The nurse is approached by the health department to investigate and assess the rise in developmental disabilities in an isolated section in the community. To begin the assessment, the nurse should gather objective data from which source?

Question

A) Client interview—aggregate data
B) Internet—aggregate data
C) Internet—Wikipedia
D) Direct observation of the area

Answer 1

Ans: B
Feedback:
By exploring data available on the Internet, community health nurses can not only describe trends but also identify resources that address the trends and determine where gaps may exist. The aggregate data from these resources include local demographics, such as death rates, causes of death, marital status, gender, age, ethnicity, and density of the population. Depending on the purpose of the community assessment, records in health facilities may be examined. Client interviews and direct observation of the area would render subjective data, not objective. Wikipedia is not an authoritative source.