Self-Reflection on Vulnerable Populations
Vulnerable population refers to the people who are likely to develop health problems due to excess risk, limitation access of healthcare services, and lack of care from the guardians (Potter, 2011). Community-focused nursing is an important concept within the healthcare system that is used to help the vulnerable population to get the health services in the right manner. Congruently, the vulnerable community who are involved in the community-based nursing provide essentials skills such as allowing the nurses to understanding their health issues and the impact of the treatment programs. In fact, the vulnerable population, act as patients advocacy, in which they give the nurses the reasons why there is the need for setting up new treatment systems so that the work of community-based nursing is effective.
Potter (2011) points out that for a nurse to be successful in the community-based nursing he or she ought to have unique set of skills and knowledge. The nurses should possess the unique skills and knowledge because they need to be in a better position to understand the needs of the vulnerable population and social factors that contribute to the vulnerable population. Therefore, as a professional nurse who has specific skills and knowledge, one can improve the life vulnerable patients by helping them to identify the available resources that are eligible to assist them in improving their health status. Some of the resources that the vulnerable population needs to have an idea about include mobile health care centers.
As vulnerable people encounter various problems within the society due to their health care requirements, some of the public policies that are set by the government are another factor influencing the vulnerable population in a negative way. DeGuzman and Kulbok (2012) note that lack of health insurance coverage for the vulnerable population is an issue that is affecting the healthcare system set to care for the vulnerable people. The reason why the community is not obtaining the healthcare insurance coverage includes the economic difficulties, limited resources, and lack of government intersection in the treatment of the vulnerable population.
References
DeGuzman, P. B., & Kulbok, P. A. (2012). Changing health outcomes of vulnerable populations through nursing’s influence on neighborhood built environment: A framework for nursing research. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 44(4), 341-348.
Potters, P., A., (2007). Community-Based Nursing Practice. Retrieved from: http://www.coursewareobjects.com/objects/evolve/E2/book_pages/potterbasic/pdfs/Potter_Basic_CH03_039-052.pdf
