NRSG371 Building Healthy Communities Written Assignment Example
NRSG371 Building Healthy Communities Written Assignment
Assessment Task 2 – Written Assignment (Essay)
NRSG371 Building Healthy Communities Course
NRSG371 Building Healthy Communities Written Assignment Brief
Assessment Task 2 – Written Assignment (Essay)
Assignment Instructions Overview
This written assignment invites nursing students to critically explore how nurses can collaborate with communities across Australia to address a significant public health issue. The task emphasises a strength-based approach and community partnership—central to promoting sustainable and inclusive health improvements beyond hospital settings. Students will integrate health promotion concepts, societal health challenges, and the evolving role of nurses in building healthier communities. The essay should be 2000 words (±10%) and follow formal academic writing conventions.
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Understanding Assignment Objectives
The core aim of this assessment is to develop your understanding of nursing as a community-engaged profession. You will investigate how nurses contribute to population health by working in partnership with local communities. Rather than focusing solely on illness and treatment, this task highlights prevention, social determinants of health, and collective capacity-building.
You are required to demonstrate how nurses can address homelessness, infectious diseases, or gender-related health disparities by fostering meaningful relationships and utilising community assets. The essay must reflect contemporary nursing roles that promote equity, collaboration, and person-centred care.
The Student’s Role
As the author of this essay, your role is to act as a future nurse leader and advocate. You are expected to apply critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning to examine how nurses can effectively partner with community members and stakeholders. Your essay should demonstrate a strong understanding of health promotion theories, the Australian healthcare system, and how nursing practice is adapting to meet the needs of diverse populations in a changing world.
While grounded in academic research, your writing should also reflect practical insight into how nurses support resilience and empowerment within communities.
Competencies Measured
This task assesses your ability to:
- Interpret complex public health issues through a nursing and community health lens
- Apply the principles of strength-based and person-centred approaches
- Explore partnerships between nurses and communities to promote health equity
- Recognise the evolving role of nurses in diverse settings, both locally and globally
- Engage in critical reflection to assess the impact of community-based nursing interventions
- Communicate ideas in a clear, scholarly, and professionally formatted essay following APA 7th guidelines
NRSG371 Building Healthy Communities Written Assignment Example
Introduction
Homelessness remains a pressing social and health issue in Australia, particularly affecting Indigenous communities. The 2021 Australian Census recorded over 122,000 people as experiencing homelessness, with Indigenous Australians significantly overrepresented (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2021). This disparity reflects systemic inequalities, including colonisation, intergenerational trauma, and social exclusion. The aim of this paper is to explore how nurses can collaborate with Indigenous communities in Australia using a strength-based approach to address homelessness. The paper draws on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Registered Nurse Standards for Practice and evidence-based literature.
Understanding Homelessness in Indigenous Contexts
Indigenous Australians experience homelessness at a rate ten times higher than non-Indigenous Australians (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2023). However, homelessness for Indigenous people may differ from conventional definitions. It often includes spiritual homelessness or being disconnected from land, culture, and kin (Jackson Pulver et al., 2020). Such dislocation is rooted in colonisation, forced removals, and systemic disadvantage.
Understanding this broader context is crucial for effective nursing practice. Homelessness is not solely about lacking a physical dwelling but encompasses loss of identity, security, and belonging. Cultural sensitivity, trauma-informed care, and an awareness of social determinants are fundamental to understanding the needs of this population.
The Role of Nurses in Addressing Homelessness
Nurses play a pivotal role in mitigating the health effects of homelessness. Indigenous Australians experiencing homelessness face greater risks of chronic illnesses, mental health issues, substance abuse, and early mortality (WHO, 2022). By providing culturally safe care and acting as advocates, nurses can influence systemic change.
The NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice provide a framework that guides ethical, evidence-based, and person-centred care. Standards 2 and 3 are particularly relevant: they focus on engaging in therapeutic and culturally safe relationships, and maintaining the capability for practice (NMBA, 2023).
Collaboration is a critical nursing responsibility. Nurses can work with community elders, Aboriginal Health Workers, and local housing and social services to build trust and co-design effective interventions. Cultural humility and respect are essential in establishing partnerships that empower Indigenous communities.
Strength-Based Approaches in Indigenous Health
A strength-based approach highlights the capacities, knowledge, and resilience of communities rather than focusing solely on deficits. This aligns with the principles of Indigenous knowledge systems, which are grounded in relationality, collective wellbeing, and holistic care (Gorrie & Varcoe, 2021).
When addressing homelessness, strength-based strategies may include:
- Supporting community-led housing initiatives
- Engaging traditional cultural practices in healing and support
- Promoting community leadership and voice in health planning
Such approaches improve engagement and outcomes, while fostering cultural pride and self-determination. Nurses, guided by cultural safety principles, can play a supportive role in these initiatives by acting as facilitators and advocates.
Community Collaboration: Models and Strategies
Successful collaboration involves more than referral or consultation—it requires shared decision-making and co-design. One example is the implementation of wraparound services through Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), which integrate housing, health, and social support services. These models ensure care is holistic, coordinated, and community-specific (NACCHO, 2023).
Nurses embedded in such services can contribute to:
- Outreach and mobile health care for rough sleepers
- Health literacy programs
- Supporting access to Centrelink, mental health services, and housing programs
Another important model is peer-led support, where Indigenous people with lived experience of homelessness provide mentorship and guidance. Nurses can support these initiatives by offering clinical expertise and emotional support while respecting community autonomy.
Social Determinants of Health and Structural Advocacy
Social determinants such as income, education, and housing stability are deeply intertwined with health outcomes. Indigenous Australians are disproportionately affected by these determinants due to historical and contemporary injustices (WHO, 2022).
Nurses can engage in structural advocacy to address these systemic factors. This may involve:
- Advocating for equitable housing policies
- Educating policymakers about the health impacts of homelessness
- Participating in research and quality improvement projects focused on Indigenous health
Standard 6 of the NMBA framework encourages nurses to contribute to quality improvement and health system reform (NMBA, 2023). Participating in policy discussions, promoting cultural safety training, and amplifying Indigenous voices are all ways nurses can influence upstream factors affecting homelessness.
Alignment with National Frameworks
Nursing efforts should align with national strategies such as the Closing the Gap initiative, which aims to reduce Indigenous disadvantage in health, housing, and education (Commonwealth of Australia, 2021). The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan (2013–2023) also emphasises cultural respect, community control, and social inclusion (Commonwealth of Australia, 2013).
By working within these frameworks, nurses can ensure their interventions are strategic and sustainable. Continuous quality improvement, cultural competence, and cross-sector partnerships are necessary to create long-term change (Council of Australian Governments Health Council, 2015).
Conclusion
Homelessness among Indigenous Australians is a complex issue rooted in historical, cultural, and structural factors. Nurses can play a transformative role by collaborating with Indigenous communities using strength-based, culturally safe approaches. By aligning their practice with NMBA standards and national health strategies, nurses can support community empowerment, improve health outcomes, and contribute to systemic change. Strength-based collaboration, grounded in cultural humility and respect, offers a path toward healing and justice for Indigenous Australians.
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Estimating homelessness. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/housing/estimating-homelessness
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2023). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Homelessness services. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/indigenous-australians/indigenous-homelessness
Commonwealth of Australia. (2013). National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013–2023. https://www.health.gov.au
Commonwealth of Australia. (2021). Closing the Gap Report 2021. https://www.closingthegap.gov.au
Council of Australian Governments Health Council. (2015). National Framework for Continuous Quality Improvement in Primary Health Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. https://www.health.gov.au
Gorrie, T., & Varcoe, C. (2021). Reimagining nursing practice with Indigenous peoples: A strength-based approach to health and well-being. Nursing Inquiry, 28(1), e12389. https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12389
Jackson Pulver, L., Fitzpatrick, S., & Tsey, K. (2020). Indigenous Australians and the social determinants of health. In D. Carey, J. Dwyer & R. Willis (Eds.), Understanding the Australian health care system (5th ed., pp. 217–234). Elsevier.
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO). (2023). Cultural safety in Aboriginal health. https://www.naccho.org.au
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). (2023). Registered nurse standards for practice. https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au
World Health Organization. (2022). Social determinants of health. https://www.who.int/social_determinants
Detailed Assessment Instructions for the NRSG371 Building Healthy Communities Written Assignment
NRSG371_ Assessment task 2: Written Assignment _ © Australian Catholic University 2025
ASSESSMENT 2 INFORMATION
Assessment type: Written assignment – Essay
Purpose
This assessment task addresses health problems as a societal issue. It requires you to integrate the role of the nurse with the building of healthy communities in order to expose you to the reality that nursing practice environments reach beyond the hospital setting into the wider community.
Due Date: Week 12, Wednesday, 26th of May 2025
Time Due 0900hrs
Weighting 50%
Length 2000 words +/- 10% (includes intext citations, excludes reference list)
Assessment Rubric Appendix B of unit outline
LOs Assessed LO3, LO4, LO5
Task
Describe how nurses can work in partnership with the community of your choice (within Australia), using a strength-based approach, to address one of the following topics Topic and definitions Homelessness Homelessness in Australia is a widespread and largely preventable issue. This public health concern presents a systematic flow on affect to the wider community (Australian Government Department of Health, 2019).
Infectious diseases Infectious diseases have the potential to cause devastation to an entire community at any given time and without warning (Australian Government Department of Health, 2020).
Gender Knowledge of clinically significant sex and gender differences in screening, risk factors, treatment and prognosis are emerging across a broad range of diseases, and differences are identified for those conditions conferring the greatest health burden in Australia and globally (Wainer & Carcel 2019).
Target Audience Health care professionals
Submission Turnitin, word document files only
NRSG371: Building Healthy Communities
NRSG371_ Assessment task 2: Written Assignment _ © Australian Catholic University 2025
FORMATTING
File format Word document
Margins 2.54cm, all sides
Font and size 11-point Calibri or Arial
Spacing Double spacing
Paragraph Aligned to left margin, indent first line of each paragraph 1.27cm
Title Page Not to be used
Level 1 Heading Centered, bold, capitalize each word (14-point Calibri or Arial)
Level 2 Headings Flush left, bold, capitalize each word (12-point Calibri or Arial)
Structure Introduction, main paragraphs, conclusion, reference list
Direct quotes Always require page number. No more than 10% of WC in direct quotes
Header Page number top right corner (9 point Calibri or Arial)
Footer Name _ Student Number_ Assessment _ Unit _ Year (9 point Calibri or Arial)
REFRENCING
Referencing Style APA 7th
Minimum References 10-15
Age of References Published in the last 5 years as this area of knowledge is rapidly developing
List Heading “References” is centered, bold, on a new page. (14 point Calibri or Arial)
Alphabetical Order References are arranged alphabetically by author family name
Hanging Indent Second and subsequent lines of a reference have a hanging indent
DOI Presented as functional hyperlink
Spacing Double spacing the entire reference list, both within and between entries
ADMINISTRATION
Late Penalties
Late penalties will be applied from 9:01am on the 26th of May 2025, incurring 5% penalty of the maximum marks available up to a maximum of 15%. Assessment tasks received more than three calendar days after the due or extended date will not be allocated a mark. Example: An assignment is submitted 12 hours late and is initially marked at 60 out of 100. A 5% penalty is applied (5% of 100 is 5 marks). Therefore, the student receives 55 out of 100 as a final mark. Penalty Timeframe Penalty Marks Deducted 9:01 am Wednesday to 9 am Thursday 5% penalty 5 marks 9:01am Thursday to 9am Friday 10% penalty 10 marks 9:01am Friday to 9am Saturday 15% penalty 15 marks Received after 9:01 Saturday No mark allocated n/a
Return of Marks Marks will be generally returned in three weeks; if this is not obtainable, you will be notified via your campus LEO forum.
Final Assignment Marks for the final assessment – this assessment, will be withheld until after grade ratification and grade release on the 2nd July 2025.
Prerequisites
NRSG264 Integrating Practice 3 AND NRSG267 Integrating Practice 4
Unit rationale, description and aim
To function effectively as a graduate nurse, a working knowledge of the larger context of health is essential. This unit is required by students to assist them to understand the role of the nurse in health promotion, community settings and community engagement, as well as how nurses work with other disciplines and key stakeholders.
This unit will assist students to understand that the care they provide as graduates across a variety of clinical settings is contextualized within the larger context of health. Using ACU’s community engagement principles and values, students will examine key issues in working in community settings as well as reflect on participating in community engagement. The creation of healthy communities will be examined by focusing on the role of health promotion and self–management in illness prevention. The role of the nurse in health promotion program planning and evaluation will be examined. A particular emphasis will be on how nurses work with other disciplines and key community stakeholders in partnership to promote healthy communities. Further, the changing role of health care and how the nurse might evolve to function optimally in a changing environment will also be addressed.
The aim of this unit is to assist students to function optimally as a graduate nurse in meeting diverse health and well–being needs of individuals and communities across a range of local and global settings.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
LO1 | Discuss the historical context of building healthy communities in Australia, the occurrence of health promotion issues and how these issues are addressed in the Australian Health Performance Framework | GC1, GC7, GC9, GC11 |
LO2 | Examine approaches to health promotion and evaluation aimed at addressing contemporary health promotion and illness prevention issues | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7, GC9, GC11 |
LO3 | Discuss the role of the nurse in meeting the diverse health and well-being needs of individuals, communities and populations across a range of local and global settings | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11 |
LO4 | Demonstrate an understanding of the changing role of health care in communities and how the role of the nurse might evolve to meet these future challenges | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC9, GC11 |
LO5 | Explain how nurses can participate in community engagement through partnerships with relevant stakeholders | GC1, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11 |
NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s Registered Nurse Standards for Practice developed in this unit are:
Standard/Attributes/Criteria | Learning Outcomes |
Thinks critically and analyses nursing practice.
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7 |
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Engages in therapeutic and professional relationships.
2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7 |
LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Maintains the capability for practice.
3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.7 |
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Comprehensively conducts assessments.
4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 |
LO4, |
Develops a plan for nursing practice.
5.1, 5.3 |
LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Provides safe, appropriate and responsive quality nursing practice.
6.1 |
LO4, |
Evaluates outcomes to inform nursing practice.
7.1, 7.2, 7.3 |
LO4, LO5 |
Content
Topics will include:
- Defining individuals, communities and populations
- individuals across the lifespan
- communities of place; communities of interest; rural and underserved communities
- populations – local and global
- Historical context of health promotion
- Alma Ata
- Ottawa Charter
- Sustainable Development Goals
- The Australian context of Primary Health Care (PHC)
- Health for all
- Health for all and health in all policies
- Local and global challenges
- Healthy cities and communities
- Future directions and the changing role of health care and nursing
- Health promotion in action
- Individual, community and population development approaches
- The planning cycle – assess, design, implement, evaluate
- Community development approaches to health and healthcare
- Community participation, empowerment, engagement and cultural competence
- Partnerships, collaboration, engaging stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams
- Communication and consultation
- Community organisations and volunteer settings
CASE STUDIES
Case studies for this unit focus on the role of the nurse and the multidisciplinary team, curriculum threads, exploration of and engagement with unit content.
- 10-year-old male (lower socioeconomic): childhood obesity.
- 34-year-old female (high socioeconomic): domestic violence.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Modes of delivery in this unit include lectures, tutorials, online activies and self-directed study. Consistent with adult learning principles, the teaching and learning strategy used within these modes of delivery will provide students with foundational knowledge and skills relevant to professional nursing practice. This unit’s emphasis on community engagement requires students to scaffold this content with other content delivered across the program to analyse and reflect on approaches to, and impact of, engagement with community to improve health and prevent illness. These strategies will also support students in meeting the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit and the broader course learning outcomes. Learning and teaching strategies will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively with peers.
Students will apply the content from this unit to reflect on their community engagement experience, which may include:
- International community engagement experience;
- Community engagement experience during this semester;
- Ongoing community engagement activity over the course of study.
Students exiting university need significant life-long learning skills to deliver sound, ongoing, evidence-based graduate practice as a member of the professional workforce. To embed life-long learning skills, students must demonstrate increasing reflective capacity to identify what is being done well and what requires additional work in progressing toward required learning outcomes. Located in the third year of the programme, this theory unit includes some face-to-face teaching hours and an increased online component of learning. Online recorded lectures are utilised to convey content and central principles while tutorials provide an opportunity to consolidate students’ understanding of content through collaboration and discussion. Tutorials deliver interactive and student-driven learning sessions to extend the community of learners, and increase their self-reliance, critical reflection and debate. Online materials provide students with the opportunity to undertake directed, self-motivated study and continue to transition to independent study and life-long learning.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment items consistent with University assessment requirements and policy will be used to ensure students achieve the unit learning outcomes and attain the graduate attributes.
Third year sees students continue their transition towards independent learning. In this unit, there are two 50% assessment items, therefore the importance of each item is higher in terms of achievement of unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes. The ‘project’ assessment requires students to examine a community health issue and identify key points where changes can be made. An understanding of what is possible is required by any health care professional when approaching an issue if they are to plan for a genuine outcome. The written assignment addresses health problems as a societal issue. It requires students to integrate the role of the nurse with the building of healthy communities in order to meet the demands of a shift in care delivery and to expose students to the reality that the nursing practice environment reaches beyond the health care facility toward a broader context. Skills necessary for graduate practice include an understanding that the role of a nurse can extend beyond the health care facility and into the wider community.
These assessments are required to build student knowledge and skills which, by the conclusion of this program, will enable the student to graduate as a safe and effective nurse.
Overview of assessments
Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
Project
Enables students to produce a detailed plan and response to a community health need in the current Australian context. |
50% | LO1, LO2, LO3 |
Written Assignment
Enables students to articulate their knowledge of health as a societal issue, and the role of the nurse in addressing community health issues. |
50% | LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Representative texts and references
This reference list was finalised in 2021 for internal curriculum approval; it will be revised prior to unit delivery to ensure the most current representative text and reference list for students.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). (2020). Australia’s health 2020. Australia’s health series no.17. Cat. no. AUS 231. AIHW https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/be95235d-fd4d-4824-9ade-34b7491dd66f/aihw-aus-231.pdf?v=20230605163144&inline=true
Clendon, J. & Munns, A. (2019). Community health and wellness: Principles of primary health care (6th ed.). Elsevier Australia.
Fleming, M. L., Parker, E., Correa-Velez, I. (2019). Introduction to public health (4th ed.). Elsevier Australia.
Guzys, E., Brown, R., Halcomb, E. & Whitehead, D. (2021). An introduction to community and primary health care (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Talbot, L., & Verrinder, G. (2018). Promoting health: The primary health care approach (6th ed.). Elsevier Australia.
World Health Organisation (WHO). (1986). Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/349652
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