NUR 320: Population Health

Course Description

This course explores population focused nursing to enhance individual, family and community well-being by analyzing and incorporating social and cultural characteristics that impact health. Topics include social determinants of health, epidemiology, environmental health and public health science. The practicum provides the opportunity to support health promotion efforts for a selected population.

(4 credits - 3 credits Classroom, 1 credit Practicum)

Prerequisites

  • ENG 101: English Composition 1
  • ENG 102: English Composition 2
  • NUR 301: Baccalaureate Nursing Role
  • NUR 310: Healthcare Policy, Economics, Regulation and Ethics
  • NUR 315: Nursing Research and Expanded Evidence-Based Practice

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Upon completion of this course, the student will have gained knowledge about:

  1. Detail the current forces contributing to the decline in quality, increasing fragmentation and rising costs of healthcare in United States.
  2. Discuss the political, economic, environmental and cultural factors impacting health and healthcare incorporating a global nursing perspective.
  3. Identify the Triple Aim and the impact on nursing care across the continuum of care.
  4. Describe the components of the Robert Wood Johnson Culture of Health Framework.
  5. Compare and contrast population health and population health management.
  6. Identify population health nursing roles.
  7. Apply county health rankings and other relevant data sources to identify major health issues in county of residence.
  8. Describe how cultural diversity, ethnic, spiritual, and socioeconomic backgrounds function as sources of patient, family, and community values.
  9. Incorporate the appropriate tools needed to promote learning and behavior change that enhance health and meet social and emotional needs.
  10. Develop individualized learning objectives for a community- based practicum (practicum).
  11. Negotiate appropriate practicum site to accomplish individualized learning objectives (practicum)
  12. Describe the perspectives and the contributions of the interprofessional team within the community service organization (practicum).
  13. Describe the workforce diversity, health disparities, and social determinants of health that are being addressed with the community service organization practicum site (practicum).

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

Discussions (Weeks 2-8)

30%

Completion of Practicum hours

Pass/Fail

Journaling and Logging of Hours (Weeks 1-8)

35%

Final Paper and Recording (Week 8)

20%

Case Studies (Weeks 1, 3 & 6)

15%

Total

100%

 

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's online bookstore

  • Nash, D. B., Fabius, R. J., Skoufalos, A., Clarke, J. L., & Horowitz, M. R. (2021). Population Health: Creating a Culture of Wellness. 3rd. ed. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. ISBN-13: 978-1-284-1660-0

 

Course Schedule

Week

SLOs

Readings and Exercises

Assignments

1

1,4

Topics: An Introduction to Population Health and Creating a Culture of Wellness

  • Readings:
    • The Preface, The Optimistic Future for Healthcare: Population Health from Philosophy to Practice
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Discussion board (Introductions)
  • Create your weekly journal and submit questions and hours
  • Submit Case study: Culture of Health

2

2,5,8

Topic: Population Health in the United States

  • Readings:
    • Nash Chapter 1: The Population Health Promise
    • Nash Chapter 2: Epidemiology
    • Nash Chapter 3: On the Path to Health Equity
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Discussion board (Triple Aim & Healthy People 2030)
  • Submit weekly journal and hours (Competency: Patient-Centered Care)

3

2,6,13

Topic: The Population Health Ecosystem

  • Readings:
    • Nash Chapter 4: Structures, Systems and Stakeholders
    • Nash Chapter 5: Reimbursement Models to Support Value-Based Care
    • Nash Chapter 6: Population Health Data and Analytics
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Discussion board (Epidemiology & Herd Immunity)
  • Submit weekly journal and hours (Competency: Evidence-Based Practice)
  • Submit Case study: Primary Care: Chronic Disease Prevention

4

7,8,9,13

Topic: The Population Health Ecosystem (continued)

  • Readings:
    • Nash Chapter 7: Workforce Development to Support Population Health
    • Nash Chapter 9: Consumer Engagement and Technology
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Discussion board (Stakeholders & Collaboration)
  • Submit weekly journal and hours (Competency: Information & Technology)

5

8,9,10

Topic: Population Health: Creating Culture Change

  • Readings:
    • Nash Chapter 8: Health Promotion and Health Behavior
    • Nash Chapter 10: Accountability for Outcomes
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Discussion board (Client Readiness for Change)
  • Submit weekly journal and hours (Competency: Teaching & Learning)

6

2,6

Topic: Population Health: Creating Culture Change (continued)

  • Readings:
    • Nash Chapter 11: Changing Organizational Culture
    • Nash Chapter 12: Coordinated Care Delivery Models
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Discussion board (Role of the BSN)
  • Submit weekly journal and hours (Competency: Conflict Resolution)
  • Submit Case study: Palliative Care

7

3

Topic: Population Health: Creating Culture Change (continued)

  • Readings:
    • Nash Chapter 13: Policy and Advocacy
    • Nash Chapter 14: Building Cultures of Health and Wellness Within Organizations
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Discussion board (Population health models vs. medical models)
  • Submit weekly journal and hours (Competency: Professionalism)

8

13

Topic: Where do we go from here?

  • Readings:
    • No assigned reading this week.
  • Participate in Discussions
  • Submit final journal and hours (Competency: Communication)
  • Submit Final Paper and Recording
  • Complete Course Evaluation

Late Work Policy

Due to the accelerated nature of the NUR 300 & 400 courses, late work severely limits meaningful engagement with students, peers, and faculty, and jeopardizes collaboration and exchange of ideas.

The following standards relate to late submission of any assignment in this and all other NUR 300 & 400 courses:

  • All Discussion Posts must be posted by the due date/time deadline. Those posted late will be given a grade of zero.
  • All Other Papers/Projects: Failure to turn in, post, or in any way fail to meet the due date/time deadline, will result in a deduction of 10% per day of the total assignment value from the actual grade earned, for up to seven days.
  • Students who submit an assignment eight days late will receive a grade of zero for the assignment
  • If a student anticipates they will be unable to meet a deadline for any assignment regardless of the reason, they should contact the course faculty immediately.

Emergencies/Extenuating Circumstances: The Faculty and Program Director appreciate that emergencies come up in life. Emergencies/ Extenuating Circumstances are not planned activities and/or are not normally work-related.

  • Students will be required to submit reasonable documentation of emergencies/extenuating circumstances to the course faculty.
  • Any request(s) relating to emergencies/ extenuating circumstances requires documentation and approval of the course faculty, the Program Director, and other college personnel as necessary.

The following conditions acknowledge unexpected circumstances that impact students’ ability to submit an assignment by the due date:

  • If a student anticipates they will be unable to meet a deadline due to an emergency/extenuating circumstance, they should contact the course faculty immediately.
  • Students may turn in one assignment up to 7 days after the due date except for a discussion board assignment, a final course project, or other final course assignments, no questions asked.
  • Subsequent late submissions will be managed in accordance with the standards outlined above.

*Note: Students with accommodations in place may not receive an extension that is related to their disability

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.