Community and Mental Health Exam 1
Community/Public Health Nursing
Synthesis of nursing practice and public health practice
Major goal: preserve health of community and surrounding populations
Community health nursing: population health and identification of populations at risk
“The synthesis of nursing practice and public health practice applies to promoting and preserving the health of
populations”
Public health: art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized
community efforts to benefit each citizen
Mission: social justice
Health: “A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity.”
Community-Based Nursing
“Application of the nursing process is caring for individuals, families, and groups where they live, work or go to
school or as they move through the health care system”
Setting specific direct care (1 on 1)
Goal: emphasis on management acute and chronic care
Includes practice areas such as home health nursing and nursing in outpatient or ambulatory settings
Primary clients are the individual and the family
Population-Focused (Community-Oriented) Nursing
Focuses on the entire population
Is based on assessment of the population’s health status
Indirect care (program management/policies/resources)
Considers the broad determinants of health
Intervenes with communities, systems, individual, and families
Goal: promote healthy communities (health promotion and disease prevention)
Nursing in the Community
May not see changes as quickly as in the hospital – still saving lives, but in a different way
May have deeper and more long-lasting relationships
More profound impact
Increasing Need for Care at Home
Aging population
Chronic disease
Payment for skilled home care or skilled nursing facilities
Reduced time in the hospital and other acute care settings
Reducing hospital costs
Community:
Population:
Aggregates:
Determinants of Health and Disease
Patient or environmental factors that influence health (Biology behaviors, social environment, physical environment,
, access to health care)
Individual behaviors responsible for 50% premature deaths in US -
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Can be influenced by policy efforts and education
Health and illness are multifactorial
Community health nurses must work with policy makes, advocate for activities/policies that promote health
Indicators of Health and Illness
Many indicators used to measure and describe the health of a community (mortality rates, disease prevalence, levels
of physical activity, obesity, substance use)
Morbidity, mortality, and health status related data provided by local, state, and national entities
State and local health department report morbidity/mortality data to federal-level agency
Data collected can be used over time to compare communities or aggregated within a community
Public health nurse should be aware of patterns, identify areas for investigation/intervention
Healthy People 2030
Purpose: Set goal and objectives to improve health and wellbeing of people in the US
Overarching goals
- Attain healthy, thriving lives and well-being, free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature
death
- Eliminate health disparities, achieve health equity, and attain health literacy to improve health and well-being
of all
- Create social, physical, and economic environments that promote attaining full potential for health and well-
being for all
- Promote healthy development, healthy behaviors, and well-being across all life stages
- Engage in leadership, key constituents, and the public across multiple sectors to take action and design
policies that improve the health and well-being of all
Leading health indicators
- Increase number of children, adolescents, and adults who use the oral health care system (2 years+)
- Reduce the number of calories from added sugars by persons 2 years and over
- Reduce drug overdose deaths
- Reduce the number of days people are exposed to unhealthy air
- Reduce homicides
- Reduce household food insecurity and hunger
- Increase the proportion of persons who are vaccinated annually against seasonal influenza
- Increase the proportion of persons who know their HIV status
- Increase the proportion of persons with medical insurance
- Reduce the suicide rate
Essential Public Health Services
Monitor health status to identify and solve community health problems
Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards
Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues
Mobilize community partnerships and actions to identify and solve health problems
Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts
Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety
Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable