Community health nursing is about offering services and addressing needs of the population residing in a particular area. Stein Senior Center is located on 204 E 23rd Street, New York, NY, 10010, in the Gramercy neighborhood. In the duration of fifteen weeks my peers and I were committed to providing care, education, and services to the elderly of this community. One of the priority goals was to coordinate a successful health fair for seniors at the center. Community health nursing encompasses so many aspects of not only health care, but also the psycho social well-being of clients within the community. It covers all aspects of daily life within individuals and what it means to be living in a part of a community. I have accomplished the following objectives throughout the fifteen week period.
Objective 1: Demonstrates individual professionalism through personal behaviors and appearance.
During my stay at Stein Senior Center, I demonstrated individual professionalism through punctuality and treating everyone in a respectful manner. I was well prepared for each day and maintained a professional appearance. When interacting with the seniors at the center I did not disclose any of their information to other parties or people who were not consented upon. I took initiative to participate in the events that take place at the center such as blood pressure screenings, serving lunches, activities and putting together the health fair. All tasks are completed each day and upon completion a list of participants is given to the director. When necessary problems that needed troubleshooting was report to appropriate staff and resolved.
Objective 2: Employ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills when providing care to individuals and families in the community setting.
By utilizing the nursing process we began by assessing the demographic data of the Gramercy area. I was able to identify the background of the seniors who come to this center. The living space in this area is high-income families, but the seniors come from many various areas in Manhattan. The health fair also allowed us to get further data about this community and their needs. We were able to address things such as dental care, blood pressure screenings, health insurance issues, and promote health awareness among the seniors who attended. While doing blood pressure screening is a very important part of our weekly activities because many of the seniors attend regularly, but do not go to their doctors as often. By having this service they can keep track at the convenience of their own time. After being here for several weeks and providing services I believe that the goals have been met. We assisted the staff and provided services and a health fair for the community, while also ensuring that each individual’s privacy and safety was maintained.
Objective 3: Effectively communicate with diverse groups and disciplines using a variety of strategies regarding the health needs of individuals and families in the community setting.
Communication was one of the most critical aspects of being in a community setting. Seniors who come to the center bring their spouses, family, or health aids. In order to work alongside the members of the community and the staff I had to be self-aware of how I requested or communicated needs and concerns to either staff or the seniors. The seniors who come to the center come from all different backgrounds and culture. I was sensitive to their individuality and needs. There were a few Chinese seniors whom I communicated in Chinese with because that made them more comfortable. I utilized my communication skills in articulating my expectations toward my fellow classmates and clarifying plans with the instructor and the director. I had to use proper speech and body language appropriately when communicating to the seniors. Communication encompasses every aspect of physical appearance, speech, and written documentation.
Objective 4: Establish environment conducive to learning and use a plan for learning based on evidence-based practice.
The main purpose of staying at Stein Senior Center was to promote health and wellness. Our goal was to bring the community together for a common purpose. This was to teach our seniors and bring resources to them. Not every senior has the mobility or convenience of seeking help in regards to their health. Many seniors consulted with attending vendors and were able to get a lot of information all in one morning. By having vendors separated all the seniors had time to speak to representatives at their own pace and comfort. The environment was arranged so that it was spacious. I believe that by bringing the community to the fair and promoting awareness for the health of our seniors was successful.
Objective 5: Utilize informational technology when managing individual and families in the community.
Stein Senior Center provided us with exceptional services in regards to informational technology. There is a large computer room in the middle of the center in which all seniors can use. It played a huge role in the success of the health fair. Flyers, letters, emails, contact, and research were all dependent on this resource. I believe that with the availability of technology in a center it is a huge contribution to the success of the center as well. Everything is easily accessed and the computers were exceptional quality. There were no technological difficulties or issues with printing. Not only is the community grateful for this resource, I am very grateful that it helped along the way throughout the weeks.
Objective 6: Demonstrate a commitment to professional development.
Each and every member of the team was committed to providing professional care and development for the center. Research was done thoroughly about the community and their needs. All the needs were accounted for when planning the health fair. We identified the need to obtain a well-rounded group of vendors to provide information for our seniors. We taught and provided information to each senior to the best of our ability. Throughout the weeks at Stein Senior Center, I engaged in self-evaluation and awareness in what I can do to ensure that my fellow classmates were on track when planning the health fair. The health fair served the community, the center and most importantly me. I believe that I take away a lesson from creating this health fair about what it means to commit to project for the community at large. It was most definitely a challenge and lesson well learned.
Objective 7: Incorporate professional nursing standards and accountability into practice.
All activities and contributions were in compliance with professional nursing standards and accountability during the stay at Stein Center. Clients and staff were respected and all activities abided by the rules and regulations. Putting together the health fair was a critical part of the entire stay. The mission at Stein Center is to provide services, allow for growth and maintenance of health and wellness for each individual senior. My goal at Stein Center was consistent with the needs of the center as well. I believe that by collaborating with my fellow classmates we have provided a meaningful contribution to promoting health and wellness for the seniors. I also believe that as professionals each of us grew and learned from the community Stein Center.
Objective 8: Collaborate with clients, significant support persons and members of the health care team.
Collaborating with the clients, director and staff was crucial during the stay at Stein Center. I believe that when we step into a community that has routines and daily expectations it is important to acknowledge the idea that we are the visitors to their home. It requires self-awareness, respect, and professionalism. I can see that some seniors and staff are more welcoming, while some are more resistant to our presence. However, as nurses, it is important to see that each community has its own structure that we have to learn and cooperate with in order to establish a trusting relationship between the clients, staff and members of the community. I believe that this objective was met because the community at Stein Center showed appreciation for the work and services that we provide to them.
Objective 9: Recognize the impact of economic, political, social and demographic forces that affect the delivery of health care services.
Understanding the neighborhood and makeup was a really important part of getting to know the gaps in the care system among the elderly at Stein Center. Elderly in this community do not work and have to be really cautious with how they spend their money. This center provides affordable lunches, activities, and socialization among the seniors. Providing the health fair we were able to identify gaps in the knowledge and care that concerns the seniors at Stein Center. Many of the seniors were seeking diabetic management and care information that had not been addressed. By providing the health fair we were able to further assess the needs of the community with direct interactions. Future plans for this issue is to create and implement a diabetic workshop and informational session at the center to further assist the seniors who need help at Stein Center. Several seniors sat down with insurance companies to seek help with concerns about their health coverage as well. The hearing loss and audiology providers were also very busy providing the seniors with free screenings for hearing loss. I believe that our group was successful at recognizing the needs in health care services for this community of seniors.
Summary
The experience I gained from working at Stein Center has created a new sense of what community work really means to me. Community health nursing did not strike me as something that I wanted to do in my future. I can say that if it weren’t for this opportunity at Stein Center, I would have been missing out on an invaluable lesson on what it truly means to have a sense of belonging. People are born into the world alone and leave the world alone, but the value we put into our experience is the most important part of living. The sense of contributing and having had done something that has made an impact is what matters in the end. I believe that community health nursing has a tremendous impact and even bigger potential at creating a community that is happy, healthy and flourishes. Each community is unique based on the people who live there. The community is where people spend most of their time and this is the basis of where society creates itself.
