NR 717 Week 8 Discussion; Reflection on Learning and Practice Readiness

Week 8 The course has provided valuable insights into DNP student practice readiness. The knowledge and skills gained are essential for addressing practice gaps and fostering professional development. The course objectives focus on advocating for population health, requiring me to examine health challenges within specific populations and develop culturagrams. These objectives were met through an exploration of hypertension-induced cardiac disease burden in Jackson, Mississippi, particularly affecting African Americans, impacting their quality of life adversely. Structural inequalities and lack of access to healthcare could worsen aging and health outcomes (Odden et al., 2023). To tackle the population health issue, as a DNP student, I delved deeper into epidemiological principles relevant to the selected population's health. This was accomplished by utilizing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveillance report to assess the burden of hypertension-induced heart disease in the country. To address the population health problem, as a DNP student, I further explored the epidemiological principles of the health of the selected population. This objective was achieved using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveillance report to help ascertain the burden of hypertension/heart disease in the country and then utilizing informational data from Healthy People 2030 to help create an effective intervention that aligns with healthy people 2030 goals of preventing and treating heart disease within the marginalized African American community. Healthy policy skills were also developed by selecting a Healthy People 2030 goal that can help address the health of the chosen population. The ideal goal in achieving the health of this population, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2022), is HDS-09: " Reduce heart failure hospitalization in adults (18 years and older).”Use of the Healthy People 2030 goal will significantly help reduce the disease burden as the affected persons can access quality and safe healthcare services. This will enhanc