NURS 4210 – Role of the Nurse Leader in Population Health (Walden University)

Week 4 Assignment (2026): Disaster Planning for Public Health

Course and Assessment Positioning

Course: NURS 4210 – Role of the Nurse Leader in Population Health (Walden RN–BSN)
Assessment: Week 4 Assignment – Disaster Planning for Public Health (individual written assignment)
Level: Upper-division undergraduate (leadership and population health focus)
Length: 3–4 page paper (approximately 1,000–1,200 words), excluding title page and references
Timing: Week 4, following instruction on population health concepts, community assessment, and introductory emergency preparedness

This assignment reflects common NURS 4210 expectations in which students critique or refine a public health disaster plan, connect preparedness efforts to population health principles, and clarify the leadership role of nurses before progressing to applied or practicum-based work.

Assignment Overview

You will examine an existing disaster or emergency preparedness plan related to a public health threat in your community, region, or state. Using a population health perspective, you will analyze the plan’s strengths and limitations, discuss how social determinants of health shape vulnerability and response, and outline leadership actions nurses can take to strengthen preparedness and resilience at the community and system levels.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

• Apply population health concepts to disaster and emergency preparedness planning.

• Analyze how social determinants of health influence community vulnerability and disaster impact.

• Evaluate public health disaster plans and identify opportunities for system-level improvement.

• Describe nurse leader roles in multi-sector collaboration, communication, and advocacy during disasters.

• Communicate a coherent, evidence-informed critique of a public health disaster plan.

Task Instructions

1. Select a Public Health Disaster Plan

• Locate an existing written plan or publicly available document focused on disaster or emergency preparedness from a public health perspective, such as a state or local health department all-hazards plan, pandemic response plan, bioterrorism plan, or extreme weather plan.

• Ensure the document addresses community or population needs rather than focusing solely on facility-level incident command.

• Provide a full citation and working URL in the reference list.

2. Description of the Plan and Community Context (approximately ¾–1 page)

• Identify the agency or organization responsible for the plan, such as a county health department or state emergency management agency.

• Summarize the plan’s stated purpose, hazards addressed, and the primary population or geographic area covered.

• Describe key characteristics of the community or region, including demographics, geography, and notable vulnerabilities such as flood zones, major transportation corridors, or industrial risks.

3. Population Health Analysis of the Plan (approximately 1–1.5 pages)

• Analyze how the plan addresses population health concepts such as prevention, risk reduction, equity, and continuity of essential services.

• Discuss how the plan identifies and prioritizes at-risk groups, including older adults, people with disabilities, low-income populations, non-English speakers, rural residents, or people experiencing homelessness.

• Evaluate the extent to which the plan incorporates community engagement, health education, and culturally responsive communication strategies.

4. Social Determinants of Health and Vulnerability (approximately ¾–1 page)

• Analyze how social determinants of health in the community, such as housing, transportation, income, education, access to care, and digital connectivity, influence disaster risk, response, and recovery.

• Explain whether and how the disaster plan accounts for these determinants, such as evacuation support for residents without vehicles, shelter accessibility, or language access services.

• Identify at least one determinant that is insufficiently addressed and explain the potential consequences for population health.

5. Role of the Nurse Leader in Improving Disaster Planning (approximately 1–1.5 pages)

• Describe specific roles nurse leaders can play in strengthening disaster preparedness at the system and community levels, such as participating in planning committees, applying population health frameworks, leading preparedness drills, or advocating for inclusion of vulnerable populations.

• Propose at least two realistic, evidence-informed recommendations to improve the plan from a population health perspective, drawing on guidance from organizations such as the CDC, FEMA, ASPR, or WHO.

• Explain how these recommendations promote equity, resilience, and long-term preparedness rather than focusing only on emergency response.

6. Conclusion

Summarize your overall appraisal of the disaster plan and highlight the critical contributions nurse leaders can make to more effective, equitable public health preparedness.

Paper Requirements

• Length: 3–4 pages of narrative text (approximately 1,000–1,200 words), excluding title page and references.

• Format: Follow the program’s required academic style and organize the paper using headings aligned with the sections above.

• Sources: Include the disaster plan document plus 4–6 current scholarly or authoritative sources published between 2018 and 2026.

• Original work: Present original analysis and synthesis; do not reuse assignments or replicate sample papers.

• Submission: Submit the completed paper through the NURS 4210 Week 4 Assignment link in your course platform.

NURS 4210 Week 4 – Disaster Planning for Public Health Rubric (2026)

Description of Plan and Community Context (15%)
Clear and accurate description of the disaster plan, hazards addressed, and community context.

Population Health Analysis of the Plan (25%)
Well-reasoned critique demonstrating how the plan incorporates prevention, equity, risk reduction, and community engagement.

Social Determinants and Vulnerability (20%)
Thoughtful analysis of how social determinants shape disaster vulnerability and evaluation of how well the plan addresses these factors.

Nurse Leader Role and Recommendations (25%)
Clear articulation of nurse leader roles and feasible, evidence-based recommendations grounded in systems thinking and equity.

Writing Quality, Organization, and Use of Evidence (15%)
Clear organization, scholarly tone, minimal errors, and effective integration of at least five credible sources.

Emergency operations plans often document chains of command and logistics in detail while giving limited attention to residents who are least able to evacuate, shelter, or maintain continuity of care during disasters. A strong NURS 4210 disaster planning paper addresses this gap by applying population health principles to identify social determinants that magnify risk and by outlining practical leadership actions nurses can take to ensure preparedness strategies protect vulnerable populations first rather than last (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2021).

Disaster preparedness efforts are increasingly evaluated not only on their technical completeness but also on their capacity to reduce inequities before, during, and after emergencies. Nurse leaders who apply an equity-focused population health lens can help shift disaster planning from reactive response toward proactive resilience by advocating for inclusive planning processes, data-informed identification of at-risk groups, and sustained community partnerships. This approach aligns with national emergency preparedness frameworks that emphasize whole-community engagement and health equity as core elements of effective public health disaster management (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2020).

References

• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2021) The Future of Nursing 2020–2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.17226/25982

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (2020) Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101: Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans. Washington, DC: FEMA. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/plan

• Reinhardt, G. and Rayfield, S. (2020) ‘Nurse leaders and disaster preparedness: Mobilizing for population health’, Journal of Nursing Administration, 50(9), pp. 469–475. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000919

• World Health Organization (2019) Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Framework. Geneva: WHO. Available at: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/326106

• Stanhope, M. and Lancaster, J. (2020) Foundations for Population Health in Community/Public Health Nursing. 5th edn. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/C2018-0-00765-8

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022) Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Capabilities. Atlanta, GA: CDC. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/readiness