A nurse is implementing quality performance standards in a public ...

[mia]

A nurse is implementing quality performance standards in a public health department. Which of the following best describes the importance of this action?
 
  a. Quality performance standards are used to guide improvement in the public health system.
  b. Quality performance standards rigidly control public health.
  c. Quality performance standards guide ad-ministrators to monitor public health at the national level.
  d. Quality performance standards can be used as hiring guidelines for nurses.

Question 2

The PHN analyzes data related to the number and type of United States Environmental Protec-tion Agency air quality standards that a community failed to meet. This data is an example of using which community health profile indicator?
 
  a. Sociodemographic characteristics
  b. Health status
  c. Health risk factor
  d. Functional status

[Chou]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
These standards were developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1998. They set the bar for the level of performance that is necessary to deliver essential public health services (PHSs). These standards were developed around the 10 essential PHSs. They focus on the overall public health system rather than on single organizations and describe an optimal level of performance. They are intended to support a process of quality improvement. State and local communities can assess their performance using certain available tools. They are not meant to control public health or be used for hiring guidelines.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
Health risk factors discuss proportions of populations who have particular health conditions or health risks; breathing air of poor quality is a risk to health. The number and proportion of people is a sociodemographic characteristic. Health status includes birth and death rates. Functional sta-tus refers to reports of good health status by members of the population.