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Running head: ESSENTIAL VII 1

Essential VII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health

Meghan O’Neal

Frostburg State University


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Essential VII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) provides a set of standards

and expectations for the baccalaureate level of a nursing degree. Essential VII describes the

importance of health promotion, disease, and injury prevention throughout an individual’s entire

life span. Essential VII is entitled “Clinical Prevention and Population Health” (AACN, 2008, p

23) also focuses on the overall health of a population. These essentials are in place to ensure that

each patient is receiving the best care possible from all professional members of the healthcare

team. These standards of care come from the evidence-based practice model that the nursing

profession follows. The evidence-based practice models often overlap with healthcare policy,

disease prevention, and health promotion. With healthcare policies changing each year, it is

important to remain up to date with the information presented in this essential VII reference.

Exemplar

The community health assessment was completed after many weeks of research which

included multiple drive by windshield surveys. In addition to the time spent doing research and

writing a 20 page paper, I also was able to complete a power point with a voice over in order to

represent the presentation portion of the Essential VII. The amount of hours spent researching

this topic is almost unmeasurable, as it has taken many days to simply gather all of combined and

individual research using the research data bases. This project best exemplifies the ideas

presented in Essential VII through the population focus and community cared based ideas that

are presented with the sole purpose of disease prevention and health promotion.
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Reflection

Essential VII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health (AACN, 2008, p 24) provides

requirements for the baccalaureate nurse to have obtained through the work of a project. For

example my community health assessment on the town of Paw Paw focuses on the population as

the unit of care. This idea also correlates closely with AACN’s (2008, p 25) statement

“Collaborate with others to develop an intervention plan that takes into account determinants of

health, available resources, and the range of activities that contribute to health

and the prevention of illness, injury, disability, and premature death.” I was able to provide three

priority based care nursing diagnosis’ that accurately represent the healthcare needs of the

residents in Paw Paw, WV. In addition to the nursing diagnosis’ I created three goals with six

different objectives on how to reach these goals. The ideas I have learned throughout my

community health assessment have forced me to view community based care through a different

set of eyes. My power point presentation is a wonderful representation of how Paw Paw

functions as a town, the people, and the social system. By separating my paper and the power

point into these three categories I was able to fulfill another requirement of essential VII that

states “Assess protective and predictive factors, including genetics, which influence the health of

individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. Conduct a health history,

including environmental exposure and a family history that recognizes genetic risks, to identify

current and future health problems. Assess health/illness beliefs, values, attitudes, and practices

of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.” (AACN, 2008, p 24) Within this

project I was able to highlight the areas in which some community based care could really help

these people. I enjoyed the time spent researching and developing a plan for such a small town

full of potential.
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References

American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN]. (2008). The essentials of baccalaureate


education for professional nursing practice. Washington, D.C: Author.

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