Paper
Saturday, 22 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Strategies to Promote Health to High Risk Populations
A Partnership Model for Community Assessment, Planning and Evidence-Based Interventions, which Promote Health of High-Risk Populations
Kathleen A. Sternas, PhD, RN and Mary Ann Scharf, EdD. College of Nursing, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, USA
Learning Objective #1: Describe a partnership model which includes community assessment, health planning and interventions which target the health needs of high-risk populations.
Learning Objective #2: Describe interventions which have demonstrated positive outcomes for high-risk populations, students,and community partners collaborating to meet community health needs.

Objectives: This presentation describes a model of community partnership which includes community health assessment, planning and interventions that have demonstrated positive outcomes for high-risk populations, agency partners and students. Design: A descriptive design was used. Sample, Setting: Traditional (n=131) and accelerated (second degree, n=108) community health nursing students and 62 agency partners participated. Variables: cultural awareness; competence in assessment and interventions for high-risk communities; collaboration with culturally diverse professionals; leadership; Internet abilities; interest in community nursing. Methods: Students selected topics from a list developed by partners and faculty for assessment and intervention projects. The model focuses on students collaborating with partners, community members, and faculty to assess health needs of high-risk populations. Students plan, implement and evaluate interventions that meet needs like asthma, lead poisoning, homelessness, violence, obesity, immunizations, alcohol, smoking, communicable diseases, and bioterrorism. Students and partners completed formal evaluations which measured project outcomes. Findings: Partner evaluations: 100% agreed assessments and interventions met community needs, findings were useful in program planning.  Interventions decreased community health problems and promoted health. Interventions included: asthma triggers computer program; smoking during pregnancy brochure; STD brochure which increased clinic attendance; mental illness manual; watch alarm to increase HIV clients’ medication compliance; town bioterrorism plan. Student benefits included: expertise in caring for high-risk populations; leadership; evidence of effective interventions. Outcomes from 2004 data: 100% traditional (n=31) and 100% accelerated (n=22) agreed experiences promoted cultural awareness; 96.77% traditional and 100% accelerated collaborated with diverse professionals; 100% of both groups reported increased competence in planning community interventions, improved Internet abilities, and interest in community work. Conclusions: The partnership model meets needs of high-risk populations, results in positive outcomes for partners and students, and increases health planning knowledge. Findings have implications for policy development and health promotion interventions for high-risk populations.

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See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)