The use of focus groups is an effective strategy to evaluate Public Health Nursing (PHN) services. Nebraska Health Connection Access Medicaid's (NHCAM) PHN population-focused interventions model is designed to provide enrollment, education, and case management services to the Medicaid Managed Care (MMC) population. Program evaluation of population understanding and satisfaction with these PHN interventions is being implemented by the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing through a partnership with NHCAM, and includes focus groups. In order to access difficult to reach populations, such as those who do not speak English, focus groups have been completed over the past two years. Examples include populations whose primary language is Spanish, Vietnamese, Nuer (Sudanese), SerboCroation (Bosnian), or Arabic. Advanced practice PHN competencies greatly enhance evaluation outcomes achieved through the focus group method. Skills such as implementing an interdisciplinary team approach, relationship development, collaboration and coordination with community leaders and contacts, mobilizing established networks, community assessment and analysis, utilization of group process, and casefinding contribute to successful focus groups with difficult to reach populations.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant will be able to: 1. Describe the usefulness of the focus group method in evaluating public health nursing interventions directed at difficult to reach populations. 2. Describe advanced practice public health nursing competencies/skills used to implement focus groups
Keywords: Vulnerable Populations, Evaluation
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.