Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that are shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national, and local levels. These determinants can have a significant impact on an individual's health outcomes and can include factors such as income, education, employment, housing, transportation, and access to healthcare.
As a nurse, it is important to understand and address the social determinants of health in order to provide effective and holistic care for patients. Nurses are often the first point of contact for individuals seeking healthcare, and they play a crucial role in identifying and addressing the underlying social and environmental factors that may be impacting a patient's health.
One of the key ways in which nurses can address social determinants of health is through advocacy. This may involve advocating for policies and initiatives that address social and economic inequality and promoting access to healthcare for underserved populations. Nurses can also advocate for their patients by advocating for individualized care plans that take into account the unique social and environmental factors that may be affecting their health.
In addition to advocacy, nurses can also address social determinants of health through education and empowerment. By educating patients about the impact of social determinants on their health, nurses can empower individuals to take control of their own health and advocate for the changes they need to improve their overall health and well-being.
Nurses can also work to address social determinants of health through collaboration with other healthcare professionals and community organizations. By working together, nurses can develop and implement strategies that address the root causes of health inequities and promote health equity for all individuals.
Overall, addressing social determinants of health is a critical aspect of nursing practice. By understanding the impact of social and environmental factors on an individual's health and working to address these issues, nurses can provide more effective and holistic care for their patients and work to promote health equity for all individuals.
Social determinants of health: What nurses need to know
For example, the Community Action Poverty Simulation by the Missouri Association for Community Action Simulation can also be used to enhance student understanding of literacy, culture, transportation, availability of food, and access to healthcare. Examples of informational resources on SDOH include current literature and professional organizations such as the American Nurses Association, National Academy of Medicine website, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website. Marleen Thornton is an Associate Professor and serves as the RN to BSN Online Program Director in the School of Nursing at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Better Care is focused on providing patient-centered, accessible, culturally competent care, delivered by practitioners working to the full extent of their licensure, and is focused on keeping people well. Recommendations from the Macy Foundation Conference on preparing registered nurses for enhanced roles in primary care. Nurses are essential in identifying and addressing issues impacting the overall health of individuals.
Social Determinants of Health Nursing Essay
Identifying and addressing SDOH is essential to improving the health status of patients and populations. Marleen Thornton is an Associate Professor and serves as the RN to BSN Online Program Director in the School of Nursing at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Graduates of nursing programs must be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively address SDOH. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Risk-based assessment and needs-based assessment are commonly used in medical environments. In a study evaluating the acceptability of the AHC HRSN Screening Tool among adult patients and adult caregivers of pediatric patients, a sizable majority of participants found the tool appropriate across diverse healthcare settings. The World Health Organization WHO defines social determinants of health as, "the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.
Addressing Social Determinants of Health: A Nursing Imperative to Achieve Health Equity During the COVID
Journal of Christian Nursing, 34 1 , 48-51. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 2019. Utilizing a consistent communication strategy among the health care team supports collaboration, teamwork and best practice. Communicating with patients and families, and ensuring they understand and participate in the plan of care is an integral component of patient-centered care. The Institute of Medicine IPE experiences among health professionals that do not tend to collaborate in actual practice can also be beneficial. Journal of Nursing Education, 56 1 , 319-3210. Outside the hospital walls: Social determinants and population health.
Social Determinants of Health
While motivational interviewing and empathic inquiry are seemingly focused on the individual, this is also an important area of health promotion at the community level. During the intake process in the primary care clinics, all patients with Medicare and Medicaid are screened using the AHC screening tool. Strategies to support communication and patient engagement include topics such as learning to ask patients potentially sensitive questions, listening without judgment, awareness of the environment in which the inquiry takes place, and empathic interviewing. Public Health Reports, 129 Suppl. The American Nurses Association The foundations of professional practice and values in nursing, including altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice, should be addressed not just at the beginning or end of program coursework but as threads throughout curricula Service Learning Service learning is one of the most common educational approaches to address SDOH. As described by Schroeder 2019 , managing an upstream SDOH issue can decrease a downstream issue such as an acute hospitalization.
Improving Patient Care with Social Determinants of Health
Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Reasons for this decrease included unrealistic expectations of the student and community-based organization CBO ; incompatible interest between the student and CBO; lack of student understanding about the CBO; and lack of attention to reflection. Addressing SDOH may prevent or lessen the impact of illnesses or health conditions before they lead to negative health effects. Sabita Persaud, PhD, RN, APHN-BCDr. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation RWJF has developed a national agenda to build a culture of health where everyone has a fair and just opportunity for health and wellbeing. Sabita Persaud, PhD, RN, APHN-BC Dr.
