The Practice Of Community Assessment

Introduction and Purpose The practice of community assessment in nursing care is very important because it is a useful tool for nurses to assess and understand factors that determines the health of a community (Stamler & Yiu, 2012). Sahud and Bartfay (2010), in their research maintained that the responsibility of a community health nurse is to review the community need for resources and assets that are beneficial to wellbeing of the community. The public health nurse also works collaboratively with the community and stake holders to plan for programs that will promote the community’s wellbeing and quality of life (Sahud and Bartfay 2010). Community assessment is important as stated in the Ottawa Charter of 1986, that in order to
come to a place of “complete physical, mental and social well-being, an individual or group must be able to identify and to realize aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the environment” (World Health Organisation, 1986). According to world Health organization, a healthy community continues to maintain their physical and social environment in addition to obtaining recourses that assist members of the community to maintain functionality by performing their own activities of daily living with improved capacity (World Health Organization, 1998). This assignment is aimed at assessing and identifying the evolving health factors in relation with risk and modifiable that determines the health of White Eagle Long term care in Parkdale high park community, Toronto, Canada
My focus community runs from Queen Street West's shabby neighbourhoods, through the Roncesvalles’ antique shops and Polish bakeries and the Humber River mansions; Parkdale-High Park is one of the city's most colourful ridings (statistics Canada, 2006).
Parkdale community was created in the year 1976; this neighbourhood connect the Lake Ontario shore and extends all the way north to the Canadian Pacific Rail line. The community borders, originally created out of the former Parkdale, High Park-Humber Valley and Davenport area, (Statistics Canada, 2006). The community consist of predominantly residents from polish decent, while housing 25 percent of visible minority. In this community there is evidence of high crime rate, mental health sicknesses and homelessness, alcohol and drug addiction, which are significant factors that impact the health and well-being of this population.
White eagle long term care is my placement community that is located west of Jemison between king and Queen Street.
White Eagle residence is a 54 bed long term home for mostly homeless population under the care of public guardianship. Residents at the facility are 25 adult males between the ages of 58 and 91years and, 29 adult females between the ages of 65 and 100 years old. The residents are made up of 52 whites of non-Hispanic origin with only 2 residents with black ethnicity. The most spoken languages are polish and English. The residents has moderate literacy levels with 7 college and University graduates, 15 High school graduates, 8 elementary school graduates and 24 other resident that could not be assess due to low level of functionality. My aggregate community is considered low income population (Statistics Canada,
2011).
Data Collection Methods My process of data collection involved a windshield survey of internal and external environment of my target community; for the purpose of identifying some behavioural, interpersonal, socio-economic and environmental factors that may combine to affect the health and wellbeing of my target population.
Furthermore, a systematic review was conducted to gain understanding of my target population health using a credible reference point of view. In my data collection, both qualitative and quantitative data collection process were employed to get important information about my aggregate with regards to their age, gender, ethnicity marital status, education. Qualitative analysis was used to understand the personal thoughts about the meaning of health, satisfaction of my population about life, services and resources available to them in the facility and the community of my study. A quantitative data helps obtain verifiable information that can be used to compare between variables in a larger population about factors that determines the health of individual and general population. As stated by LoBiondo-Wood, Haber, Cameron, and Singh (2013), quantitative data are used to ask people for their opinions in order to produce fact and statistics to guide practice while qualitative data is “used gain an understanding underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations” (LoBiondo-Wood et al, 2013). Furthermore, the resident electronic medical files were used to
understand residents various chronic conditions and mortality rate within a specified period. One on one guided interview as well as informal conversation was carried out with the management, staff and residents of white eagle resident. This research exercise yielded an expected result as it gave me insight to formulate my hypothesis about the population health of my aggregate, and provided me with the reliable factual information I needed to establish my hypothesis (LoBiondo-Wood et al, 2013).. During the study, informed consent was obtained from the participant and they were assured of the confidentiality of their information which will only be used for the purpose of this assignment. Appropriate therapeutic communication skills were also utilized in establishing trust and the achievement of goal. I employed open ended style of questions in my interactions with the participant which helped them to express their thoughts about their quality of life in detail with restrictions (LoBiondo-Wood et al, 2013). The survey exercise was successful as my aggregates were open to contribute to the success of this exercise, however, the absence of