NURS 491-Community Health Survey

NURS 491- Community Health Survey

Jessica Listman-Ward
Frostburg State University

NURS 491-Community Health Survey

NURS 491 Community Health Survey

Nursing is a rewarding career, in which there are a numerous jobs that can be done during
a given career. One of the many types is public health, or community health nursing. As part of
an advanced nursing program, students must learn and utilize the skills that a community health
nurses uses on a daily basis. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the skills the nursing
program uses a document created by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The
Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice was created in 2008, as
a means of evaluating the knowledge that has been learned throughout the nursing program
(American Association of Colleges of Nursing, p. 4). Nursing 491, Population-Based Nursing
Practice illustrates Essential VII- Clinical Prevention and Population Health.
Community Health Survey and Essential VII
Population-Based Nursing Practiced allowed students to learn and apply the skills that a
community health nurse uses. The course followed Essential VII, Health promotion and disease
prevention at the individual and population level (American Association of Colleges of
Nursing, 2008, p. 5). Community nursing differs from bedside nursing. Community nursing
focuses on individuals, as well as the community as a whole.
One of the assignments required students to choose a community near them and create a
community survey and needs assessment, as if they were a community nurse for that area.
Community health nurses are unable to help the community if they are not knowledgeable of the
area, or the needs of the population. According to the essential, health prevention and promotion
are crucial for the improvement of community health (American Association of Colleges of

NURS 491-Community Health Survey

Nursing, 2008, p. 24). A community health survey is one way to understand a community and
the deficits of a community.
During this assessment the community was examined as a place. The history,
environmental controls, housing and overall condition were looked at. This allowed the nurse to
look at possible environmental exposures and problems (American Association of Colleges of
Nursing, 2008, p. 25). The community was then looked as by the population. A population
profile consisting of socioeconomic status, stability and demographic profile was completed.
This is important since it gives nurses an understanding of the educational level of the
community, and the growth of the community. Nurses need to know if the community is
growing or if the population is staying the same. New growth means that new resources may be
needed. The final portion of the assessment included a look at the availability of facilities,
healthcare, and provisions. This is important because a community must have access to
healthcare and resources for health promotion (American Association of Colleges of Nursing,
2008, p. 26).
Once the survey was completed the student looked at the deficits of the community and
what could be done to change them. Community nurses look at the community as a whole.
They focus on populations and how they can help them. Populations can be broken down by
age, ethnicity, educational level, or other measures. The nurse focused on 3 needs and created a
plan that would improve the deficits of the community. This met the prevention and health
promotion purpose of the essential.
Reflection

NURS 491-Community Health Survey

Population-Based Nursing Practice and the community health survey emphasized

the importance of health promotion and health prevention. The goal was to focus on the
community as a whole in order to benefit the greatest amount of people. The survey looked at
the community health disparities and vulnerable people (American Association of Colleges of
Nursing, 2008, p. 27). It taught the student the importance of using evidence based practice and
the knowledge they have gained as nurses to help the community. The course and the
community health assignment allowed the nursing student to get into the community nurse mind
frame and evaluate a community and a population. This assignment taught the student the
importance of health promotion and prevention for individuals and the community in which they
live.

NURS 491-Community Health Survey

Reference
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2008). The Essentials of Baccalaureate
Education for Professional Nursing Practice. Washington, DC: American Association of
Colleges of Nursing.