NURS FPX 4065 Assessment 2 Preliminary Care Coordination Infographic

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Capella University

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Preliminary Care Coordination Infographic

Unsafe home environments and risk for injury among children are a major health problem for those children living in poverty. Many children of low-income parents are often unable to get the necessary resources or training on how to avoid being injured at home. In this case, the patient is a 26-year-old single mother with two children and an ongoing pregnancy, living in a home with many hazards, such as unsecured guns, standing water, and toxic materials that are accessible. Unintentional injuries are still the leading cause of death in children in the United States, with about 9,200 deaths each year as a result of unintentional injuries. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death in children, with almost 1,000 children drowning each year (Wilson et al., 2023). This care coordination plan provides evidence-based strategies, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound (SMART) goals, and community resources to reduce injury risk and promote a safe home environment.

Analysing the Selected Health Concern and the Associated Best Practices for Health Improvement

Community health issues like child injuries from unsafe homes are both preventable and common. There are many environmental hazards in a child’s home, including water-filled bathtubs, unsecured guns, and unsafely stored chemicals, which directly increase risk for potential injury to children. There is research that indicates that children residing in high-risk homes are 40%-50% more likely to be injured when their caregivers lack knowledge about providing safe environments for children or cannot supervise children safely (Alamr et al., 2023). Homes that include domestic abuse often led to potentially dangerous or unstable environments for children when additional risks for injuries exist. When a coordinated approach to care is implemented for victims, they will receive complete supportive care in addressing their medical, mental health, and community resource needs, which can be achieved through a coordinated means of providing care and service delivery as well as through connecting victims to the community resources needed by them.

Children encounter multiple forms of danger from unsafe or unhealthy environments. For example, children can sustain physical injuries from unsafe conditions due to drowning, poisoning, burns, or traumatic injuries. One possible concern is that a child can drown in 2 inches of standing water, so even the smallest amount of standing water can create an unsafe environment for them. Also, children exposed to abusive domestic situations may develop longer-lasting emotional problems than children not exposed to domestic violence (Doroudchi et al., 2023). As an example, many children exposed to domestic violence develop anxiety, depression, or behavior problems at double the rate of children who have not been exposed to domestic violence.

Utilizing evidence-based interventions is critical in minimizing these risks. Many studies show that home safety education programs can help enhance the likelihood of caregiver safety behaviors by about 25% to 30% when they are combined with follow-up and reinforcement of these behaviors. Environmental changes, e.g., securing firearms, removing standing water, and properly storing chemicals, will reduce the incidence of injuries. Finally, providing trauma-informed care to victims of domestic violence will assist caregivers who have experienced domestic violence within a non-judgmental atmosphere that values their emotional needs and safety (Ewell-Foster et al., 2024). Coordinated effective care requires collaboration between health care providers, social service agencies and community organizations so that they can address both the physical and psychosocial threats.

Assumption

The coordination of care from a patient-care perspective includes many basic assumptions. One of these assumptions relates to the lack of knowledge regarding in-home safety precautions due to either insufficient financial resources or insufficient information regarding in-home safety precautions. Because there is evidence of domestic violence in patients’ homes that could prohibit them from feeling safe utilizing their surrounding community or seeking help for the purposes of removing themselves from this unsafe environment, e.g., domestic violence, health care providers can anticipate that access to a shelter may be limited (Sabri et al., 2021). Consequently, based on socioeconomic challenges in accessing basic needs, e.g., low-cost & frozen foods, which may impact a patient’s ability to prioritize safety in their home. The health care provider also assumes that they will work closely with other community service providers to identify, educate, and refer their patients regarding home safety.

SMART Goals

Goal 1: Improve Home Safety and Reduce Injury Risk

Specific: The patient will remove or secure all major household hazards, including firearms, standing water, and toxic substances.
Measurable: Completion will be verified using a home safety checklist during a follow-up visit.
Achievable: Executing this goal will be supported through education, safety tips, and affordable ways that will help implement these changes.
Relevant: Environmental modifications can decrease the risk of injury by up to 50% in high-risk households.
Time-bound: This will be accomplished within 14 days.

Goal 2: Enhance Caregiver Knowledge of Child Safety Practices

Specific: The patient will demonstrate at least three safety behaviors, including safe storage of chemicals, draining standing water, and securing dangerous items.
Measurable: At follow-up visit, the patient will display and discuss experiences of implementing three safety behaviours.
Achievable: Education from a nurse and easy-to-use educational tools will assist the patient’s learning.
Relevant: When caregivers are well-informed of a child’s safety, it is proven to decrease the possibility of childhood accidents/injuries.
Time-bound: The patient will accomplish this goal within 4 weeks.

Goal 3: Improve Access to Support Services and Safe Living Environment

Specific: The patient will eliminate or safeguard all major household risks. This includes securing firearms, draining standing water, and disposing of toxic materials in their home environment.
Measurable: Completion of this goal will be confirmed at a follow-up home visit, using a home safety checklist.
Achievable: Providers will supply resource lists and assist with referrals.
Relevant: Access to services that support the victim has been proven to increase their safety and decrease the opportunities to experience violence.
Time-bound: All referrals will be completed and evaluated within the following 30 days.

Community Resources

To ensure a secure and successful continuum of care, community resources play a significant role in providing necessary support. Domestic violence shelters are available to individuals in need of immediate safety and a place to stay temporarily. Crisis hotlines are available for support 24 hours a day. They also guide in determining what further resources are available to assist victims and their families. Programs like the women, infants, and children (WIC) program help address nutritional needs and food insecurity, which is evident in this case (Sharifi et al., 2024). Moreover, community health clinics have prenatal care and services for children, with regular health monitoring.

Mental health counselling services also help children and families deal with trauma or emotional distress, often caused by domestic violence. Early-intervention programs can also play an important role, especially for children struggling with speech issues and/or behavior problems. Additionally, social service programs can provide housing stability and safety; financial assistance; and childcare services (Obi et al., 2024). Social workers, advocates in the community, and supporting organizations work together with healthcare clinicians to provide holistic support in addition to medical care. This collaboration helps ensure that survivors are provided the continuum of care required so that they can address their physical, emotional, and social needs. Overall, collaborative efforts between healthcare and community systems help improve long-term safety and well-being through improved access to care based on coordinated care models that improve health outcomes for those at risk.

Conclusion

Risk for injury in children due to unsafe home environments is a public health concern that requires coordinated intervention. Common risk factors for children’s injuries include environmental hazards like unsecured items, domestic violence, and financial instability. Evidence-based practice for creating positive outcomes includes providing home safety education, modifying environments, and providing trauma-informed care. To create a systematic and measurable way to address safety issues, SMART goals should also be created, as well as links to local community resources such as food banks and shelters, to support continuous care. The coordination of medical care will help to minimize children’s risk of injury and create a healthy home environment for children and families.

References

Alamr, F., Alzahrani, H. M. A., Alghamdi, A. M. A., Alzhrani, A. S. A., Alzahrani, F. A. A., Alkhediwi, L. M. A., Alghamdi, M. A. A., Alhomrani, M. A. M., & Aburaida, O. M. (2023). Prevalence and risk factors of home accidents among children under five years of age in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia. Cureus, 15(10), e46846. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.46846

Ashraf, L., Zia, N., Vincenten, J., Mackay, J. M., Agrawal, P., Green, A., & Bachani, A. M. (2024). Effectiveness of interventions to prevent drowning among children under age 20 years: a global scoping review. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1467478

Doroudchi, A., Zarenezhad, M., Hosseininezhad, H., Malekpour, A., Ehsaei, Z., Kaboodkhani, R., & Valiei, M. (2023). Psychological complications of the children exposed to domestic violence: A systematic review. Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences, 13(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-023-00343-4

Ewell-Foster, C., Magness, C. S., Derwin, S., Kahsay, E., Smith, T., Rivara, F. P., Massey, L., & King, C. A. (2024). Store safely: A firearm injury prevention strategy for rural families. Journal of Rural Mental Health, 48(4), 247–258. https://doi.org/10.1037/rmh0000276

Obi, C., Ojiakor, I., Etiaba, E., & Onwujekwe, O. (2024). Collaborations and networks within communities for improved utilization of primary healthcare centers: On the road to universal health coverage. International Journal of Public Health, 69. https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2024.1606810

Sabri, B., Tharmarajah, S., Njie-Carr, V. P. S., Messing, J. T., Loerzel, E., Arscott, J., & Campbell, J. C. (2021). Safety planning with marginalized survivors of intimate partner violence: Challenges of conducting safety planning intervention research with marginalized women. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 23(5), 152483802110131. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211013136

Sharifi, F., Talasaz, Z. H., & Larki, M. (2024). The establishment of shelters as a new paradigm towards struggling with violence against women: A literature review. Journal of Family and Reproductive Health. /Journal of Family and Reproductive Health, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.18502/jfrh.v18i1.15434

Wilson, R. F., Mintz, S., Blair, J. M., Betz, C. J., Collier, A., & Fowler, K. A. (2023). Unintentional firearm injury deaths among children and adolescents aged 0–17 years — National violent death reporting system, United States, 2003–2021. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 72(50). https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7250a1