NSG 4074 Week 5 Discussion How the state and local health departments’ goals of health promotion meet the objective of Healthy People 2020

Health promotion goals meet the Healthy People 2020 objective of promoting healthy behaviors across all stages of life. Through community health nursing, local and state health departments help clients recognize unhealthy behaviors and develop strategies to improve their health. In addition, nurses organize the community to undertake community health assessments to acknowledge the existence of health disparities and direct their interventions toward addressing these disparities (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2015).

How nurses can help clients modify unhealthy behaviors

 Nurses in the public setting are in the ideal position to help clients learn about health promotion to modify unhealthy behaviors. According to Stanhope and Lancaster (2015), nurses can assist clients in modifying harmful behavior by educating them at the primary and secondary levels of prevention to assist clients in attaining optimal health, averting health problems, and recognizing and treating diseases on time. For example, at the primary prevention level, nurses can educate clients about environmental hazards, exercise, or diet. At the secondary level of prevention, nurses can educate clients and provide health screenings for health issues, such as timely diagnosis and management of diabetes, to shorten the illness’s severity and duration.

References

Levin, J. (2014). Faith-Based Partnerships for Population Health: Challenges, Initiatives, and Prospects. Public Health Reports,129(2), 127-131. doi:10.1177/003335491412900205

Pappas-Rogich, M., & King, M. (2014). Faith Community Nursing. Journal of Christian Nursing,31(4), 228-234. doi:10.1097/cnj.0000000000000125