NR538 2021 September Discussions Latest (Full)

NR538 Population Health I Assessment and Analysis of Data

Week 1 Discussion

Assessment of Health at the Aggregate Level

Based upon the concepts learned during week one surrounding population health assessment, respond to the following:

Summarize the purpose and value of population health assessment.

Analyze a minimum of two variables that impact the nature and scope of the assessment process.

Identify one model to guide population assessment and explain how the model could be applied in your current practice (or in a former role) to appraise health needs of the population served.

What insights would you hope to gain through population assessment process?

Include one specific example of how population assessment would influence interventions to promote or protect the health of the population served.

 

NR538 Population Health I Assessment and Analysis of Data

Week 2 Discussion

Population Health Assessment: Approaches for Data Collection

Consider your learning throughout Week Two regarding approaches for data collection and respond to the following:

Describe the variables that influence the process of data collection during population health assessment.

Identify and explain one example of quantitative data collection and one example of qualitative data collection that contribute to population health assessment.

Describe the specific insights regarding population health that can be garnered through the two approaches you identified.

Discuss the role of information systems as a source of population health data.

Describe one example of aggregated data that would inform population health assessment in your current practice, or in a previous practice role.

 

NR538 Population Health I Assessment and Analysis of Data

Week 3 Discussion

Collaboration Cafe

Assessment of the Core

Consider your plans for the concluding graduate experience, a potential practicum agency and a specific population as focus for practicum.  Respond to the following:

 

Share your plans for population health practicum. Include a possible practicum agency and a population (served through that agency or organization) to serve as a focus for the practicum experience.

As you consider assessment of the population, what data and information would be important to include and why?

What sources of data can you investigate for quantitative data about the population? And for qualitative data about the population?

How might you assure a culturally and linguistically congruent population assessment?

 

NR538 Population Health I Assessment and Analysis of Data

Week 4 Discussion

Assessment of the Subsystems (graded)

 Based upon your plans for practicum, consider the community context and respond to the following:

Share your plans for population health practicum. Include a possible practicum agency and a population of focus, and describe the geographic community within which the population resides.

How do the community subsystems within this area influence determinants of health for the selected population?

What data and information about the community subsystems would be important to assess and why?

As you appraise the community subsystems, which community partners and stakeholders might serve as sources of data and information?

 

NR538 Population Health I Assessment and Analysis of Data

Week 5 Discussion

Collaboration Cafe

Analysis of Assessment Findings (graded)

In class lessons, an evolving case scenario was presented where Maria, a nurse leader in a patient-centered medical home, is serving on a population health assessment task force.

Review the scenario and think about additional findings that could possibly be revealed through the population assessment, as well as their impact on population health. Respond to the following:

Using the example from our lesson as a background, add to this fictitious case scenario by creating and presenting at least two additional assessment findings.

Describe fictitious supports and barriers in the community subsystems that influence population health.

Analyze the fictitious findings you presented, and explain how they portray a community or population health problem, risk, or need.

What inferences or conclusions can be made through the analysis of your fictitious assessment findings?

 

NR538 Population Health I Assessment and Analysis of Data

Week 6 Discussion

Collaboration Cafe

Assessment as a Foundation for Community Health Improvement

To prepare for this week’s Collaboration Café, investigate a community health improvement initiative in a community of your choice.  You might consider community health assessment and improvement led by a non-profit healthcare system, or by a public health department.

Note – to investigate a particular initiative, consider contacting a local health department or healthcare system. Many health departments and healthcare systems publish community health assessment findings and plans for improvement online, making information readily available for you to review.

Select one initiative, review the information about the assessment, plans for improvement, and intended outcomes.  Respond to the following:

Describe the agency or organization that led the community health assessment and plans for improvement.

Explain the impetus for the initiative, such as public health accreditation, ACA community benefit requirement, or another rationale.

Provide a synopsis of the following:

Key assessment findings

Plans for community health improvement

Intended impact or outcomes of the initiative

How do you think the assessment findings shaped or directed the improvement plans that were established?

 

NR538 Population Health I Assessment and Analysis of Data

Week 7 Discussion

Collaboration Café

To prepare for this week’s Collaboration Café interview a colleague whose practice involves or is impacted by the management of population health.  The interviewee can be a nurse or an interprofessional colleague.

Ask your interviewee:

In your organization, how does population health management support health and organizational outcomes? Are there internal or external benchmarks to gauge success, and if so, what are those benchmarks?

How does population health assessment contribute to the management of population health in your practice?

What population health assessment measures are particularly useful in your organization?

Within your practice, what population health issues are of highest priority? What efforts are underway to address those issues?

In what ways do intersectoral and interprofessional collaboration contribute to population health management in your organization?

Following the interview, summarize your findings in the Collaboration Café.

Explain how insights from your interview align with current trends in the management of population health.

Compare/contrast the insights gained with information shared by your classmates.

How are the findings similar and different, and why?

 

NR538 Population Health I Assessment and Analysis of Data

Week 8 Discussion

Collaboration Cafe

Reflection and Application of Learning

In years past, population health assessment was associated with functions of the public health system. While it remains an essential component of public health practice, population health assessment shapes healthcare delivery across a variety of settings.  Whether through public health or clinical healthcare systems, assessment and analysis of population health is the first step in identifying needs and creating strategies to improve outcomes.

Reflect upon your learning throughout the NR 538 course. Based upon new insights gained, how has your understanding of population health assessment been impacted?  

How might you apply population health assessment and/or the analysis of findings in your current practice?

What preliminary population and community health problems, risks, and/or needs were identified through your assessment and analysis of data in NR 538?

How will your assessment and analysis from NR 538 influence your practicum experience?