(n.d) Nevada URL: https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/states/nv/#:~:text=In%20Nevada%2C%2012.9%25%20of%20youth,outcomes%20among%20high%20school%20students%3B
Weekly, U. S., & Flu, S. I. (2019). Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report URL: http://dpbh.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/dpbhnvgov/content/Programs/OPHIE/dta/Publications/NV-DPBH-Influenza-Report-201848-final.pdf