Community Health has been an amazing learning opportunity
and an inspiration for us senior nursing students. Most of our focus this
semester has been on the social determinants of health. The social determinants
of health are situations in which people are born, grow-up, live, work, and
age. Stress, unemployment, lack of education, and poverty are some examples of
these social determinants. The health disparities that occur among different
populations of people are not accidental. Instead, they are largely influenced
by the social determinants of health.
Recently, we were assigned to write papers that required each
of us to select a specific community and to explore a health issue that occurs
frequently in that population. After researching the issue and the social
determinant that is behind the problem, we had to propose solutions that would
alter the detrimental effects of the identified social determinant and would
improve the health of the community. While challenging, this project as well as
the other coursework and community health clinical experiences have been
eye-opening.
We have learned that healthcare outside of the hospital is
the key to prevention. In fact, if we really want to change the health of
communities and consequently our patients, we need to go into those communities
and make changes rather than just waiting to treat people when they come to the
hospital. This means that, as nurses, we need to do more than just starting
IVs, administering medications, and measuring intake and output. We need to
look at all aspects of a community and determine what factors are influencing
its health and contributing to health inequality. Once we identify the social
determinants that are causing the problems and begin develop solutions to help
alleviate their effects on the community’s health, only then can we hope to see
change. Only then can we hope to eliminate health disparities and bring about
health equality and a healthy future for all communities.
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