Public health nurses: Back to the community

The Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) conducted the Tri-Community Assessment & Intervention (A&I) project in September 2006. This was a result of members of the Tri-Community Super Neighborhood Association approaching the department to help identify solutions to accessing health care within their community.

The Tri-Community is a residential neighborhood comprised primarily of elderly African American residents. It is bordered by several pollution emitting sources, an active railroad track, and the Houston Port Authority.

The primary purpose of A & I was three-fold: 1) to investigate access to health care; 2) to explore environmental concerns affecting the community; and 3) to serve as a safety net by linking residents to the health and human services they identified during the assessment.

Public health nurses (PHNs) were enlisted to assist with this project because of their experience in assessment and evaluation. Teams were formed to conduct door-to-door assessments of households. Each team consisted of at least 2 PHNs who could perform brief assessments of household residents who responded positively to trigger questions asked concerning their health. PHN nurses conducted brief histories, performed physical assessments and recommended needed interventions. Some interventions included referring clients directly to urgent care facilities or directly to the emergency room at a nearby hospital. Other interventions included assisting residents by linking them to needed health and human services they identified during the assessment.