Population Health for Nurses: Improving Community Outcomes

A nurse's field guide to improving health outcomes for distinct patient populations

This practical text is distinguished by its in-depth coverage of populations, ranging from opioidaddicted veterans to young children suffering from obesity. Focused on the educational needs of students in undergraduate and bridge programs, this book is grounded in evidence-based practice, in-depth content, and clinical case studies.

Five sections address population health in the following settings: community-based care, home and rural health, school-based and primary care, medical home and palliative care, and acute and long-term care. Each section begins with an overview chapter addressing fundamental concepts, characteristic trends, expenditures, and critical considerations. Subsequent chapters provide descriptions of varied patient populations, relevant care settings, and examples of the RN's role within each setting. Chapters conclude with a case study that illustrates a day in the life of a typical nurse, which includes assessment and evaluation of present symptoms, demographic information, social and environmental determinants, and medical background. Chapters also encompass advocacy and policy roles, care access, emergency preparedness, and community resiliency.

Key Features:
• Focuses on the needs of students in undergraduate and bridge programs
• Provides specific examples and context using a "population of interest" approach
• Exposes nurses and future nurses to a multitude of diverse work settings
• Case studies are written from the nurse's perspective
• Addresses current medical issues among populations with an emphasis on practical content application
• Grounded in evidence-based principles
• Clinical reasoning exercises (Q&As with rationales) and lists of key terms with definitions
• Supplemental Instructor's PowerPoints included

Diana R. Mager, DNP, RN-BC is an Associate Professor and Director of Continuing Education for the Kanarek Center of Palliative Care at the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies at Fairfield University. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing with an education focus from Western Connecticut State University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. Dr. Mager has been a Board-Certified Home Health Nurse since 1990, through the American Nurse's Credentialing Center, a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association. She has cared for patients across the life span, focusing a significant part of her practice, research and teaching on people receiving home care, hospice and palliative services in their homes. A true patient advocate, she is passionate about ensuring quality care for community-dwelling populations. Dr. Mager has presented nationally and internationally and published numerous peer reviewed journal articles related to her work. Dr. Mager is pleased to use her teaching platform to educate tomorrow's nurses on the importance of population health, patient advocacy, and quality care.

Jaclyn Conelius, PhD, FNP-BC, FHRS is an Associate Professor and FNP track coordinator at the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies at Fairfield University. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing at Yale University, and a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Conelius is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner through the American Nurse's Credentialing Center and a Fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society. She is actively caring for patients in a large cardiology office in Connecticut. Her practice focuses on cardiovascular risk education and prevention, specifically holistic approaches. She plays a significant role in reduction in heart failure readmissions. Dr. Conelius is passionate about teaching holistic, preventive healthcare to the next generation of nurses.