NURS 6710 Week 2: The Role of the Public Health Nurse

NURS 6710: Public Health Nursing Theory and Practice | Week 2

“Our challenge is this: Join with the community to transform an unjust and failing health care system to one that reflects health for all…” (Anderson & McFarland, 2014, p. 376.)

Community transformation, social justice, advocacy, empowerment, large-scale impact, and prevention are just some of the terms used to explain the contributions of a public health nurse. As diverse as the contexts in which they work, public health nurses represent a group of professional nurses who are equipped with specialized training, knowledge, competencies, and skills. The focus shifts beyond just the provision of individualized care to the delivery of care that is informed by expertise in promoting and protecting the public’s health and an understanding of the multiple determinants of health.

This week, you will gain a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of public health nurses and compare the skills and competencies needed by public health nurses versus nurses who focus on delivery of individualized care in more traditional health care settings. You will also examine scenarios specific to the public health nurse.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Compare public health nursing and nursing focused on individualized care
• Analyze the role of the public health nurse
• Analyze public health case studies
• Identify interventions focused on population-level care
• Identify interventions focused on individualized care

Discussion: Distinguishing Characteristics of the Public Health Nurse

In the first week of this course, you learned that a key distinguishing element of the public health field is its focus on the health and health outcomes of populations rather than the individual. Public health nursing integrates the unique skill set of a licensed nurse with the foundational principles of public health. Public health nursing practice, thereby, extends the focus of care delivery from the individual to interventions designed to enhance the health of populations, communities, and specific aggregates living in those communities. Through educational preparation and experience in both nursing and public health, the public health nurse is prepared to respond to the unique needs of not only individuals, but also families, communities, and populations. For this week’s Discussion, you will explore the commonalities and differences between population versus individual directed practice.

To Prepare:

• Review this week’s Learning Resources and reflect on any insights they provide.
• Consider the distinguishing characteristics of the public health nurse experience.

By Day 3

Post an explanation of at least two ways that public health nursing differs from nursing practice focused on individualized care. Then, explain how your role as a public health nurse is informed by skills or expertise that you have gained thus far as a professional nurse.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues by expanding on one of the ways they think public health nursing differs from individualized care that you didn’t identify. Explain why you agree or disagree with this difference.

 

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