The Role of the Community Health Nurse in Planning Evidence Based Health Education - Case Study Example

The Role of the Community Health Nurse in Planning Evidence Based Health Education Name Student Number Institution Affiliation Course Code: HNN217- Community Nursing Practice Instructor Date Breast Cancer Awareness Nurses have a greater role in the provision of health related education to clients within a clinical setting and hence, promote health awareness for the benefit of the community. By raising awareness, it helps in critically addressing fear among ailments like breast cancer, while at the same time helping in sensitising the need for screening for early detection (Hubbard et al. 2015). Thus, having effective knowledge on health issues affecting the community as a nurse ensure coming up with evidence based education for imparting to the clients in order to improve their health awareness. This essay evaluates the role of a community health nurse in planning evidenced based health education relevant to one’s knowledge deficit as identified within Anne Giovanni’s case study in an effort to improve her health outcomes. Thus, the essay discusses various aspects pertaining to community health nurse planning in educating clients on breast cancer awareness and screening aspects. Anne Giovanni’s case provides a clear evidence of client’s ignorance or lack of proper information, and dependence on rumours rather than facts pertaining to breast cancer. Ann is a 26 year old lady faced with the dilemma of breast cancer after the diagnosis of her friend and the requirement for double mastectomy. From analysis of the case study, it is evident that people have all manner of information pertaining to their wellbeing and sicknesses. According to Bennet, Hume and Telford (2013), having the necessary information pertaining to various ailments whether diagnosed or perceived is necessary to ensure effective administration of care and treatment. As a nurse practitioner, planning necessary evidence based education practices for clients within the community setting helps to effectively address prevailing conditions for purposes of raising awareness (Guvenc et al. 2012). In this context, tackling terminal illness diagnosis and management processes are paramount, as well as having effective evidence based education practices for the community. Looking at breast cancer awareness, women are supposed to understand the risks associated with the illness and have the relevant information on how to screen and take stringent measures on prevention or early diagnosis to effect prompt treatment (Shalini & Nayak 2011). Care and treatment of terminal illnesses like breast cancer are sensitive scenarios that call for competence and diligence among nurses’ practitioners addressing such clients (Linsell, Burgess and Ramirez 2008). The need to have evidence based practice is inevitable to ensure nurses are up to the task of keeping the patients, their relatives and friends stable and comfortable during the treatment and care process. This is due to the fact that the role of a community nurse in planning and raising breast cancer awareness spans various groups of people (Halkett, et al. 2006). Once a patient is diagnosed, the information is bound to reach close friends, relatives and neighbours. To a greater extent, the news may have negative implications on the individuals, as well as the patient calling for skills and experiences to handle the situations. Nurses are bound by their competency role to effectively address their client’s challenges and subsequently look into ways of promoting life among sick clients (Department of Health 2013). Taking care of the psychological wellbeing of any client in fear of terminal illness or the relative of a client undergoing cancer treatment is a delicate undertaking that calls for support from a nursing professional. Breast cancer is connected with morbidity and mortality and its reduction can be realised through having early detection measures through awareness and screening programs (Shalini & Nayak 2011). This is due to the fact that the two practices; awareness and screening, increase the chances of efficacious treatment and cure of the sickness after early detection. Further, the practice improves the chances of survival while at the same time bringing down the necessity for invasive treatment (Independent UK 2012). Therefore, community nurses have the responsibility of ensuring the availability of programs and procedures for presence of early detection by providing diagnostic and screening services while offering immediate steps which comprise the two main strategies in enhancing prognostic outcome in breast cancer (Shrivastava, Shrivastava & Ramasamy 2013). Nurses are also involved in provision of palliative care to offer support system to aid patients to live actively as possible to their death time. The palliative care nurses provide relief from pain and offers advice on how to deal with symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea and fatigue during treatment (Linsell, Burgess & Ramirez 2008). This is achieved by showing how to rest, positioning during resting, techniques of relaxation, and educate the patient on diets and nutrition necessary to maintain health and wellbeing. Australian nursing competency standards involve engagement of nurses in healthcare diversification and defining the scope of the practice (Department of Health 2013). Further, it is recommended that nurses possess a certain level of knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours for the benefit of the clients and their relatives. Enhancing implementation of training initiatives so that nursing staff can be able to offer critical information pertaining to breast care and screening for cancer is an ongoing initiative in Australia (Paynter, et al. 2013). Embracing strategies for implementing education for training initiatives to ensure staff are better educated so that they are able to spread good practices of management and care. Nurses are better placed to spread the good practice, have the best understanding pertaining to inequalities in the community, have the opportunity to face patients one-on-one and communicate with them and thus made tremendous impact (Watts et al., 2011). This shows that nurses are able to promote breast cancer awareness and disseminate relevant information to the right individuals in order to raise awareness and encourage screening. In context to the case scenario under consideration, having the right information for Ann would reduce the great anxiety and the worry she is going through for fear of having cancer with proper diagnosis. The main strategy towards promoting health and wellness in respect to breast cancer involves creating critical awareness and subsequent ensuring clients are able to conduct self-assessments (Adams et al. 2011). Nurses are involved greatly in the primary level of health care and thus, their impact in educating the community pertaining to breast cancer is profound with effective planning. Primary interventions ought to be considered during health promotion to ensure reduction of risks to getting cancer (Beaver et al. 2006). Among women, having the right information on breast cancer is a key primary intervention towards early detection for cancer patients and thus, ensures early treatment to avoid the eventuality of mastectomy. Further, through awareness, nurses educate patients and their carers at home on how to effectively take care of the patients pertaining to nutrition and rest. Consequently, they play a critical role in helping patients and their relatives on ways of effectively managing pain through evidence based practices that have been proved before (Hordern 2000). By having critical practices that are proven viable in the health care sector, nurses are able to plan effectively on how to effectively engage the community on raising awareness and thereby raise the standards of wellbeing. Nurses also collaborate with the government in prevention strategies through reduction of early deaths from cancers and raising the level dietary intake and care procedures to promote life in form of palliative care (Department of Health 2013). Nurses offer support on breast cancer incorporated in the following components of communication, availability, rapport and awareness on the needs of women, reassurance, as well as having practical information pertaining to respective patients within a given place (Jack et al. 2014). Addressing patients’ problems with regard to their environment and way of life helps in ensuring that they are comfortable and reassured of their wellbeing, as well as that of their family members (Bener et al. 2009). In general, nurses play a critical role in making sure that the practices are made effective and achieve the best outcome for the benefit of the patient. Changing the general perspective among women on breast cancer and giving the right information is critical role for nurses (Independent UK 2012). Having the wrong perception like Anne’s case brings about anxiety and may affect the psychological wellbeing of a client even with the absence of breast cancer. Upon detection of cancer, nurses also play a critical role in the early experiences of a patient by moving step-by-step providing key information for the benefit of the client (Guvenc et al. 2012). In context, there is need to ensure that all community nurses are provided with key information on effective planning and education of breast cancer awareness among women. Further, screening ought to be enhanced to ensure early diagnosis and adequate access to support by well experienced nurses on evidence based practices on breast cancer (Hubbard et al. 2015). Various factors influence perspectives on breast cancer within the community and hence, nurses have the role of identifying the prevailing cultural and societal attributes affecting breast cancer awareness. Cultural and social aspects affect the general perspective of individuals within the community (Linsell, Burgess and Ramirez 2008). Having a clear analysis of the cultural factors and attributes that affect the perspective of patients in a given locality ensures planning effective to come up with education strategies to give the right perspective by countering negative ones (Adams et al. 2011). Nurses are expected to evaluate the satisfaction of their clients’ needs and their perception to good health. From the case scenario, it is evident that Ann is ignorant of breast cancer and is worried by unfounded arguments from individuals in her circles pertaining to their perceptions on breast cancer. Addressing the inconsistencies within Anne’s worries and giving factual advice will result to being aware of the basic and how to effectively undertake diagnostic steps for confirmation. Encouraging for continuous screening among women is necessary to escape fear of unsupported claims made in the general public pertaining to breast cancer (Bener et al. 2009). Nurses’ role in raising awareness among women within the community involves teaching self-screening methods where women can evaluate themselves the presence of lumps in their breasts. With increased awareness, the circle is expected to trickle down in the community and individuals become agents of raising awareness by giving the right information pertaining the pathophysiological factors and diagnostic procedures of breast cancer (Jack, et al. 2014). The discussion on community nurses’ role in the planning of evidence based education for breast cancer awareness indicate the greater need for increased practices to improve the wellbeing of women (Breast Cancer Network Australia 2015). The improvement of access to breast cancer nurses ought to be a priority for women and thus, community nurses have a duty to equip them with requisite information, knowledge, skills and experiences to counter negative perceptions pertaining to breast cancer (Bennet, Hume & Telford 2013). On the same note, having improved competence with current breast cancer standards and trends ensures that training and screening among women takes precedence. According to Breast Cancer Network Australia (2015), timely access to breast care nurse helps women to go through their treatment and diagnosis process effectively. Further, breast care nurses are involved in the enhancement of continuity of care for women, as well as in the provision of critical information, support and referral for various sorts of treatments regarding to women. Paynter et al. (2013) indicate that nurses’ initiatives in breast cancer awareness are crucial evidence-based models for improvement of care quality among women in respect to breast cancer. The appropriateness of nurse led initiatives approaching issues surrounding breast cancer can effectively be addressed through effective planning and significant health approached to ensure positive outcomes (Hubbard et al. 2015). By incorporating nurses at the community level to come up with self-driven programs for evidence based education, it helps them to address various perspectives within the community and ensure resolving breast cancer negativity while promoting positive awareness. In conclusion, it is evident that community nurses have a greater role in creating and enhancing breast cancer awareness in a community setting. However, effective awareness will only be achieved by proper planning through evidence based planning and offering advice that will benefit the community. Approaching breast cancer challenge within a societal setting is necessary for a community nurse to plan the educative program based on the perspectives within the community setting. By addressing challenges and negative perspectives on breast cancer by a community nurse brings about a heightened level of awareness among individuals raising the quality of care and access to breast cancer treatment. In context, the role of community nurses in planning evidence based education on breast cancer is profound to alleviate negative perspectives as depicted by Anne’s case scenario and raise awareness promoting quality of healthcare in the community. 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