Role of Community Health Nurses - Essay Example

Community health nursing entails preventing diseases, prolonging life, promoting health, and preventing of communicable diseases through advocating for personal hygiene, organizing the diagnosis, and nursing services (Carroll, 2004). The primary goal of nurses is to promote and preserve the health of the population through the assessment of the health needs, health planning, implementation, and evaluation of the current impact of health services on the target population (Clark, 2008). The nurse is expected to act as a clinician, and health educator by disseminating correct disease prevention information, facilitating by establishing linkages, and as an evaluator of the outcome of the nursing interventions. The nurses are involved in health promotion services and disease prevention in the communities (Carroll, 2004). The nurse is actively involved in the health planning process by identifying the community health problems and environmental hazards that present a high health risk to the target population (Clark, 2008).

The nurse must collaborate with specific risk populations within the community in developing a public policy that will guide disease prevention efforts (Phyllis, 2009, p 20). The Community health nurse is expected to monitor the health status to identify the health problems and health hazards facing the community (Carroll, 2004). The assessments are done by analyzing vital statistics, research, health screening, disease surveillance, and behavioral risk factor surveys. The nurse is involved in the identification of needs, priorities, and problems of the families or communities (Swider, 2002, p 14). The community health nurse must be actively involved in setting the priorities for the health-related interventions that lead to a great impact on the health of the population (Carroll, 2004). Accordingly, the nurse will be tasked with the design and outlining of the key areas that will be covered in the health education campaigns and disease prevention efforts such as providing awareness of the need for immunizations, personal hygiene, and disease screening (Phyllis, 2009, p 22). The nurse must identify vulnerable and high-risk groups and provide the necessary assistance in preventing communicable diseases (Clark, 2008).

The nurse is expected to assist the patients to attain optimum health care in situations of ill health, injury, or normal health. Accordingly, the nurse is tasked with maintaining client and administrative health records and adhering to the professional and legal framework regarding the confidentiality and privacy of patients (Clark, 2008). The nurse must advocate for the dignity and respect of patients and respect the autonomy of the patients regarding their health needs. In addition, the nurse is expected to promote the principles of fairness and equity while addressing the health needs of the clients and promoting a healthy environment in the homes, schools, and community. As an educator, the nurse is tasked with promoting higher results through constant review of emerging issues regarding healthcare promotion services (Carroll, 2004). The nurse has a collaborative role that entails working closely with other healthcare professionals such as occupational therapists psychologists, biostatisticians, and nutritionists in promoting the health status of the patients and the entire community (Swider, 2002, p 16). The nurse is tasked with a leadership role that entails persuading and influencing the efforts of community members in ensuring a change that will foster the attainment of high health status and the prevention of diseases (Clark, 2008).

Community health nurses play a role in the health evaluation process by evaluating the health trends, risk factors, and emerging problems that will help in shaping future interventions (Phyllis, 2009, p 23). The nurse is required to participate in assessing the quality of health care services to ensure that citizens are informed of the available disease treatment options and have access to health facilities (Swider, 2002, p 19). Community health nurses have a case management role that entails systematic assessment of the changing patient needs and coordinating services to ensure the varying patient needs are met (Carroll, 2004). The nurse is expected to act as a researcher through the systematic collection and investigation of data for the purpose of discovering new trends in community health and formulating problem-solving policies in the community. The emphasis should be on rural health needs and disease prevention (Clark, 2008).

Community health nurses play a critical role in health care planning, implementation, and evaluation. The nurse must identify the environmental hazards that pose a high risk to the health of the population and the health needs of the target population. The nurse is involved in formulating nursing intervention policies and programs that aim at disease prevention, health promotion, and awareness. Accordingly, the nurse is expected to promote the dignity, welfare, and interests of the patients during the implementation process. The nurse must act as an educator and collaborator in promoting holistic health services to the community. Lastly, the nurse must evaluate the impact of the nursing interventions and identify emerging trends, new diseases, and health problems in the community.