A community health needs assessment is a project that a community health nurse may take on in which role?

In conducting a community health needs assessment, the community health nurse primarily functions in the researcher role. This assessment involves systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data about the community’s health issues, resources, and needs. As a researcher, the nurse identifies health trends, gaps in services, and areas requiring improvement, which are vital for effective health planning and intervention.

While community health nurses can take on various roles in their practice, including managerial, clerical, and educator roles, the essence of a community health needs assessment prioritizes the investigative process to inform health strategies and policies. The attention to data collection and analysis is central to the research function, making it the most appropriate role for this task. Through their findings, nurses can advocate for resources and programs that address the community's specific health challenges, reinforcing the importance of their research-oriented responsibilities.