Assignment: Caring For Vulnerable Populations

• Discuss several risk factors that may impact health outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Assurance is one of the three core functions of public health. Find a resource in your community (other than WIC) that could assist Mary during her pregnancy. Start by searching the internet for your local health department’s website. What services do they provide for pregnant women, those living in poverty, or those with mental health concerns? What about your local welfare office? Do they provide prenatal or mental health services? Are there any service organizations, crisis pregnancy centers, or churches providing help for pregnant women or those experiencing mental health concerns? (The Internet, your local newspaper, and the telephone book may also help you locate resources)

• Briefly describe the types of services that you found.
• Choose one agency and assess this agency in terms of the 4 A’s. Is it accessible, acceptable, affordable, or available for Mary or other pregnant women that you case-manage?
  • Are there adequate resources for other vulnerable populations in your community?
• REFERENCES:
• Nies, M. A., & McEwen, M. (2015). Community/Public health nursing: Promoting the health of populations (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders/Elsevier.Choose one of the following five chapters.
  • Chapter 16: Child and Adolescent Health
  • Chapter 17: Women’s Health
  • Chapter 18: Men’s Health
  • Chapter 19: Senior Health
  • Chapter 20: Family Health

  Also choose one of the following four chapters.

  • Chapter 21: Populations Affected by Disabilities
  • Chapter 22: Homeless Populations
  • Chapter 23: Rural and Migrant Health
  • Chapter 24: Populations Affected by Mental IllnessChamberlain College of Nursing NR443: Week 3 Case StudyNR443 Week 3 Case Study 3/30/16 LS 1

    Week 3 Case Study for Discussion

    This case study provides you with an opportunity to immerse yourself in the role of a community health nurse and explore the resources in your community. As you work through the case, reflect on what you have learned about community health nursing in this course, and how you can apply it to this case.

    Anne is a fellow nurse with the health department. She is going on medical leave, so has asked you to assume this case.

    Christina is a social worker with the health department. Tracey is a case worker from Child Protection Services. Mark is a dietician with the local Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) office.

    Your client: Mary is a 23-year-old Hispanic female. She is in her first trimester of pregnancy and is developmentally delayed. She also has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She is currently unemployed but receives Social Security disability checks monthly. She lives with a roommate in a project apartment complex in a run-down part of town.

    Anne has visited Mary once and provided the following information as she hands the case to you. Mary had a baby removed from her care when she was 19 years old. Mary cannot explain why this baby was removed other than her house was dirty. She met the father of her current baby on the Internet and states that she has not heard from him recently.

    During Anne’s visit, Mary stated that she wanted to keep the baby. She asked many questions about healthy eating and having a healthy pregnancy. Mary stated that she has visited the WIC office, received WIC vouchers, and met with Mark who talked to her about what to eat. She asked for help to find a nice apartment and to make other improvements so that she can keep this baby.

    When Anne started to explore options and difficulties she might encounter in raising this child, she stated that Mary became agitated and did not comprehend why her baby might be removed from her other than “They are against me!”

    Christina, Mary’s social worker, was able to find the past court records indicating that her first baby was removed due to neglect and living in an unsuitable environment. At that time, Mary was living with her

    Your role: You are working as a community health nurse in your local health department. One of your roles with the health department is to case manage pregnant women who receive Medicaid. You work with an interdisciplinary team both within and outside the agency. Team members: