Public Health Nurse, Interview Example

Childhood Obesity – Roles and Responsibilities

In order to determine the overall effectiveness of an intervention program that is designed for obese children, it is necessary to evaluate the role of the school health nurse in achieving this process, and in determining how to best approach the circumstances that are imperative to promote this type of initiative in a successful manner. Therefore, in order to determine how this program reaches out to children regarding the risks of obesity, it becomes necessary to approach the circumstances with an open mind. The following discussion will address an interview that was conducted with a school nurse regarding a childhood obesity intervention program, and how this program reaches out to students to warn them regarding the risks of obesity in different ways. This discussion will address a series of questions that were asked of the interviewer, and how these questions reflect an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the school nurse in conducting this program in an effective manner.

The proposed population for the childhood obesity intervention program includes approximately 250 children from grades 1-5, and will be primarily comprised of interactive discussion groups and assemblies that will be designed to keep the children’s interest during these presentations as best as possible. In this manner, it is observed that the children will largely benefit from this program by enabling them to understand at an early age the various risks that are involved in poor nutritional and exercise habits. The primary objectives of the program are to ensure that children in grades 1-5 understand the benefits of regular exercise activity and strong eating habits so that they might lead healthy and productive lives from an early age. The program will also demonstrate an effective series of approaches in order to enable children to make smart decisions regarding their physical well being. One of the key factors to consider is how to address the seriousness of the issue, including potential health risks, without frightening the audience (CDC, 2010).

The primary strategy used for the program is that of engaging students through fun exercises that involve pictures and samples of healthy food and exercise, so that students in this vulnerable age group will better understand their responsibility to make smart eating and physical activity choices. The program is not meant to serve as a comprehensive program for childhood obesity, but is intended to be fun in order to engage the audience and to hold their interest for the duration of the program. It is important to address various aspects of childhood obesity, but to provide a lighthearted program so as not to scare the audience or to lose their focus quickly. Selecting a strategy that is fun and lighthearted is the best option for an audience of this size and makeup.

The program is designed to address a secondary level of intervention, because children in this age group are already likely to be exposed to some degree of physical activity and nutritional guidance in the home environment. Therefore, this school-based program should serve as an opportunity to explore these concerns even further beyond what is already being considered in the home environment.  The school nurse’ role in the program is to serve as the key facilitator, and this ensures that the student body is attentive and cooperative during the programmatic efforts. The nurse manages the program from start to finish, and provides an overview of the program, as well as specific examples for children to learn from. Other co-facilitators include teacher representatives from each of the grades, who work collaboratively to provide information to the participants in an effective manner.

This program was primarily created by the school nurse, in conjunction with recommendations from the school principal and superintendent in an effort to provide young children with a means of understanding how proper nutrition and exercise should be important in their lives. Since the program involves the use of time during the school day and only the use of existing supplies and projector equipment that is already available, the costs are minimal. The most challenging aspect of developing the program has been the necessity to make it as fun and as interesting as possible for the audience. The anticipated outcomes include an increased awareness of nutrition and exercise for children at a young age in order to promote an active lifestyle in this vulnerable age group. The program has been very successful to date in providing these children with a means of recognizing good versus bad foods, the dangers of McDonalds and other fast food restaurants, and how to make healthy choices that will impact their lives in positive ways. In addition, by establishing an example for children to follow with the program, it is likely that they will best benefit from programmatic efforts over the long term (Mayo Clinic, 2010). In this population, the addition of healthy choices in the cafeteria, such as fruit and beverages, will also go a long way in promoting the overall effectiveness of the program (RWJF, 2010).

In implementing a similar program elsewhere, the most important aspects to address are to make the program fun and interesting for the children, and to provide an opportunity to promote awareness of good nutrition and exercise for all children. It is necessary to consider how these programmatic goals and objectives might be useful for young children beyond the school environment, and how they might take these ideas home to their parents and introduce them to promote healthy habits in the home environment. The school nurse must continue to convey to the children that these behaviors must become habits and not a one-time process, and that they must learn how to make decisions that will positively influence their well being throughout their lives. The program has demonstrated some important success in the elementary school environment, and has provided students with a basis for understanding how positive nutrition and exercise contribute to overall positive health and well being. Although children in this age group do not necessarily understand how nutrition and exercise contribute positively to health, they are likely to understand how restaurants such as McDonalds, Taco Bell, and Burger King do not serve the best food choices, and that an increased intake of fruits and vegetables is required in order to improve overall health. If children recognize that the choices they make now will impact them in the future, it is very possible that they will seek to make positive choices that will improve their lives as they grow out of adolescence and into adulthood. Therefore, the program should not only provide nutritional guidance and tips regarding physical activity, but should also address the role that these behaviors play in shaping their lives and their happiness over the long term. These efforts will go a long way in ensuring that the program is a success from start to finish.

References

Centers for Disease Control (2010). Overweight and obesity. Retrieved August 7, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/consequences.html

Mayo Clinic (2010). Childhood obesity: prevention. Retrieved August 7, 2010, From http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/childhood-obesity/DS00698/DSECTION=prevention

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2010). Childhood obesity: our strategy. Retrieved August 7, 2010, from http://www.rwjf.org/childhoodobesity/strategy.jsp