RN At-Risk and Vulnerable Populations and Related Effects on Health Assessment

A nurse manager is preparing an in-service about vulnerable populations for nursing staff. Which of the following information should the nurse include? Population-based community health nursing interventions are focused only on those individuals who seek health care services. Childhood poverty does not increase the risk for poorer health across the lifespan. Pre-existing illness and age are social factors that can lead to vulnerability. Vulnerable populations experience more adverse health outcomes than the general population.

Vulnerable populations experience more adverse health outcomes than the general population. Vulnerable populations are at a higher risk for poor health outcomes due to several factors including the lack of access to health care, low socioeconomic status, and fewer education and employment opportunities.

A nurse is reinforcing the importance of adhering to their medication regimen with a vulnerable group of clients who has been diagnosed with a mental illness. The nurse should identify that this is an example of which of the following phases of the nursing process? Assessment Analysis/Diagnosis Implementation Planning

Implementation During the implementation phase, the nurse would provide instruction and reinforce with the clients about the importance of adhering to their medication regimen.

A nurse is caring for a group of clients. The nurse should identify that which of the following clients is a member of a vulnerable population? (Select all that apply.) A client who has substance use disorder and tests positive for HIV A client who smokes and uses chewing tobacco daily A client who recently had a baby and requests information about child care A client who has limited access to health care because they live in a rural area A veteran who just returned from an overseas tour of duty after being injured

A client who has substance use disorder and tests positive for HIV is correct. Vulnerable populations include clients who have low socioeconomic status, are without housing, have special needs, have mental illness, have substance use disorder, and have been incarcerated. Vulnerable populations can include adolescents who are pregnant, migrant workers and immigrants, and individuals who are at risk for or have communicable diseases. A client who smokes and uses chewing tobacco daily is in correct. Vulnerable populations include clients who have low socioeconomic status, are without housing, have special needs, have mental illness, have substance use disorder, and have been incarcerated. Vulnerable populations can include adolescents who are pregnant, migrant workers and immigrants, and individuals who are at risk for or have communicable diseases. A client who has limited access to health care because they live in a rural area is correct. Vulnerable populations include clients who have low socioeconomic status, are without housing, have special needs, have mental illness, have substance use disorder, and have been incarcerated. Vulnerable populations can include adolescents who are pregnant, migrant workers and immigrants, and individuals who are at risk for or have communicable diseases. A veteran who just returned from an overseas tour of duty after being injured is correct. A veteran who returned home from a duty assignment following an injury is at risk for mental health disorders as a result of the trauma experienced and is vulnerable.

A nurse is caring for a client who is a member of a vulnerable population. Which of the following actions should the nurse take? Set a time limit for the client to become self-sufficient. Take control of the client's care decisions. Advocate for the client needs. Refer the client to another community center.

Advocate for the client needs. It is important for the nurse to advocate for all vulnerable groups to obtain equal treatment regardless of their socioeconomic status, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other factor that can lead to vulnerability.

A public health nurse is conducting a windshield survey in a new community they will be serving. Which of the following data should the nurse expect to collect? Condition of roads and other infrastructure Number of homes containing lead paint How many children live in the neighborhood Where the informal community leaders live

Condition of roads and other infrastructure A windshield survey is conducted by driving through a community and gathering information about the environment and specific populations, especially vulnerable populations of people who live there.

A nurse in the emergency department is assisting with the care for an older adult client who lives with a family member. The client's family member reports the client has blood in their urine. Which action should the nurse suggest taking first? Determine the cause of the bleeding while asking about other social family concerns. Plan to refer the client to an outpatient urologist to address blood in the client's urine. Send the client home with their family member and inform the client to return to the ED if fever develops. Provide the client prescribed medication to manage their condition.

Determine the cause of the bleeding while asking about other social family concerns. A client who is an older adult is considered vulnerable. Therefore, it is important for the nurse to provide comprehensive assessment and determine the cause of the client's symptoms and inquire about their social concerns. This would allow for the nurse to determine the need for social and economic assistance as well.

A nurse at a clinic is assessing a client who is part of a vulnerable population. Which of the following actions should the nurse take? (Select all that apply.) Ensure the environment is comfortable and nonthreatening. Provide the client with financial advice. Discuss client care with other members of the interprofessional team. Provide culturally appropriate health care. Offer the client personal medical advice.

Ensure the environment is comfortable and nonthreatening is correct. Nurses working with clients in vulnerable populations should aim to create a comfortable, nonthreatening environment, provide culturally and linguistically competent care, and collaborate with others as appropriate. A nurse should not provide financial or legal advice. Discuss client care with other members of the interprofessional team is correct. A nurse should collaborate with interprofessional team members to identify and manage client needs. Provide culturally appropriate health care is correct. Nurses working with clients in vulnerable populations should aim to create a comfortable, nonthreatening environment, provide culturally and linguistically competent care, and collaborate with others as appropriate.

A nurse is preparing an in-service about methods to remove barriers to health care. Which of the following information should the nurse include? Attend an antidiscrimination rally held in the local community. Provide free food at a food bank. Support an initiative to add more homeless shelters to the community. Establish a mobile clinic to provide services for clients in rural communities.

Establish a mobile clinic to provide services for clients in rural communities. Barriers to access health care include policies and financial, geographic, or cultural features of health care that make services difficult to obtain or so unappealing that clients do not want to seek care. Removing barriers to health care can improve access to health care services. Examples of removing barriers to health care include providing extended clinic hours, low-cost or free health services for people who are uninsured or underinsured, providing transportation to and from clinics, mobile vans, and professional interpreters.

A nurse is caring for a client following a suicide attempt. The client has a history of depression, substance use disorder, and anorexia nervosa. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first? Administer a depression assessment tool. Review the client's laboratory report. Make a contract with the client regarding their eating behavior. Initiate suicide precautions.

Initiate suicide precautions. The client's safety is the nurse's priority. Therefore, the first action the nurse should take is to initiate suicide precautions.

A community health nurse is speaking with an older adult client about methods to reduce the risk of depression. Which of the following is a primary intervention the nurse should include in the teaching? Provide stress reduction techniques for the client. Encourage the client to move to a nursing facility. Request their provider to prescribe an antidepressant. Offer a mental health support group for the client to attend.

Provide stress reduction techniques for the client. When working with older adult clients who are at an increased risk for depression, primary prevention interventions should be aimed at stopping the disorder before it begins. An example would be to provide stress reduction techniques, so the client is better able to adapt to life's stressors.

A nurse is collecting data from an adolescent who is pregnant. Which of the following findings represents the greatest risk factor for the client? The client had their first prenatal visit in the third trimester. The client has an elevated blood pressure. The client reports being without housing. The client has a sexually transmitted infection.

The client reports being without housing. Using the nursing process, the nurse should determine that the client's lack of housing is the greatest risk. Clients without housing are at a greater risk for disease, often cannot meet basic needs, and have shortened life expectancies.

A nurse is reviewing the data for the number of new colorectal cancer screenings. This data is for the 6 months following a community campaign stressing the importance of screening for colorectal cancer. The nurse should identify that this is an example of which of the following phases of the nursing process? Assessment Evaluation Planning Implementation

Evaluation During the evaluation phase, the nurse would examine the recent data to determine the plan was successful or in need of revision.

A nurse is assisting with the care of multiple clients at a community health center. For which of the following clients should the nurse anticipate a referral for a social worker? A client who has asthma and reports increased need for inhaler use A client who has diabetes mellitus and reports inadequate medical supplies at home A client who has depression and reports inability to sleep at night A client who has hypertension and reports recent weight gain

A client who has diabetes mellitus and reports inadequate medical supplies at home Individuals who are part of a vulnerable population may have low socioeconomic status or are without housing. A social work referral can help the client with identification of resources to obtain medical supplies.

A nurse understands that social determinants contribute to poor health, health disparities, and inequities. Which of the following is an example of a social determinant of health? Gender Socio-economic status Age Genetic disorder

Socio-economic status Social determinants of health are complex circumstances in which individuals are born and live that affect their health status. They include intangible factors such as education, stress, economic status, environmental factors, nutrition, prejudice, as well as tangible factors such as accessible health care, education systems, safe environmental conditions, well-designed neighborhoods, and availability of nutritious foods.

A nurse is assisting with a community group presentation about the needs of vulnerable groups. Which of the following statements by the nurse indicates an understanding of the unique needs of vulnerable groups? "I always address the problem that the client believes is the most significant." "I avoid asking clients for income or financial information, because this is an invasion of privacy." "I include the client's cultural traditions as I complete my assessment." "I make sure to do a complete assessment, since we often don't know when the person will return to the clinic."

"I include the client's cultural traditions as I complete my assessment." It is important to keep the client's cultural traditions in mind when completing an assessment so that the nurse is able to provide culturally competent care.