Healthy people

Healthy People 2020 supports a number of key objectives which are instrumental in shaping the lives of Americans to improve their wellbeing. Expanding the number of persons with health insurance is a primary objective which is essential to improving the health of the American population (healthypeople. gov). From a community nurse perspective, it is essential to develop efforts to enable local residents to obtain access to health insurance that will meet their needs, and to consider programmatic and policy changes to enable individuals to have at least basic access to these services on a consistent basis. Community nurses play a unique role in that they possess the opportunity to empower different community-based groups and leaders to make improved decisions regarding healthcare that will satisfy the needs of these populations more effectively.

The most important Determinant of Health to consider is Health Services, which are sorely lacking in many communities, and require further evaluation to ensure that the health concerns of residents are met as best as possible (healthypeople. gov). The World Health Organization also recognizes Health Services in the context of community-based settings as key indicators of inequality in healthcare access (World Health Organization). These factors also play a role in shaping how community nurses respond to the needs of residents who require routine and ongoing care for a variety of acute and chronic conditions that may severely impact health. Recognizing the barriers to accessing health services is necessary to ensure that there are sufficient opportunities for growth and change in enabling residents to visit physicians and clinics on a regular basis to preserve their health and wellbeing as best as possible (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation, 2012).