NUR 4244 – Deliverable 5 – Public Health Interview Questions
Interview Questions
What drew you to the profession of public health nursing?
What is the role of a public health nurse?
What vulnerable population does your organization serve?
What types of collaboration do you see within your organization?
How do you address the needs of a specific population, and how do you provide them with additional information?
What does a typical day look like as a public health nurse?
Interview
This interview was with Blessing Aghayedo, a BSN nurse who works in public health. The organization Blessing works with is Brookdale Home Health, which provides home care for a variety of clients. This interview was conducted on October 20, 2020, at 11:00 AM over the phone with Blessing, whose number is 612-483-8643 and whose email address is Blessin77733@gmail.com.
When asked why she chose public health nursing, Blessing responded by saying she chose the career of public health nursing because she gets the opportunity to care for entire populations. “I get the chance to work with vulnerable communities and help provide education and support to improve health, safety, and quality of life at home (B. Aghayedo, personal communication, October 20, 2020).
Curious about how Blessing views her role as a nurse, she was asked what is the role of the public health nurse. Blessing responded by saying that to her, the primary role of the public health nurse is to work within the community to provide support and preventative care to those needing it health care services at home. “Not only do I get to provide quality care in the home, I also get the chance to provide access to care, education, preventative care, and the opportunity to create a relationship with clients and provide follow-ups to track progress” (B. Aghayedo, personal communication, October 20, 2020).
To learn more about the public health organization Blessing works for, she was asked about the specific vulnerable population she provides care for. “While there are many services provided by the organization, such as enteral nutrition, infusion therapy, and wound care, my primary focus is oncology care” (B. Aghayedo, personal communication, October 20, 2020). While there are many different activities Blessing assists her clients with, the one I found interesting is performing central line dressing changes. Blessing stated she enjoys performing this activity for her clients because it gives her the opportunity to provide information on the importance of preventing CLABSI (central line-associated bloodstream infection).
NUR 4244 – Deliverable 5 – Public Health Interview Questions
Knowing collaborations within nursing is important for quality patient care, Blessing was asked about the types of collaboration she sees while being a public health nurse. When patients move from an acute care setting to their homes, care coordination and collaboration are important. “Having an interdisciplinary team is important for providing the best care to clients at home. A nurse, social worker, home health aide, and even chaplains are all regularly involved in the care for clients at home” (B. Aghayedo, personal communication, October 20, 2020). Having collaboration within home care allows a continuation of autonomy and increased involvement the client has in their own care.
Blessing was asked how she addresses the needs of the population she cares for and how she provides them with additional information. Blessing explained along with the physical needs she assists her clients with, such as activities of daily living, she finds addressing the emotional and mental needs of her clients to be just as important. “I do this by being respectful to each individual situation. I listen, engage with, and build trust with each client” (B. Aghayedo, personal communication, October 20, 2020). Blessing also explained how important it is for a public health nurse to keep up to date with current, evidence-based information and research. “That is the only way to provide accurate and relevant information to clients. Providing information based on evidence-based research is important in providing the most effective care with the aim of improving client safety and outcomes” (B. Aghayedo, personal communication, October 20, 2020).
Lastly, Blessing was asked what a typical day looked like for her as a public health nurse working in home care. She explained that she would perform activities such as taking vital signs and helping clients with activities of daily living, wound care, medication administration, and blood draws. “I enjoy doing scheduled home visits with clients because it allows me to spend quality time with the cl