Working With Groups Towards Community Development Notes PDF

**[WORKING WITH GROUPS TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT]** - **CULTURE: A characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. \... The word \"culture\" derives from a French term, which in turn derives fr...

**[WORKING WITH GROUPS TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT]** - **CULTURE: A characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. \... The word \"culture\" derives from a French term, which in turn derives from the Latin \"colere,\" which means to tend to the earth and grow, or cultivation and nurture.** - **VALUES: A person\'s or society\'s beliefs about good behavior and what things are important. An example of values are the accepted beliefs of a family about dating.** - **TRAITS: Are valued aspects of a person\'s behavior. Everyone has character traits, both good and bad, including our favorite fictional characters. Character traits are often labeled with descriptive adjectives such as patient, unfaithful, or jealous. Often, someone\'s character and personality are intertwined.** - **TRADITIONS: An inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom).** - **BELIEFS: An attitude that something is the case, or that some proposition about the world is true. In epistemology, philosophers use the term \"belief\" to refer to attitudes about the world which can be either true or false.** - **PERSONAL QUALITIES: The characteristics, attributes or personality traits of an individual. Examples of personal attributes include being honest, having a good sense of humour or being dependable.** - **PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES: Are skills, knowledge and attributes that are specifically valued by the professional associations, organizations and bodies connected to your future career.** ***Communicating with Groups*** An important aspect of communication in community health nursing involves working with groups of people. Community health nurses are regularly involved in committees, task forces, and other work-related groups. Nurses also work with aggregates in small groups---often teaching, gathering community assessment and evaluation data, and facilitating support groups. We need to understand how to organize groups and how groups function and develop over time, as well as techniques for facilitating group support and decision making. **Group Development** Groups may consist of organized workgroups or they may simply come together because of a common need or task. When a group of people first comes together, group members are often hesitant, quiet, and depend very much on the group leader or facilitator to give them structure and guidance (George Mason University Center for Service and Leadership \[CSL\], 2006). **Stages of Group Development** 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. *(Adapted from Tuckman, D. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384--399.)* **Interventions to Facilitate Group Growth** - **Orientation** - The act or process of orienting or the state of being oriented. Position or positioning with relation to the points of the compass or other specific directions. - **Structure** - Structure is from the Latin word structural which means \"a fitting together. - **Direction** - The management or guidance of someone or something. - **Process** - A process is a series of steps and decisions involved in the way work is completed. - **Negotiate** - Because we want to do a deal that is beneficial to all the parties involved. - **Resolve conflicts** - Talk directly. Assuming that there is no threat of physical violence, talk; directly to the person with whom you have the problem. \...; choose a good time. \...; Plan ahead. \...; don't blame or name-call. \...; give information. \...; Listen. \...; Show that you are listening. \...; talk it all through. - **Awareness of the effects of behaviour** - To be effective in our efforts, we need to make sure we help others translate that awareness into actionable items. This can be through helping to change behavior or acting upon beliefs. - **Application of new learning** - They always say that "Practice makes perfect". Though it is not 100% true, applying what you have learned and constantly practicing it will make you more familiarize with the action that will lead to better performance of the skill. **COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS** Inter-professional and interdisciplinary collaboration is an "essential element of quality health care" (Coeling & Cukr, 2000, p. 63). **Collaboration,** for community health nurses, means a purposeful interaction between nurses, clients, other professionals, and community members based on shared values, mutual participation, and joint effort. It involves building trust and confidence and is "more often voluntary," with its roots "found in natural social skills developed by children through play" (Petersen, 2003, ¶ 1). Depending on the need to be addressed, community health nurses may work with many of these people on a single project. Furthermore, perhaps the most important team players are community clients---those populations and groups who are the targets of community health services. Clients' cultural background, experience in collaboration and partnership building, perspectives, and expressions of need provide important information for the planning and delivery of services. Their participation, either collectively or through representatives, ensures more comprehensive and accurate information as well as commitment to fully using the health programs designed for their benefit. There are key strategies for establishing partnerships and collaboration with inter-professional team members (Allender, Carey, Castanon, et al., 1997): - Think "outside the box'' when looking for partners or collaborators. - Partners must be part of the planning. - Plans are guides toward a goal; stay flexible. - When adding new partners, be prepared to re-plan. - Maintain different levels of collaboration (different team members have more resources, come in later to the project, or leave the project earlier). - Use consensus-building techniques that are creative and visual. - Establish a shared vision, then share the plans and the leadership. Like group process, collaboration among agencies or groups of people may occur in stages: - Competition. Competing backgrounds, ideas, and motivations, and a search to find shared values, goals, and ethical principles - Networking/Communication. Sharing information promotes development of trust and role clarity, and reduces miscommunication caused by stereotypical views of other disciplines, professions, or entities - Cooperation/Coordination. More sharing of resources, less duplication, and formal communication through structure and agreements; more mutual respect - Coordination/Partnership. Becoming more invested in the success of all partners, better able to manage and share resources; full support of agencies involved - Coalition. Shared leadership and decision-making; resources benefit all members; sufficient power and authority to work collectively - Collaboration. Shared mission and vision, open and trusting communication, strong relationships, sense of belonging, and shared accomplishment and goals (Petersen, 2003; Lewandowski & GlenMaye, 2002) **Characteristics of Collaboration and Partnerships** To explore the meaning of collaboration in the context of community health nursing, this section examines five characteristics that distinguish collaboration from other types of interaction: 1. **Shared goals** - The nurse, clients, and others involved in the collaborative effort or partnership recognize specific reasons for entering into the relationship. 2. **Mutual participation** - Second, in community health nursing, collaboration involves mutual participation; all team members contribute and are mutually benefited (Leonard, Graham, & Bonacum, 2004). - Collaboration involves a reciprocal exchange in which individual team players discuss their intended involvement and contribution, and it is important for all members of a team to feel equally valued---no hierarchies should exist. 3. **Maximized resources** - The collaborative partnership is designed to draw on the expertise of those who are most knowledgeable and in the best positions to influence a favourable outcome. 4. **Clear responsibilities** - The collaborating team members work in partnership and assume clearly defined responsibilities. 5. **Set boundaries.** - Collaboration in community health practice has set boundaries, with a beginning and an end that fall within the goals of the communication. An important part of defining collaboration is determining the conditions under which it occurs and when it will be terminated. - **DELIVERY OF THE HEALTH CARE TO THE FILIPINO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY** - **Filipino Culture** - The influence of culture on health is vast. It affects perceptions of health, illness and death, beliefs about causes of disease, approaches to health promotion, how illness and pain are experienced and expressed, where patients seek help, and the types of treatment patients prefer. Source: www.kidsnewtocanada.ca › culture › influence - **Filipino Customs and Traditions** - Utilizing traditional home remedies such as alternative or complimentary means of treatment. They may discuss their concern with a trusted family member, friend, spiritual counsellor or healer (Yeo, 1998). Seeking medical advice from family members or friends who are health professionals is also a common practice among Filipino older adults and their family members, especially if severe somatic symptoms arise (Anderson, 1983). - **Filipino Values, traits and beliefs** - Home remedies in the form of medicinal plants are also popular for Filipino nurses who believe that plants can heal common ailments. The practice of self-healing and self-treatment prevents them from getting early Although Filipino nurses are being acculturated in the U.S. health care system, traditional values and the Filipino culture continue to influence their health beliefs, behaviours, and practices. Instead of being disadvantage, this enhances their cultural competence, because understanding one's own culture facilitates understanding that of others. Together with their flexibility and adaptability, their open attitude to learn and understand others can only lead to increasing confidence and satisfaction of the patient. - **[POSITIVE QUALITIES AND VALUES OF A COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE]** **PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES** 1. **High Standards of Professionalism** - As a nurse, you're bound to deal with patients coming from different age groups, genders, races, communities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. It is important not to make assumptions or generalizations with respect to their appearance, and instead focus on their illness, injury, or that which ails them. 1. **Never-Ending Diligence** - Nurses are extremely hard working, which is why diligence is an important attribute they need to possess. More often than not nurses end up working long hours. To be an exceptional nurse, you need to have it in you to work long hours and be up and running to (possibly) do it again the next day. 2. **Exceptional Communication Skills** - A great nurse has exceptional listening and speaking skills. The rest of his or her work depends on these two factors.Patients expect nurses to understand their troubles perfectly well before administering any medicine. An effective nurse is one who can not only fulfill, but also anticipate patients' needs. 3. **Effective Interpersonal Skills** - Apart from excellent communication skills, nurses need to have remarkable interpersonal skills. After all, they act as the link between doctors and a variety of patients. Further, they also need to work well with other nurses and members of the staff. 4. **Attention to Detail** - Good nurses realize that every step they take in providing patient care can have grave consequences. This is why all effective nurses pay careful attention to detail and make sure they do not miss any step. 5. **Quick Problem-Solving Abilities** - The ability to mitigate problems quickly is a must-have quality in a great nurse. An even better quality would be to anticipate and address problems before they arise. You never know when a tricky situation will arrive at the time of dealing with emergencies or trauma cases. 6. **Action-Oriented** - Patients who come to a hospital or clinic typically need remedies that are not only effective, but also administered quickly. A great nurse understands the importance of responding promptly to emergencies and sudden incidences and is prepared for all sorts of surprises with a composed mind and a calm attitude. 7. **Empathetic Disposition** - More often than not, patients happen to be enduring or have endured immense pain and suffering. Remarkable nurses have empathy for them and are able to be compassionate to provide comfort. Of course, nurses can experience their share of mental and physical fatigue too, but they're able to get past it. 8. **Solid Stamina** - Nurses work long hours. Further, they're also required to frequently carry out various physical tasks, lift heavy equipment, provide physical support to patients, stand for long periods of time, and carry out other demanding drills on a daily basis. In short, they're always on their feet. 9. **Sense of Humor** - Finding humor in difficult situations isn't easy, but the nurses who can do it are able to mitigate stressful situations better. It is perfectly okay to mix the elements of fun and humor into your work to be able to enjoy it better. After all, this combination will keep you going in the tough times! **PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES** - Nurse perceived greater competency level in their workplace. Permanent status staff nurses are related to greater competency level. Meanwhile marital status, nature of work, salary (Php), length of service (years) affects their competency level. Finally, the results provide unique theoretical underpinning that expands on previous knowledge and literature on factors that affect the nurses' competency level. **CONTENT** - **Information Technology and Community Health** A. Definition of e-health a. Storage b. Retrieval c. Transmittal B. Power of Data in Information C. e-Health Situation in the Philippines D. Using e-Health in the Community E. Roles of the Community Health Nurse in e-Health - **Current Trends in Public Health** A. Global and National Health Situation - Role of a Community Health Nurse in the National and Global Health care Delivery System - **Health Related Entrepreneurial Activities** A. Community-based Projects B. Wellness Clinics - **e -- Health** = is an emerging field in the intersection of medical informatics, public health and business, referring to health services and information delivered or enhanced through the Internet and related technologies. - **e -- Health storage** = store or record information used in the delivery of healthcare treatment, payment or record keeping. Typically, eHealth applications use the Internet to transmit and store patient data either for a provider or payer. - **e -- Health Retrieval** = Health information means research evidence from a reliable source. Electronic access to the latest health information means being able to find and read articles and other material using a computer and an Internet connection. Health professionals might read this information on the computer screen or in paper form. - **e -- Health transmittal** = process of passing something on from one person or place to another through electronic health record. **Information Technology and Community Health** ***Power of data in information*** Why is data collection important in healthcare? Collecting healthcare data generated across a variety of sources encourages efficient communication between doctors and patients, and increases the overall quality of patient care. **Example:** diagnosis, treatment, prescription drugs, laboratory tests, physiologic monitoring, etc.. **e-Health Situation in the Philippines** - It is envisioned that, "By 2020, eHealth will enable widespread access to health care services, health information, and securely share and exchange client\'s information in support to a safer, quality health care, more equitable and responsive health system for all the Filipino people. **Using e-Health in the community** - Helping providers more effectively diagnose patients, reduce medical errors, and provide safer care. Improving patient and provider interaction and communication, as well as health care convenience. **Roles of Community Health Nurse in e-Health** - **Information management --** - nurses must have adequate access to information and decision support when providing care - nurses need to contribute to the development of the structure and terminology used in the electronic patient record - Nursing documentation should be structured in an appropriate way and employ standardized terms representing the content of nursing in accordance with the nursing process. - **Communication and collaboration** - nurses should use eHealth applications for communication and collaboration based on a critical stance with regard to benefit and user friendliness - the use of eHealth should facilitate encounters and communication with patients and their significant others as well as collaboration with other health professionals and care providers - E-Health should be employed in a way that strengthens patients' involvement and control over their own care and health. - **Core ethical values** - when eHealth is used, patient's vulnerability and core ethical values such as patients' dignity, integrity and autonomy should be considered - nurses should work proactively to provide person-centred care to all patients irrespective of their level of access to information and communication technology guidelines should be formulated to regulate nurses' use of digital technology and social media as well as make a clear distinction between the professional and private role nurses' use of social media should be based on knowledge and a critical stance, both professionally and in private life. - **Leadership and management** - eHealth should be an integrated part of operational development - nurses in leadership positions are responsible for ensuring that eHealth promotes person-centred care - eHealth should contribute to a satisfactory organization of work and good working environment. - **CURRENT HEALTH SITUATION** A. Role of Community Health Nurse in the National and Global Health care Delivery System. - Nurses in roles across health system and community settings are well positioned to assess individuals, communities, and populations; advocate for justice and equality; and partner with legislators and inter-professional leaders to identify, implement, and evaluate a "strengths-based approach" that engages communities - **[Health Related Entrepreneurial Activities]** A. **Community Based Projects -** A community project is a term applied to any community-based project. This covers a wide variety of different areas within a community or a group of networking entities. \... Welfare community projects would for example be, a locally run and locally funded orphanage; a Christmas dinner kitchen for the homeless. B. **Wellness Clinics -** A wellness center is an establishment that offers health services for the body and mind. Wellness centers usually offer skin care services and body services such as fitness, personal training and nutrition consulting.