Global Health Topics for Nurse Practitioners

Prerequisite

Admission to MN NP Program

Global health is the study of health of populations from a global perspective and is focused on human health issues that transcend national borders; it has components of both preventive and individual-level clinical care (Cemma, 2017).

https://www.globalhealthnow.org/2017-09/whats-difference-global-health-defined

This course will discuss historic and current activities, programs and policies across populations, generations and settings, that have been utilized to address health globally. As well, the development of knowledge as required for an understanding of Global Health content and context and the risks and benefits of current and historical interventions will be explored, including ethical considerations and sustainability. An analysis of nursing and specifically the Nurse Practitioner role in health and health outcomes for populations worldwide will also be included in this course.

On completion of this course participants will have an understanding of activities Globally and Locally that impact populations as well as advanced nursing practice initiatives that could be or are currently instrumental in addressing global health concerns as well as the ability to critically reflect on the role of NP practice related to Global Health.

Students will incorporate knowledge of diversity, cultural safety, and social determinants of health into their participation and assignments.

Objectives: A focus on select competencies modified from the Entry-Level Competencies for Nurse Practitioners (CNO, 2018) are included in this course.

By the end of this course the successful learner will be able to:

Client Relationship Building and Communication

• Provide culturally-safe care and culturally-appropriate communication techniques as well as integration of cultural beliefs and values in all interactions
• Identify personal beliefs and values and provide unbiased care
• Recognize moral or ethical dilemmas, and take appropriate action
• Consider resource implications of therapeutic choices (e.g. cost, availability)

Health Promotion

• Use evidence and collaborates with community partners and other healthcare providers to optimize the health of individuals, families, communities, and populations.

• Analyze information from a variety of sources to determine population trends that have health implications

• Select and implements evidence-informed strategies for health promotion and primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention

Quality Improvement and Research

• Seek to optimize health service delivery
• Identify the need for improvements in health service delivery globally
• Analyze the implications (e.g., opportunity costs, unintended consequences) for the client and/or the system of implementing changes in health care
• Contribute to the evaluation of the impact of nurse practitioner practice on outcomes and healthcare delivery

Leadership

• Demonstrate leadership by using the nurse practitioner role to improve and facilitate system change
• Promote the benefits of the nurse practitioner role, in the context of global health, to other healthcare providers and stakeholders (e.g., social and public service sectors, the public, legislators, policy-makers)
• Implement strategies to integrate and optimize the nurse practitioner role within healthcare teams and systems to improve client care

Identify gaps and/or opportunities to improve processes and practices, and provide evidence informed recommendations for change

• Utilize theories of and skill in communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, coalition building, and change management
• Identify the need for and advocates for policy development to enhance population health