Mary Lipsky has worked for a visiting nurse association in alarge urban area for 2 years. She is responsible for a wide varietyof services, including caring for older and chronically ill clientsrecently discharged from hospitals, new mothers and babies, mentalhealth clients, and clients with long-term health problems, such aschronic wounds. Daily when she leaves the field to go home, shefinds that she continues to think about her clients. She keepsgoing over these and other questions in her mind: Why is it sodifficult for mothers and new babies to qualify for and receiveSpecial Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, andChildren (WIC) services? Why must she limit the number of visitsand length of service for clients with chronic wounds? Why are sofew services available for clients with behavioral health problems?In particular, she thinks about the burdens and challenges thatfamilies and friends face in caring for the sick at home.
A. Why might it be difficult to solve these problems at theindividual level, on a case-by-case basis?
B. What information would you need to build an understanding ofthe policy background for each of these various populations?
