CGH Module 1 Reading Guide
Chapter 1
1.Compare and contrast the focus of public health nursing, community health nursing, and
community-based nursing.
a.Public health nursing: concerned about the health of a nation, not just one community,
identifies determinants of disease and prevention on a large scale, covers all aspects of
community health.
i.Need special education in research, etc
ii.Main objective: Protect patients from the physical environment and
communicable disease.
iii.Ex: safe drinking water, good housing
b.Community health nursing: Community health nursing can shape the quality of
community health services and improve the health of the public. Focused on specific,
designated communities.
i.Do not need specialized training, just RN
ii.Main objective: promotion of physical, mental, and social well-being of people
within a community
iii.Ex: vaccine clinics
c.Community-based nursing: nursing practice that provides care to individuals and
families in the community setting outside the clinic/hospital.
i.Ex: home health, outpatient or ambulatory careT
2.Discuss the core functions and essential services of public/community health nursing.
a.Health promotion
b.Health maintenance
c.Identifying populations at risk rather than responding to patient demands
3.Define what a community is in the field of community health nursing.
a.A community is a group or collection of individuals interacting in social units and sharing
common interests, characteristics, values, and goals.
i.Aggregates: subgroups of the community that have common characteristics or
concerns (Ex: same religion or ethnicity).
4.Discuss the definition of health as it relates to community health nursing.
a.The individual, family, community, society, and environment are interrelated and have an
impact on health.
b.Health, illness, and peak wellness are a continuum.
5.Describe the purpose of Healthy People 2020 and give examples of the topic areas that
encompass the national health objectives.
a.Attain high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and
premature death;
b.Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all groups;
c.Create social and physical environments that promote good health for all; and
d.Promote quality of life, healthy development, and healthy behaviors across all life
stages.
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6.Discuss factors that can influence a community’s health, specifically determinants of health.
a.Access to healthcare
b.Economic conditions
c.Culture
7.Discuss indicators of health and illness.
a.Life expectancy
b.Infant mortality
c.Age-adjusted death rates (morality)
d.Cancer incidence rates
i.Morality indicates the health status of a community or population because
mortality trends reflect patterns of social, economic, health services, etc.
8.Identify the three levels of prevention used in public health and explain each level.
a.Disease prevention: protects people from disease and the effects of disease
i.Primary prevention: preventing a health problem before it occurs by altering
susceptibility or reducing exposure for susceptible individuals.
1.General health promotion: enhance resiliency and protective factors.
Target essentially well populations.
a.Ex: promoting nutrition, encouraging exercise
2.Specific protection: reduce or eliminate risk factors.
a.Ex: vaccines, seat belt use, and water purification.
ii.Secondary prevention: early detection and prompt intervention when disease
occurs.
1.Ex: mammograms, blood pressure screening, COVID-19 testing, and
prostate-specific tests
iii.Tertiary prevention: targets populations that have the disease or have been
injured.
1.Focuses on limitation of disability and rehabilitation.
a.Ex: physical therapy, patient education, and support groups
9.Review the Public Health Intervention Wheel. Identify nursing interventions that can be
implemented according to the Intervention Wheel.
a.The Intervention Wheel consists of three important elements:
i.Population based
ii.Three levels of practice (individual/family, community, and systems)
iii.Identifies and defines 17 public health interventionsPowered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
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