The number of partners depends on how many roles a nurse can realistically fulfill while working with a vulnerable community. For instance, if one is able to act as a case manager, an educator, a direct care provider, a planner, and an interpreter simultaneously, then enlisting other specialists is unnecessary (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2015). Such an approach would be cost-saving, saving more resources for the population. Still, the services of prevention specialists and translators can be instrumental in the program’s implementation phase (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2015). As for non-medical stakeholders, the primary partner should be community leaders, whose cooperation is essential for all stages of the process. Various agencies connected to the refugee and immigrant population, either by supporting it or employing its members, can also help (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2015). Overall, it is possible to use only community leaders as the partner for immunization programs, although relevant organizations, prevention specialists, and translators may be instrumental in helping bigger communities.
The choice of partners is determined by their potential role in developing programs. Community leaders are necessary for all stages, possessing the essential information for the planning phase and serving as the mediator during the immunization process, convincing everyone to participate. If a nurse cannot communicate with them in one language, a translator’s services might be crucial, although one should still have knowledge of the culture (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2015). Depending on the community’s size, more prevention specialists can be enlisted, as one person is unlikely to vaccinate everyone while performing educational, advocating, and other functions (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2015). Community-related agencies may also have some important information for the planning process and contribute resources to the program, and employers are likely to invest in the working force’s health (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2015). Altogether, the partners are chosen due to their roles in such processes as communication, care provision, and resource allocation, helping the nurse develop immunization programs.
Reference
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2015). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (9th ed.). Elsevier Mosby.