The public health nurse wants to assess potential environmental health issues within a particular district. Which of the following would the nurse include in the assessment?

One of the most important principles of effective health education is to involve the target audience in the planning process. By involving the target audience in the planning process, the nurse can gain a better understanding of their needs, priorities, and concerns related to health and wellness. This, in turn, can help the nurse develop education goals that are relevant, engaging, and effective at improving health outcomes.

Asking the formal leadership of a community what the learning needs are, using the expertise of professional nurses who are skilled at assessing needs, or interviewing physicians to determine the highest need based on diagnoses can all be useful strategies for gathering information about community health needs. However, none of these strategies are as effective at identifying the specific needs and priorities of the target audience as asking the target audience directly.

Infants of diabetic mothers (IDM) are at risk of hypoglycemia because they have been exposed to high levels of glucose in utero. The fetus responds to this high glucose level by producing high levels of insulin to regulate the glucose level. After delivery, the glucose supply from the mother is cut off and the infant's insulin levels remain high, leading to hypoglycemia.

Additionally, the infant's ability to produce glucose is immature and may not be sufficient to maintain normal blood glucose levels, especially if the infant is premature or small for gestational age. Therefore, IDM requires close monitoring of their blood glucose levels to prevent and treat hypoglycemia.