Healthy People 2020 And Nursing Discussion Assignment 110453

Healthy People 2020 and Nursing The discussion assignment provides a forum for discussing relevant topics

Healthy People 2020 and Nursing The discussion assignment provides a forum for discussing relevant topics for this week based on the course competencies covered. By the due date assigned, post a response to one of the two discussion topics below, using information from the lectures, reading assignments, library resources, and Internet resources. All responses should be posted to the appropriate topic in the Discussion Area.

Topic 1: Faith-Based Nursing Review Healthy People 2020. Identify objectives that are amenable to parish nurse intervention. Describe how faith communities can contribute to the accomplishment of these national health objectives and accomplish the goal of improving the health of the public. How can nurses working in the community form partnerships with parish nurses and faith communities? How would such partnerships be beneficial?

Paper For Above instruction

Healthy People 2020 represents a comprehensive set of health objectives aimed at improving the health and well-being of Americans by 2020. These objectives span various sectors and populations, emphasizing the importance of prevention, health promotion, and health equity (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020). Among the numerous objectives, several are particularly amenable to intervention by parish nurses—faith-community-based nurses who integrate holistic health care into their spiritual contexts. Parish nurses can significantly influence efforts aligned with Healthy People 2020 by focusing on objectives related to preventive care, chronic disease management, mental health, and health education.

One key objective suitable for parish nurse intervention is increasing access to preventive services, such as immunizations and screenings, which align with Healthy People 2020's focus on preventive health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020). Parish nurses, embedded within faith communities, are uniquely positioned to promote awareness and facilitate access to these services through health fairs, educational sessions, and individual outreach. For example, they can organize blood pressure screenings or vaccination clinics during community gatherings, thus directly contributing to disease prevention and early detection.

Another pertinent objective involves improving mental health, including reducing the prevalence of depression and promoting mental health services (Healthy People 2020, 2020). Parish nurses can provide mental health education, reduce stigma, and act as liaisons, connecting community members with professional mental health services. Their role is especially critical in underserved or socially isolated populations, where faith communities often serve as safe and trusted environments for vulnerable individuals.

Chronic disease management, including hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, is central to Healthy People 2020. Parish nurses can collaborate with community organizations to develop support groups, health education programs, and lifestyle coaching, promoting adherence to treatment plans and healthy behaviors. Such integration supports health promotion and disease prevention, directly impacting the trajectory of chronic illnesses at the community level (Kodl & DiPietro, 2017).

Faith communities, through these objectives, can significantly contribute to national health goals by providing a supportive environment for health promotion activities. They embody social cohesion, cultural relevance, and spiritual support, which are vital for sustainable health interventions (Dalky & Cole, 2018). Faith-based organizations often have extensive reach within communities, especially among marginalized populations, making them ideal partners in addressing health disparities (Koenig, 2017). Collaborations between faith communities and health professionals, including nurses, enhance trust, facilitate culturally sensitive care, and promote community engagement.

Forming partnerships between community health nurses and parish nurses involves mutual recognition of complementary roles. Community nurses can bring expertise in public health principles, epidemiology, and health promotion strategies, while parish nurses bring contextual knowledge of faith-based practices and cultural sensitivities. Joint efforts may include co-hosting health education events, developing outreach initiatives, and sharing resources (Bent-Goodley, 2012).

Such partnerships are beneficial because they leverage the strengths of both sectors—professional health expertise and community trust—leading to increased participation, enhanced health literacy, and improved health outcomes. For example, during health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, faith-community partnerships facilitated timely dissemination of information, vaccination campaigns, and support systems for vulnerable populations (Bailey et al., 2021).

In conclusion, parish nurses serve as vital agents in achieving Healthy People 2020 objectives by integrating health promotion within faith communities. When community nurses establish collaborative partnerships with faith leaders and organizations, they expand the reach and effectiveness of health initiatives, ultimately advancing public health goals through culturally sensitive, accessible, and sustainable interventions.

References

• Bent-Goodley, T. (2012). Faith communities addressing health disparities: Their role and impact. Journal of Religion and Health, 51(4), 1029-1035.
• Bailey, Z. D., Krieger, N., Agénor, M., Graves, J., Linos, N., & Bassett, M. T. (2021). Structural racism and health inequities in the USA: Evidence and interventions. The Lancet, 399(10339), 1431-1444.
• Dalky, H. F., & Cole, M. B. (2018). The role of faith-based organizations in health promotion: A systematic review. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 35(2), 77-87.
• Kodl, E., & DiPietro, N. (2017). Enhancing chronic disease management through faith-based partnerships. Nursing Clinics of North America, 52(3), 279-291.
• Koenig, H. G. (2017). Religion and health: Theories, evidence, and implications. In M. J. Balboni & M. W. Balboni (Eds.), Spirituality and health: The role of faith in health promotion (pp. 21-36). Routledge.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Healthy People 2020 Official Objectives. https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives
• Healthy People 2020. (2020). Improving the health, safety, and well-being of Americans. https://www.healthypeople.gov