Introduction
Health education plays a key role in health promotion, as it provides individuals with knowledge and skills to make healthy life choices and encourages them to take responsibility for their health and well-being. The nursing process is employed to create an effective, tailored health education program (Toney-Butler, 2022).
Discussion
This process involves assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation (Sharma, 2021). During the assessment phase, the nurse assesses the individual’s health needs and risk factors, as well as their knowledge and attitudes towards health. During the implementation stage, health education materials are delivered to the individual or group. The evaluation phase is utilized to assess the efficacy of the health education program and make necessary changes.
A contemporary issue that a family may experience today is food insecurity. Food insecurity is a growing problem both locally and globally, and it is defined as limited access to nutritionally adequate and safe foods or uncertain availability of food due to economic constraints (Kopparapu et al., 2020). This leads to health disparities, such as increased risk of malnutrition, and can have an especially profound impact on vulnerable populations, such as children and the elderly.
As a nurse, there are several steps that can be taken to address this issue as part of a health education plan. First, the nurse should assess the family’s access to food and resources. It includes looking at available resources in the community, such as food banks and other hunger relief services. The nurse should also assess the family’s level of knowledge about nutrition and dietary needs, as this is important for making informed decisions about food choices. Finally, the nurse can assist the family in achieving a healthy lifestyle by providing education on food safety and nutrition including the selection of nutritious foods, proper storage techniques, safe meal preparation, and the significance of meal planning (Kopparapu et al., 2020).
Conclusion
Furthermore, the nurse should consider referring the family to other healthcare professionals and community organizations such as nutritionists, dietitians, and food pantries for further support (Kopparapu et al., 2020). Through these efforts, the nurse can ensure the family has the appropriate information and resources for making informed decisions about food and nutrition.
References
Sharma, M. (2021). Theoretical foundations of health education and health promotion (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Kopparapu, A., Sketas, G. & Swindle, T. (2020). Food insecurity in primary care: Patient perception and preferences. Family Medicine, 52(3), 202-205. Web.
Toney-Butler, T. & Thayer J. M. (2022). Nursing process. National Library of Medicine. Web.