University of Phoenix Material
Evolution of Community and Public Health Nursing
Identify a minimum of 3 major events (or influences) in the evolution of community and public health nursing and describe how each event led to advancement of the field. For each event, describe the following:
Key health issues at the time
Perspectives and goals of community and public health nursing
Roles and functions of community and public health nursing
Community and public health partnerships at the time
|Event or Influence: 2001 No Child Left Behind Act |
|Key health issues |This law was signed into law by George W. Bush on January 8, 2002 (Frontline, 2013). This law is a check |
| |point or educational average that measures improvement or decline in student ability through grades 3-8 |
| |annually in math and reading (Frontline, 2013). The key issue is children need to be as healthy as possible |
| |to perform to the best of his or her ability in school. |
|Perspective/goals |The perspective that all children are important and education should be available to all children. Regardless|
| |of the economic status, race, language barrier, or community environment along with making sure schools are |
| |liable for student growth is the goal of this law (Frontline, 2013). |
|Role/functions |The role/function in a community may be in a school nurse capacity where the school nurse collaborates with |
| |the families of students to help students meet health goals to perform at optimal learning ability. Head |
| |start programs, before care programs that include a healthy breakfast to qualified parties are examples. |
| |Education that a healthy breakfast is beneficial to the health of the child is also an important message to |
| |send to the community via news bulletin or email. |
|Health partnerships |Partnerships that advocate for preventive care screenings, traveling dental visits, immunizations, healthy |
| |lifestyle choices and one that fosters identification of areas of concern for families in the school district|
| |community would be beneficial. Strategic planning “recognizes multiple levels of intervention required for |
| |bringing about and sustaining change” (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012, p. 468). |
|How did this event (or influence) advance community and public health nursing? |
|Any program that advocates for the community nurse to become an individual’s advocate in health promotion influences better outcomes overall|
|for a given community. The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) in 1968 was formed to “upgrade the skills of school nurses and to |
|further the abilities of all children to succeed in the classroom” (National Association of school nurses, 2013). |
| |
|Event or Influence: 1974 National Diabetes Mellitus Research and Education Act |
|Key health issues |The educational act was passed to authorize NIH (National Institute of Health) to establish a National |
| |Commission on Diabetes to formulate long-range plans to combat the disease. This plan also covers programs |
| |for research about the disease, how it can be managed, and how nurses/health care providers can teach and |
| |prepare individuals (Library of congress, n.d.). Diabetes key health issue is that it is manageable, but only|
| |if it is diagnosed. |
|Perspective/goals |The goal of nursing in diabetes is early recognition of signs and symptoms through assessment skills which |
| |leads to early diagnosis and ultimately proper management and education. Educating an individual about the |
| |disease and management is the first step in ensuring positive outcomes for the affected. |
|Role/functions |Nurse educators play an integral role in the management phase of a new diagnosis and in the health of the |
| |individual and the community. Nurses need current aids in communication, compromise, and collaboration to |
| |have effective results for clientele. Continuous monitoring of health conditions and compliancy is also |
| |imperative. Reviewing and reflecting after any education is as significant as the education alone. |
|Health partnerships |Partnerships through collaboration with organizations providing information to educate and assist the |
| |individual to learn and gain confidence. Informal consultation is an excellent opportunity to suggest and |
| |support actions to promote health integration into the community after an individual’s diagnosis (Stanhope & |
| |Lancaster, 2012). Programs that foster providing supplies and cost-effective ways to obtain insulin/syringes |
| |are also worthwhile for some communities. |
|How did this event (or influence) advance community and public health nursing? |
|Influences for the advancement of diabetes came in the creation of, and opportunity through the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare |
|to create a position of Associate Director for Diabetes (Library of congress, n.d.). Soon after campaigns increased awareness, and focused |
|on specific “at risk” groups in the community. Prevention became the new goal for an epidemic no longer “hidden” from public view (Stegman, |
|S., (n.d.). |
|Event or Influence: 1974 Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Act (SIDS) |
|Key health issues |This act was passed to provide a program of distribution of research and information to the public. The |
| |education for the public is that babies less than six months can be affected and prevention methods are |
| |encouraged. Babies are at higher risk if placed on their stomach to sleep, with soft bedding, and on to soft |
| |surfaces. |
|Perspective/goals |The goal is to make known prevention methods to be implemented in this mysterious and deadly condition to |
| |reduce the risk of SIDS. Also the importance of educating the community on risks associated with SIDS to |
| |reduce incidence. |
|Role/functions |The role of the community nurse is as an educator liaison for prevention, counseling, and consultation after |
| |an event like SIDS occurs. Awareness and grief counseling in the event of a loss is necessary. |
|Health partnerships |Partnership with the community through programs and seminars on SIDS and nurse continuing education programs |
| |such as prevention, risks, and counseling classes all will help to prepare families through empowering them |
| |with education. |
|How did this event (or influence) advance community and public health nursing? |
|Reducing SIDS deaths has been a goal of the NICHD (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) since 1963 when it was founded |
|(Medicine Net, 2012). In 1974 when congress passed the SIDS Act the NICHD was at the forefront of SIDS research. This Act also provides |
|information to the community about SIDS and ways to reduce the risk of SIDS. The act also includes education of emergency response workers |
|as an important safeguard (Sudden infant death and child resource center, 2010). |
| |
References
Frontline. (2013). No Child Left Behind: The New Rules. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/schools/nochild/nclb.html
Landcaster, J., & Stanhope, M. (2012). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (8th ed.). Maryland Heights, MO: Mosby Elsevier. Library of congress summary. (n.d.).
MedicineNet. (2012, June). Definition of NICHD. Retrieved from http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=6823
National association of school nurses. (2013). Our history. Retrieved from http://www.nasn.org/AboutNASN/OurHistory
Stegman, S. (n.d.). Find them , teach them, treat them! Retrieved from http://ultimatehistoryproject.com/diabetes.html
Sudden infant death and child resource center. (2010). History of SIDS. Retrieved from http://www.healthsolutions.org/sids/history.cfm?s=5 