This week’s topic asks you to apply what you’ve learned to the following case study.

You see many opportunities to promote health as a school nurse working in a college health clinic. Maria, a Hispanic woman in her second year of nursing school, is 40 years old. She has gained 14 pounds since starting school and is concerned about the impact this will have on both her appearance and health if the trend continues. After researching her background, you discover that she is an excellent cook and that she and her family enjoy eating foods that reflect their Hispanic heritage. She is a mother of two school-aged children. She attends class for a total of 15 hours per week, plus 12 hours of labs and clinicals. She runs the household almost entirely on her own, doing all of the shopping, cooking, cleaning, and chauffeuring of the children. She admits that she is lucky to get 6 hours of sleep per night, but she is content with that. She lives an hour away from campus and commutes there every day. Answer the following questions using Healthy People 2020 and your text as a guide.

What other information would you like to obtain from Maria?
What are Maria’s current and potential health hazards?
What is the significance of Maria’s culture in obtaining a health assessment?
Choose one of Maria’s health concerns. What is one feasible short-term goal for this risk?
What nursing interventions would you include in Maria’s plan of care to help her achieve your chosen goal? Please explain why you chose what you did.