Specific Core Nursing Content # 12: Vulnerable Population

Clinical Learning Outcomes

• Define vulnerable populations by identifying the variables that put groups of patients at risk of being marginalized in psychiatric mental health treatment.
• Recognize the multiple and complex care needs of the vulnerable populations.
• Plan, implement, and evaluate care strategies that protect the rights and dignity of vulnerable populations.

Teaching Strategies
 

• Group exercise to define vulnerable populations: critical thinking about the term
• Use of the Gelberg and Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations (Stein, Andersen, & Gelberg, 2007).
  • understanding of the variables related to high riskfor unmet mental health needs and health care utilization among vulnerable populations
• Discussion of the relationship between stigma and access to mental health
  • Video – (2005). Shadow voices: Finding hope in mental illness [Documentary]. United States: Mennonite Media.
• Prioritizing the care of vulnerable populations and unmet mental health needs.
  • Incorporating care of the vulnerable populations under each module or component of the syllabus.
• Student group presentations – focus is on care of a specialized group of patients e.g. care of the homeless patient with severe mental illness.
  • Presentations must include a case study and NCLEX questions
• Flipped classroom strategies to promote student discussion and active learning/critical thinking.
• Journal articles to supplement text:
  • Lewis, V., Larson, BK, McClurg, A., Goldman, R., & Fisher, B. (2012) The promise and peril of accountable care for vulnerable populations: a framework for overcoming obstacles. Health Affairs, 31(8), 1777-85.
  • Stein, J, Andersen, R., & Gelberg, L. (2007). Applying the Gelberg- Andersen Behavioral Model forVulnerable Populations to health service utilization in homeless women. Journal of Health Psychology, 12(5), 791-804. Doi: 10.1177/1359105307080612

• Students will present cases from their clinical day re: focus on unmet mental health needs of vulnerable populations i.e. children with history of trauma, homeless with major mental illness, elders
• When reviewing the history of mental health care, review the history and current practice of incarcerating those with mental illnesses. Discuss treatment for the inmate population.
• Assessment of a patient with the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations to help the student identify risk factors, enabling factors that contribute to homelessness and underutilization of mental health system
• Nursing care planning with focus on community resources
• Interdisciplinary experience in the community (community health van or other experiences offered by community/public health faculty) that can focus on holistic nursing e.g. homeless,prison population
• Conduct a brief interview with a member of another discipline (MSW, OTR/L, spiritual care, MD, or member of police department in the community). Submit as a written assignment. Strategies other disciplines use to engage with vulnerable populations.
• Post conference discussion re: the unique challenges of caring and finding appropriate services for this population i.e. homeless clients can get meds and have them filled.
• Discussion of the legal and ethical issues around these cases

• A 48 yr. old woman with Down Syndrome, residing in a group home, struggles with symptoms of OCD and cognitive decline
• b. A 38 yr. old male, residing alone in a single room, struggles with auditory hallucinations and paranoid delusions associated with schizophrenia

• Attend MH support group and complete 1 page reflection paper about the experience [see appendix 13]

• Patient with schizophrenia
• Standardized patient is used, scripted case scenarios
• Students are responsible for pre-simulation work with an interdisciplinary focus for the patient who is in the ED, is acutely psychotic, and is homeless
• Simulation exercise day – student is responsible for assessment of the patient, including resources available for discharge planning. The faculty emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of the simulation.

• Conduct a mental health assessment of elderly clients (Standard 1. Assessment)
• Outline diagnostic criteria for specific mental health problems encountered in childhood (Standard 2. Diagnosis)
• Devise a plan to help maintain mental health for a homeless person (Standard 5A. Coordination of care)
• Evaluate effectiveness of care delivery for specific vulnerable clients encountered in clinical practice (Standard 6. Evaluation)
• Discuss the challenges in promoting mental health in incarcerated populations (Standard 7. Ethics)