NURS FPX 4015 Assessment 4 Caring for Special Populations Teaching Presentation

Student Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX4015 Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, and Physical Assessment: A Holistic Approach to Patient-Centered Care

Professor’s Name

Submission Date

Slide: 01

• Caring for Special Populations: Teaching Presentation

Hi, my name is (Student Name). In this presentation, I shall argue about the special healthcare requirements of people experiencing homelessness and insecurely housed people.

Slide: 02

The problem of homelessness is also a growing concern for the public health of the United States since it affects both the community members and their families. The dwellers of non-homes face unique physical, mental, and social problems that predispose them to a higher possibility of compromising their well-being (Onapa et al., 2021).

Nurses must also be acquainted with the needs and cultural values of this target population and the barriers that this population experiences. Culturally competent and equitable care can help to lessen such disparities and improve the quality of life. This paper seeks to explore the nature of homeless people and housing-insecure people, their health disparities, and nursing practices that are effective in terms of providing care to homeless people and housing-insecure people.

Slide: 03

• Characteristics of Homeless and Housing-Insecure Individuals and Their Healthcare Needs

Slide: 04

• Cultural Values and Beliefs Relevant to Healthcare

The individuals who are confronted with the issue of homelessness are prone to develop unique values of culture developed in respect to survival and negative past experiences in institutions. Independence and self-reliance are also highly prized, and they prefer to take care of their health problems themselves until their health is significantly impaired (Gadermann et al., 2021).

The peer support networks are usually powerful and replace the family setup, and the bondships with other individuals experiencing similar situations may also play a role in decisions to seek care. Healthcare systems and providers are mostly received with high levels of distrust due to the experiences in life related to stigmatization, discrimination and the perceived unwelcoming treatment in hospitals and other clinical facilities. Some turn to drugs to cope with the stress, traumas, or the symptoms of mental illness, which may also affect how they approach healthcare services. It seems that such cultural values and coping styles have a massive influence on when and how people in this group relate to care.

Slide: 05

• Healthcare Disparities Faced by the Homeless Population

Housing-insecure and homeless populations of people are prone to high levels of inability to access quality medical care, thus unequal disease burden. This group is more vulnerable to such chronic illnesses as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory infections, and skin diseases, as provided unevenly or not at all due to unstable living conditions and lack of access to generalized care.

Another mental health issue that is high is depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, with more than half of them having concomitant substance use disorders (Barry et al., 2024). Such obstacles, along with the lack of insurance, the lack of transportation, the inability to access preventative care, and the utilization of the emergency rooms instead, contribute to the higher hospitalization rate and premature death 2030 years prematurely in comparison to the rest of the population (Jackson & Usher, 2024). Such differences are further enhanced by stigmatization and discrimination by healthcare professionals, further reinforcing mistrust and the decreased chances of seeking subsequent care.

Slide: 06

• Strategies for Providing Culturally Competent Nursing Care

Nurses must utilize evidence-based and culturally competent strategies to assist them in eliminating such disparities since they directly address the barriers and values of homeless individuals. First, one will need to establish a feeling of trust with the help of trauma-informed, non-judgmental communication. As an example, one can take a case scenario when the same nurse visits the encampment regularly over time, along with a traveling outreach team, meaning that they are credible and trustworthy and can overcome the distrust and desire to receive care. Second, the portability and agility of services, e.g., the programs of street medicine or shelter clinics, solve the problem of transportation and unstable schedules (Kaufman et al., 2024).

These approaches are in direct line with the necessities of the population to get care that is congruent with the conditions of their life. Third, a care model that integrates physical health, mental health, and addiction levels of care in the same facility will make sure that patients can address their conditions of co-occurring conditions without having to go through the system. Finally, promoting solutions to change systems, which in this case is permanent supportive housing initiatives, allows addressing the cause of many health disparity issues. Each of these strategies is linked directly to the cultural values and experience of the group: in the instance of stigma-elimination and autonomy-respect, and the establishment of consistent access points, it would mean that the patients who would otherwise not seek out the health system would be reached by the nurses, and thus achieve better outcomes.

Slide: 07

• Equitable and Inclusive Care for Homeless and Housing-Insecure Individuals

Homeless and houseless individuals are a heterogeneous group that includes families, veterans, young and older adults of different races and cultures. The reasons that lead to homelessness are also varied, as they encompass the lack of a job, poverty, chronic illnesses or domestic violence, or mental problems (Sleet & Francescutti, 2021). This diversity should be established to provide objective care.

Instead of focusing on the stereotype of homelessness, nurses are encouraged to view each person as a human being with their own life experiences and needs regarding the health agenda. Equal care is based on dignified communication that is free of stigma. As in the situation of a nurse taking time to ask a particular patient what they need at the moment, i.e., asking the patient about the food, shelter, or safety, and then paying attention to a treatment plan, will demonstrate to a patient that the nurse or a clinician is aware of the situation and that they can be trusted.

Fair and inclusive care also implies bringing health to the people where such patients will be and noticing the complexity of the systems. Outreach teams, mobile clinics, and shelter-based services are applied to provide increased access, reduce transportation and instability-related access barriers to care (Kaufman et al., 2024).

These means have also been discovered to cut down the use of emergency rooms and improvement of preventive care. Nurses can create a safe and friendly environment by treating patients with compassion and addressing their needs in a manner that does not disregard their realities, thereby creating long-term relationships with the patients. These examples indicate that the notion of inclusive nursing care yields such positive results as not only the improvement of physical health but also the recovery of dignity and encouragement of people to communicate with the healthcare system, breaking the cycle of deprivation and unhealthiness.

Slide: 08

• Case Study: Applying Culturally Competent Care in a Homeless Outreach Setting

John is a 52-year-old man who has not had stable housing in the previous seven years due to the loss of his job and depression, which he did not treat. He smirks and patronizes and does not want to visit hospitals and clinics; he has type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

John encounters a nurse, who goes to a local encampment as part of a mobile healthcare outreach with a spirit of respect and nonjudgmental focus, without posing questions to John and instead asking him about his health and daily problems. Instead of focusing on his medical needs only, the nurse is immediately informed about other issues that are of acute concern to this patient, such as safety and food security concerns.

Within a few weeks, the same nurse comes to see John at a regular location, and gradually, a certain level of trust is established between the two. This frequent and care-sensitive engagement causes John to consent to have his blood pressure taken and to be shown how to check his blood sugar using simple supplies that can be obtained at the site. The nurse also connects him to a clinic that is located in the shelter that offers medications and counseling services free of charge.

Three months later, John has a steady level of sugar in his blood, his blood pressure is normal, and he can visit a support group in the shelter. In this instance, it is demonstrated that with trauma-informed care and being culturally competent, thus meeting the patient physically and mentally where they are (as well as being non-judgmental and considering their autonomy, legal or otherwise) and addressing the patient and their social and medical needs, the barrier of mistrust may be broken through. Better health outcomes may be achieved in a homeless population.

Slide: 09

• Resources for Further Learning

Medical practitioners who want to learn more and acquire new skills when it comes to the care of homeless and housing-insecure individuals will find some valuable sources. The National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) is a national organization that provides comprehensive guidance, research, and policy programs that assist in the improvement of health care services to the homeless individuals.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers evidence-based tools, programs, and training materials to integrate mental health and substance use treatment into care plans of this population. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides access to the latest data and information and toolkits on how to react to the particular problems that influence the health of people who do not have stable housing.

The Street Medicine Institute is also concerned with the way to provide medical care to unsheltered people through mobile clinics and outreach (National Health Care for the Homeless Council, 2024). All these resources serve to make the nurses more equal, respectful, and efficient in their care of people who suffer most because of homelessness.

Slide: 10

• Conclusion

Housing-insecure and homeless individuals face particular health issues that are exacerbated by the identified living environment and inaccessibility. The aspect in which nurses have contributed to reducing such disparities is the level of their inclusive and culturally informed approach, as well as their trauma-informed approach. Building trust and offering mobile flexible services will eliminate the barriers and improve the health outcomes.

This mutual support in medical, mental, and social aspects can transform the lives of such a vulnerable population group. Nurses can play a very important role in the health and dignity of people experiencing homelessness by fostering equity and respect.

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