Community Health Nursing that may be called Public Health Nursing as well is a specific field of nursing characterized by the combination of public health, nursing skills, and some elements of social assistance. It is a part of the general public health program that focuses on health promotion, the improvement of health conditions in the physical and social environment, and rehabilitation in the case of disability or disease. In general, Community Health Nursing requires the involvement of the following several basic concepts:
- The prevention of various diseases and other health problems;
- Medical treatment and the delivery of high-quality health care;
- The promotion of the principles of a healthy lifestyle;
- The critical evaluation of prevention systems and health care delivery;
- Conduction of evidence-based practice for the improvement of the nursing system in the future.
At the same time, Community Health Nursing has specific features due to the clients it addresses – communities as a subgroup of a population. In general, populations may be defined as “groups of people, who may or may not interact with each other, but who have common health concerns and needs” (Clark, 2015, p. 3). In a nursing context, a population refers to the specific geographic area’s residents or it may include particular targeted groups, such as the elderly, employees, or minorities, that have limited access to health care. At the same time, a community is “a group of people who share common interests, who interact with each other, and who function collectively within a defined social structure to address common concerns” (Clark, 2015, p. 4). Community health goes beyond individual health as it considers multiple factors or determinants that may influence the health of a considerable number of people. In addition, as a part of the total public health system, Community Health Nursing should work collaboratively with other segments of society to achieve results related to the improvement of public health.
The standards and guidelines of Community Health Nursing are regulated by public health departments that exist in every state of the country. In addition, the Public Health Nursing Section is responsible for community health as well. Organized on the basis of the American Public Health Association in 1920, this proactive organization responds to multiple social and health issues and vulnerable populations’ needs on a daily basis (American Public Health Association, n.d.). It focuses on the status of community health and the requirements for competent public health nurses that constantly change in order to provide the highest quality of treatment and health care delivery. That is why the definition of community health nurses and their roles have been revised every decade.
The American Public Health Association and the Public Health Nursing Section work both independently and in collaboration with other organizations and agencies. For instance, in 1989, the Public Health Nursing Section, the American Nurses Association, the Association of Public Health Nurses, and the Association of Community Health Nurse Educators formed the Quad Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations (American Public Health Association, n.d.). In the present day, the council includes the National Association of School Nurses as well (American Public Health Association, n.d.). The collaborative activities of these organizations are dedicated to the comprehensive development of Community Health Nursing in order to respond to citizens’ needs, promote healthy living, prepare qualified health care professionals, and prevent serious diseases in the future.
References
American Public Health Association. (n.d.). Public health nursing: Who we are.
Clark, M. J. (2015). Population and Community Health Nursing (6th ed.). Pearson.