What is the geopolitical community in which you live? Why is it geopolitical?

My geopolitical community is Turlock, California. There is a big agricultural industry here and people’s sensibilities tend to lean conservatively, though there are small liberal pockets here and there. Often Turlock and Modesto (adjacent towns) are lumped together in terms of spacial community because a lot of people live in one and often work in the other. I live in Turlock but work in Modesto so I am involved in both communities socially and professionally.

 

What is a phenomenological community to which you belong? Why is it a phenomenological community?

My phenomenological community is very similar to my geopolitical one. If Modesto doesn’t count as part of my spacial community because I don’t live there, then I certainly feel like I’m a part of that community as well. There is also a significant Middle Eastern (specifically Assyrian) community in the Turlock/Modesto area and I certainly feel a part of them. While I was born and raised in the US my parents maintained a strong active cultural presence in our lives growing up.

 

What would some challenges and benefits be for community health nurses in providing care for different communities? For similar communities? For the same community? What are some possible solutions to the challenges?

Challenges to working in different communities would largely relate to communication and culture. Does the nurse speak the same language as the community in which he/she is working? That can be a big challenge to overcome. Also, practicing culturally competent care is another layer to add onto one’s practice and can be difficult at times. Ensuring that the nurse is not judgmental or condescending if practicing in a lower socioeconomic community than the one she is from is also important. We must treat all of our patients with respect and dignity. “Clinicians may also have to step outside of their usual therapeutic role to serve the client as an advocate” (Hope, Mocarski, Bautista, & Holt, 2016). This is specifically referring to community health workers working with people who identify as transgender, but it can apply to any member of any community. Nurses must be flexible and use all the resources at their disposal. On the other hand, some communities may have limited resources, so the nurse must make do with what he has. A benefit to all this may be a feeling of fulfillment or satisfaction in overcoming a lot of these challenges. Some possible solutions would be networking with outside resources or partially taking on that advocate or caseworker role (as long as the scope of the position allows) in ensuring the patients receive the best care possible.

When working in similar or the same community to one’s own, some of the challenges may still be there in terms of resources, however, one may experience a sense of kinship with these communities that make the challenges seem less daunting. The language barrier is usually not an issue with these communities and the nurse will already understand the culture of the members living in his/her own community.

 

Hope, D. A., Mocarski, R., Bautista, C. L., & Holt, N. R. (2016). Culturally competent evidence-based behavioral health services for the transgender community: Progress and challenges. American Journal Of Orthopsychiatry, (4), 361.

The final paper will require the student to select an infectious or chronic disease and provide a brief history and overview of this topic and how it is currently impacting public health today. 

I will disclose paper topic once a bid is accepted.

Since topics may vary, formatting will as well; however, students will need to provide:

1. Abstract
2. History of the disease
3. Symptoms of the disease
4. The cause of the disease (and how/when the cause was discovered)
5. Method to spread the disease (if chronic disease, populations most affected in the US)
6. Methods to contain the disease
7. Number of people infected or affected today (number of deaths, if applicable); should also use graphs and tables (Use descriptive epidemiology concepts)
8. Public health costs not individual costs (i.e. local, federal, hospitalizations, nursing, hospice)
9. Treatments, if any available
10. Current and future educational efforts needed by public health professionals to reduce spread of disease
11. Conclusion

Students will be required to complete a double spaced 10 page final paper for this course. The 10 pages should not include the title page and reference page(s).  Charts, graphs, photos, drawings, lists and extended quotes* will not count against the pages of written text required. *Note: It is a rare instance that an extended quote is appropriate and most of the time they are considered non-academic.

There must be a minimum of five (5) different scholarly sources used. References must follow the American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines for reference and bibliographic citation. If necessary, refer to Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ED). 2009 Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

3.  Use Times New Roman Font in a 12-point font.

4.  Use 1 inch for the top, bottom, left and right margins.

5. Use proper APA format as given to you in the attached example.

Submission: You must submit your completed paper through this assignment link as it will be subjected to TurnItIn. Save your file in the following format before you submit: Last Name, First Initial Research Paper (i.e. Jones, L Research Paper). Failure to submit the file in the proper format will lead to point deductions.

*PLAGIARISM: Your paper will go through TurnItIn, a plagiarism software.  If you receive a high score in TurnItIn, it is likely that you have committed plagiarism whether intentional or not.   Review this website to insure you do not commit plagiarism: http://www.plagiarism.org/.  If you receive a TurnItIn score that is high, I suggest that you revise and resubmit before the due date. Resubmissions are not accepted after the due date. Submissions that do not have a valid TurnItIn score will not be graded.  It is the student’s responsibility to make sure a score is received by the due date.