Satisfactory completion of this course leads to eligibility for the California Public Health Nursing Certificate. Because health problems are not exclusively influenced by one factor, the students are expected to assess personal health factors, the environmental influences on personal health, and environmental influences on health in assigned neighboring communities as they affect special-needs populations. Under this model, care is provided where clients are. The group process of working together in assessing and designing a program to meet those needs identified by the community equates to the real world experience of working with and in a community. Efforts to create change in the community are group initiatives.
Steps involved in developing the community focus include the following.
Early in the quarter, students conduct a windshield survey of the neighborhood in which their special-needs population resides. This information is shared with the clinical group so nurses can better advise their clients when financial resources are scarce. They also collect existing data about the community including demographics, morbidity, mortality rates, and resources of the communities' subsystems. This provides data for identifying the strengths and stressors of the community. This data is merged for the clinical group and gives a statistical picture of the needs within the community.