Question

There are three components that nurses consider when assessing a community. It includes the people within, the boundaries of the location, and the general environment where the community exists. Researchers can narrow the focus by establishing parameters of the members of the community and environment. The geopolitical and phenomenological place guides the nurse’s population assessment. A community assessment seeks to understand the interactions among the population, environment, and resources (Green, 2018)

One way to evaluate the quantity and quality of life of a given population is to examine the geopolitical location. Community boundaries, transportation infrastructure, geographic features, climate, vegetation, animals, and human-made homes and facilities comprise the geopolitical place. The place or geographic boundaries may be defined by the nurse. There are many environmental factors that may affect the health of the community (Green, 2018). For example, in 2018, the eruption of Kilauea volcano changed the lives of many families and the community. From May to August, the lava destroyed over 700 homes and the fumes covered the Puna district (National Park Services, 2019).

Another way to evaluate a given population is to examine the phenomenological place of a community, which centers on the history, culture, economics, education, spiritual beliefs, values, common characteristics, or similar goals (Green, 2018). Nurses seek to understand how people experience a situation or phenomenon through these independent or interdependent relationships. For example, the conflict between the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) at Mauna Kea continues to remain as one of the top stories in Hawaii. Unlike geopolitical location, phenomenological place is a relational location such as a political activism group, church organization, or cultural group (Green, 2018).

A community assessment is much like conducting a health assessment and happens in an organized manner: to assess, diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate. The assessment process includes gathering data and it can be achieved through primary or secondary sources. Analysis, diagnosis, and planning can be performed by using the SWOT analysis or strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats, which promotes a broader critical thinking about the population and environment (Green, 2018). This is followed by appropriate interventions and evaluation. For example, Hawaii experienced an outbreak of the Rat Lungworm disease recently, and in 2017, with an appropriation from the Hawaii State Legislature, the Department of Health launched a public information campaign to educate residents and visitors about the risk and prevention (State of Hawaii, Department of Health, 2019).