C920 Community Assessment and Planning

Student Name

Western Governors University

C920 Contemporary Curriculum Design and Development in Nursing Education

Prof. Name:

Date

Community Assessment and Planning

Course Overview

This course introduces students to community and public health nursing using active learning strategies designed to engage learners fully. It aims to help students differentiate the multiple roles of a community health nurse, understand the vulnerabilities experienced by specific populations, and explore the epidemiology of communicable diseases. These foundational elements are crucial for public health nurses, as they prepare them to function effectively within community settings. Students will engage in diverse learning domains to ensure competency development, collaborating with peers on various activities. By the end of this module, learners are expected to create a concept map of a selected community and develop a health assessment and planning strategy within two weeks. This course aligns with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials VI for Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) education, emphasizing the enhancement of patient-centered care across populations (Mailloux, 2008, pp. 22-23).

Module Title: Community Assessment and Planning

Course Objectives

Objective Number	Description
1	Prioritize the healthcare needs of a community based on comprehensive community assessment.
2	Develop health and wellness interventions tailored to a specific population within a community.
3	Identify the major health issues prevalent in the community through assessment findings.

Student Learning Outcomes

Outcome Number	Description
1	Define a community of interest to be the focus of the community assessment.
2	Identify the essential components of a community assessment and explain procedures to collect data.

Content Overview

The course begins by exploring how the nursing process can be effectively applied at a community level. Nursing students will learn to identify the types of data necessary to conduct a thorough community assessment. The initial step involves clearly defining the community and population to be assessed. Once this target group is specified, the data collection process can commence. Students will be guided to create a concept map, placing the selected community at the center, and then identifying factors that influence its health outcomes. This approach helps students visualize and analyze the interconnected health determinants within their community.

Learning Resources

The primary textbook used is Community/Public Health Nursing: Promoting the Health of Populations by Nies and McEwen (2018). Chapter seven specifically focuses on planning a community assessment, discussing how to implement effective interventions to meet the healthcare needs of a population. This resource offers a detailed foundation for understanding both assessment and intervention planning phases crucial to community health nursing practice.

Reference:

Nies, M. A., & McEwen, M. (2018). Community, Health Planning, Implementation, and Evaluating. In Community/Public Health Nursing: Promoting the Health of Populations (7th ed., pp. 107-122). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

Scenario-Based Learning Activity

In this interactive activity, students are organized into five groups of eight. Each group is assigned a specific population, such as elderly adults aged 65 and older, to develop a concept map. The process involves positioning the community at the center of a poster board and then researching and displaying relevant health issues surrounding this core. This visualization exercise enables students to grasp the complex health challenges faced by particular demographic groups and promotes critical reflection on targeted healthcare needs.

References

Mailloux, L. (2008). The Essentials of the BSN Education for Professional Nursing Practice (No. VI). American Association of Colleges of Nursing.