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 enhance easy access to programs initiated by
stakeholders within the community in the provision of continuous education about the disease
process through health education programs, community outreach programs, and integrated
healthcare delivery strategies. Haynes et al. (2022) found that such programs can significantly
reduce rates of heart disease in African Americans (AA). As a DNP student, I was required to
sharpen patient advocacy skills through written and oral testimony to the Mississippi State
Department of Health to enlighten them on the burden of obesity on the state and how healthy
policy initiatives can help reduce the disease burden.
The acquired skills helped me as a DNP student to learn how to utilize health policy initiatives
for disaster preparedness. I was able to advocate for the use of evidence- based practice
intervention for the population group of African Americans. These interventions included
educational programs to educate members of the population on measures that are used to prevent
adverse outcomes. This objective was achieved through the use of Barachs eightfold steps to
policy analysis.
Utilizing the knowledge and skills gained, I, as a DNP-prepared nurse, will champion public
health through policy endeavors. These acquired abilities empower me, as a DNP student, to
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 enhance easy access to programs initiated by
stakeholders within the community in the provision of continuous education about the disease
process through health education programs, community outreach programs, and integrated
healthcare delivery strategies. Haynes et al. (2022) found that such programs can significantly
reduce rates of heart disease in African Americans (AA). As a DNP student, I was required to
sharpen patient advocacy skills through written and oral testimony to the Mississippi State
Department of Health to enlighten them on the burden of obesity on the state and how healthy
policy initiatives can help reduce the disease burden.
The acquired skills helped me as a DNP student to learn how to utilize health policy initiatives
for disaster preparedness. I was able to advocate for the use of evidence- based practice
intervention for the population group of African Americans. These interventions included
educational programs to educate members of the population on measures that are used to prevent
adverse outcomes. This objective was achieved through the use of Barachs eightfold steps to
policy analysis.
Utilizing the knowledge and skills gained, I, as a DNP-prepared nurse, will champion public
health through policy endeavors. These acquired abilities empower me, as a DNP student, to
