For anyone studying to be a nurse, one of the most challenging areas of study—though often one of the most appealing—is how to supply a high level of healthcare to vulnerable people. Vulnerable populations often live in particular circumstances and may require specialist care. To truly serve their needs, a deep knowledge of their issues and prior preparation are essential. As a result, many students interested in working with specific vulnerable populations will work independently to explore their particular areas of interest.
Because the information available is so wide-ranging, this kind of study can be particularly challenging. This is especially true for students studying for an online degree, where there is an even greater onus on the student to be proactive about learning and look beyond the basic structure of the course itself. So how can prospective nurses studying for their degree best go about learning the most important tenets of caring for vulnerable populations, and what can they expect in this particular area?
In this article, we examine what type of vulnerable populations nurses might come across in the US, what kind of problems they might face, and what kind of special treatment or considerations they could require. In addition, we look at how student nurses, particularly those engaged in online learning, can learn more about vulnerable populations, what kind of educational options are open to them, and how to move towards a career in this area.
What are vulnerable populations?
Vulnerable populations have specific characteristics that make them more likely to experience health-related issues, contract specific diseases or conditions, or struggle with access to healthcare. There may be a variety of reasons for this, from race and age to family medical history, lifestyle choices, or socioeconomic issues. Vulnerable populations may include patients of a racial or ethnic minority, young children, the elderly, and people who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.
The term can also encompass people who are underinsured or do not have health insurance at all, as well as people suffering from specific medical conditions. Some of these populations exhibit higher rates of untreated or undiagnosed conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and mental health disorders.
These populations are also often at risk of harm and neglect due to insufficient access to resources that might help mitigate challenges presented by their individual circumstances and those of the people and community surrounding them. For example, an African-American person may experience negative treatment when visiting a hospital in a specific area, while a young child is particularly vulnerable to certain illnesses, such as measles and various infections.
In terms of socioeconomic circumstances, poorer people typically have more restricted access to healthcare and are also less likely to seek medical treatment due to concerns about cost. In many cases, members of vulnerable populations have health conditions made worse by inadequate healthcare.
Meeting the challenge
Preparation is key when dealing with vulnerable populations. In addition to providing the basic medical care that is, of course, required by all patients, nurses dealing with these types of populations may also benefit by demonstrating advanced communication skills and a higher level of sensitivity to the needs of the patient. It is often even more crucial than normal to help direct patients towards additional social and medical services. It is particularly important in communities where trust in authority and the healthcare industry may be low or where there is concern about inflated medical costs.
Indeed, it is essential to be able to steer patients towards services that will help them access affordable treatment. As a result, nurses dealing with vulnerable populations should have extensive knowledge of the options available in the region in which they operate so they can help patients navigate often daunting and complicated health pathways.
In some vulnerable populations, lifestyle factors may increase the risk of experiencing diseases, certain conditions, or injury. For example, research has shown that discrimination and societal stigma can place the LGBTQ+ population at higher risk of psychiatric or mental health disorders, while for homeless people, the lack of stable housing and proper hygiene can mean they are more likely to suffer from infection and illness. In addition, regional elements, such as the availability of clean drinking water or chronic exposure to pollutants and other toxic substances, can also increase risk, while religious experience may also be a factor, as certain religious beliefs may discourage people from seeking out medical assistance.
The importance of preparation
While it is true that most patients who seek medical treatment are in some way vulnerable, there is a growing understanding today that different populations often benefit from different approaches and that in many cases, various areas of medicine, including treatment, medication, and communication, should be tailored accordingly. It is why, today, in addition to the essential fundamentals of nursing, most graduate and postgraduate nursing degrees also provide additional seminars, lectures, and modules that address this specific topic.
In fact, many nurses today are interested in building a career where they can help specific vulnerable populations, with the knowledge that if they are able to build up a significant amount of expertise, they will be able to use it to provide more in-depth, targeted treatment that can make an even bigger difference to people’s lives. Often, they might be looking to work in a field where they already have some kind of personal interest, while in other cases, they might feel particularly drawn to a specific area where they feel they can make a significant difference.
Naturally, in both cases, they will need to explore and gain experience in the given field and attempt to understand if it is the most suitable area of expertise for their given skills. So how can student nurses look to develop and build up their knowledge, particularly if they happen to be engaged in distance learning?
Online discovery and exploration
Beyond the classroom itself, one initial way of exploring the various areas of healthcare related to vulnerable populations is for students to immerse themselves in online medical blogs or articles. Indeed, there is a wealth of information available on the internet, and though some articles or instructional videos may not be of the highest quality, many more are created by or feature expert, highly trained medical staff with a wealth of experience to share. Students can also use these kinds of online resources to gain a greater understanding of what it takes, for example, to go into a local community and treat socially disadvantaged elderly patients without yet making a full commitment to working in a particular field.
Reading about the personal experiences of vulnerable people and the kinds of struggles they might face can be a vital source of education and teach nurses about the experiences of the people they are likely to treat in the future. It is also useful to learn from other professionals who work with vulnerable or disadvantaged communities and who may be able to provide further insight, such as teachers, psychiatric or mental health professionals, and social workers.
Peer-to-peer learning
In addition, students can also learn a lot from their peers, many of whom may have experienced specific aspects of vulnerable populations, whether personally, within their family, or as members of a particular community. Here, the emphasis should be on sharing and helping each other develop a more sophisticated understanding of the issues at hand, particularly for people without any direct experience.
Arguably, students should be encouraged to set up both less formal and more formal channels of communication. It is particularly important for trainee nurses completing an online course, who will not, therefore, have access to some traditional channels of communication with their fellow students. Potential options include friendly WhatsApp groups, regular video call discussions, or a forum where students can ask each other questions about specific areas of their course. Naturally, when discussing vulnerable populations, it is essential that all communication be not only open but also conducted in a professional and respectful manner.
Sharing experiences
In both personal research and peer-to-peer discussion, the emphasis should be on exploring areas where the student is less familiar or would benefit from a range of different perspectives in order to gain a greater understanding. A young nurse who does not have children, for example, may greatly benefit from discussing various aspects of childcare and child development that can impact pediatric medicine with a nurse who is a parent, while someone with a relative suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia may be able to provide valuable members for other students who do not have personal experience in this area.
Naturally, tutors at the university will be able to offer their own professional experience in treating vulnerable populations. Indeed, while many questions can be answered online, it is often teachers and tutors who will be able to answer the specific inquiries of the students. Important areas of inquiry might include how best to educate themselves on these topics, ways in which communication strategies may vary depending on the situation at hand, or how specific treatment plans may be adapted to suit the individual circumstances of the patient.
The importance of clinical placements
In terms of further development in this field, particularly for any prospective nurses who believe that they might want to specialize in this area in the future, clinical placements during the course of their degree can be an extremely valuable learning experience and also help them to further understand the extent of their commitment to a particular area. Indeed, many student nurses interested in working in this field will opt for clinical placements in underserved communities where they can gain firsthand experience of the challenges involved. After all, a clinical placement enables the nurse to see in person both the practical, physical, and mental issues that specific vulnerable populations may face and the barriers they might encounter when seeking or receiving the necessary medical treatment.
In addition, nurses can also witness firsthand the impact of not only different medical practices but also the types of communication employed—for example, how an experienced doctor or nurse might treat an elderly patient from a privileged background very differently from a younger person from an area with socioeconomic disadvantages. It might be a positive experience, where the health professional skillfully adopts their communication to ensure that it is absorbed and accepted by whatever patient they happen to be treating, or a negative one, where the health professional might veer towards being patronizing, dismissive, or making unwarranted assumptions about an individual patient based on their particular position in society. Either way, observing this kind of communication can be a valuable learning experience for student nurses.
Educational pathways
One advantage that can be particularly beneficial for treating vulnerable communities in particular is prior experience in a field other than nursing. Somebody who has worked in a customer-facing position, for example, will likely already be well used to dealing with a wide cross-section of the population, while someone who has been involved in teaching or childcare might feel they could be particularly effective in offering pediatric care.
Fortunately, there are now several options for people interested in going into nursing as a second career option. People who already have an undergraduate degree in another field, for instance, are able to complete an accelerated nursing program that enables them to qualify as a registered nurse in as little as two years. With an accelerated bachelor of science in nursing (ABSN) program from Elmhurst University, for example, prospective nurses can learn the fundamentals of the profession while also enjoying a wide range of practical clinical experience. In addition to learning about essential theories and knowledge of nursing explaining the role of a nurse as a leader, ethical practitioner, and professional, they will also have the chance to examine principles of evidence-based practice and apply frameworks for critical thinking and decision-making in caring for and addressing the health care needs of individual patients as well as populations.
There is also the opportunity to look at communities and vulnerable populations by studying the principles of population health to understand health factors as they relate to epidemiology, the environment, and social determinants of health. Graduates also emerge with sophisticated clinical judgment and decision-making skills through laboratory experiences and supervised clinical experiences, while the flexible online nature of the course makes it possible to work full- or part-time during the study period.
Real-life experience
Upon graduation, many nurses choose to seek out work where they can provide assistance specifically to vulnerable communities. For example, they may choose to work in an area with significant socioeconomic issues. In addition to being a tremendous challenge for the nurse in question, a decision to help in these areas can also be a huge benefit for the local community, given that often there is a notable shortage of health professionals. Naturally, as their career progresses, nurses also develop their own expertise and specific knowledge of particular areas.
Lifelong learning is another area that is particularly vital to nurses who work with vulnerable populations. In addition to continuing positive communication habits with their peers and more experienced colleagues, it is also important for nurses who work in this area to continue to make an effort to explore their field and the latest research, particularly as our understanding of how variables such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, age, lifestyle, and genetic inheritance impact our state of health is evolving all the time.
The right direction
Overall, it is clear that how we as a society treat our most vulnerable goes a long way toward defining our overall value, and the same could be said for healthcare. In fact, studies over the past decade or so have shown us that there can be huge advantages gained by applying specific principles of treatment, health access, and communication to different parts of the population in order to improve health outcomes. In recognition of this fact, healthcare is also moving further away from a one-size-fits-all approach towards more sophisticated models that take into account a whole range of different factors when determining treatment plans and medical communication.
There is no question that nurses can play a significant role in this movement towards more specialized treatment and a more nuanced understanding of how we treat vulnerable populations. To fully succeed in this kind of challenging area, there is no question that it is vital to be not only thoroughly well-prepared and with a detailed understanding of the most important aspects of modern medicine, but also resilient and determined to make a genuine difference. In addition, of course, empathy and understanding are also crucial. Helping vulnerable populations is a significant step and requires sensitivity and a firm commitment to providing help to the people who need it most.
