Practice problems can take different shapes and influence the experiences of both caregivers and patients. Obesity remains a critical issue affecting many citizens and communities in the United States. This condition is a risk factor for a wide range of illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and stroke. The purpose statement for this discussion is that obesity is a major practice problem that affects stakeholders. Different agencies and health professionals should apply their competencies to meet patients’ needs. DNP practice scholars should be involved in an attempt to examine the nature of this practice challenge, guide different participants to address it, and implement evidence-based strategies to improve people’s health outcomes.
National Level
Obesity is a major health predicament in the United States. It affects over 32 percent of the population (Carey, Singh, Brown, & Wilkinson, 2015). This means that around 93 million Americans are suffering from obesity (Reed, 2017). The percentage of individuals who are overweight still remains high. This means that the identified practice problem is significant and should attract attention of all stakeholders. In terms of relevance, obesity has become the leading cause or risk factor for diabetes, different cancers, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. A detailed analysis and knowledge of the issues associated with obesity can encourage professionals, government agencies, community social workers, DNPs, and policymakers to present evidence-based strategies for overcoming this dilemma.
Any approach aimed at minimizing the impacts of this practice problem will deliver numerous benefits and make it possible for more citizens to achieve their potential. Obesity is a major health concern with numerous economic ramifications. For instance, Rutkowski (2017) observed that over 60 percent of affected persons remain unproductive and incapable of pursuing their career aims. Most of the patients who develop diseases associated with obesity die prematurely (Carey et al., 2015). The government has been spending over around 200 billion US dollars annually to meet the health needs of such citizens (Cheke, Simons, & Clayton, 2016). Experts believe that such costs will increase in the future unless appropriate measures are put in place. This means that the country might not achieve its full economic potential.
Key Stakeholders at the National Level
At the national level, obesity continues to affect the experiences and health outcomes of different stakeholders, including patients, families, nurses, interprofessional team members, and healthcare organizations. Many patients who have this condition will incur numerous medical costs due to the possibility of opportunistic diseases (Cheke et al., 2016). Individuals with morbid obesity are usually unable to engage in productive economic activities. Different families are also impacted by this practice problem since they have to meet the medical needs of their members. Some relatives will forego their needs to empower those who have this condition.
Nurses have to work overtime in an attempt to provide adequate support to different patients. Many practitioners and DNPs are currently forced to provide their services outside the clinical setting. They have also been pursuing additional ideas to manage obesity at the community level. Interprofessional team members have been forced to focus on this practice problem because it is the leading cause of preventable deaths (Carey et al., 2015). Such groups have to transform their models and focus on the needs of obese patients. Healthcare organizations are currently redesigning their care delivery procedures to provide exemplary care, guidance, empowerment, and support to those who have this condition (Rutkowski, 2017). Such facilities at the national level have decided to reallocate their resources and acquire new equipment to meet the needs of this population.
Local Level
The nature of obesity explains how and why it continues to affect the experiences and health outcomes of many people at the local level. In terms of significance, stakeholders and participants who monitor this problem will identify and present appropriate concepts for mitigating a wide range of diseases. Community members who consider the nature of this issue will embrace superior practices to overcome it and record positive health outcomes. This practice problem is relevant since it offers new initiatives for addressing other illnesses from an evidence-based perspective. At the local level, strategies implemented to manage obesity will eventually trigger additional health practices (Reed, 2017). This condition has numerous economic ramifications for all societies or communities. For instance, affected individuals will become less productive while available resources will be redirected to meet their demands. The increased prevalence of obesity will eventually disorient economic performance.
Key Stakeholders at the Local Level
The identified practice problem is capable of impacting different stakeholders at the local level and making it impossible for them to pursue their objectives effectively. Firstly, patients suffering from obesity will be unable to pursue their professional goals. They will utilize their resources to receive sustainable treatment. Affected patients are at risk of developing new conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes. Many families are also affected by this problem. Relatives have to utilize their resources effectively to ensure that all obese individuals receive timely support. Some citizens are forced to quit their jobs in an attempt to support their siblings or parents who have this condition (Mackey & Bassendowski, 2017). These examples explain why obesity remains a major health challenge at the local level.
Nurses and clinicians providing services to different patients have been impacted negatively by this problem. Firstly, the majority of them have redesigned their philosophies to empower different patients with obesity. Secondly, many practitioners are currently working overtime since this practice problem continues to catalyze the development of opportunistic diseases. Thirdly, they are collaborating with social workers and human services professionals to deliver timely care in every community. Interprofessional team members have found it necessary to expand their models by attracting more community members (Rutkowski, 2017). Such groups have considered evidence-based measures to provide holistic care to their patients with obesity. Healthcare organizations find it hard to provide exemplary services to their obese patients. They also hire additional nurses and professionals in spite of the existing workforce shortage. Such institutions are required to identify and acquire new resources to deliver exemplary services to their patients.
Conclusion
The above discussion has indicated that obesity is a major practice problem that affects many American citizens. At the national level, this issue makes it impossible for patients to achieve their objectives and forces practitioners to work overtime. Healthcare teams and organizations have to identify new resources and redesign their models to meet the needs of every affected person. Similar predicaments and impacts are recorded at the local level. DNP practice scholars have to apply their competencies and develop superior philosophies to solve this problem and engage in superior actions that can improve citizens’ health outcomes.
References
Carey, F. R., Singh, G. K., Brown, H. S., & Wilkinson, A. V. (2015). Educational outcomes associated with childhood obesity in the United States: Cross-sectional results from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12(1), 3-18. Web.
Cheke, L. G., Simons, J. S., & Clayton, N. S. (2016). Higher body mass index is associated with episodic memory deficits in young adults. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 69(11), 2305-2316. Web.
Mackey, A., & Bassendowski, S. (2017). The history and evidence-based practice in nursing education and practice. Journal of Professional Nursing, 33(1), 51-55. Web.
Reed, P. (2017). Translating nursing philosophy for practice and healthcare policy. Nursing Science Quarterly, 30(3), 1-12. Web.
Rutkowski, E. M. (2017). Tuned in: Connecting community health nursing student’s learning to the news. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(4), 251-252. Web.