Chapter 2 Evolution of Community Health Nursing

SOCIETAL INFLUENCES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING:: Many factors have influenced the growth of community health nursing. Six are particularly significant: advanced technology, progress in causal thinking, changes in education, demographic changes and the role of women, the consumer movement, and economic factors.

Advanced Technology: Technologic innovation has greatly improved health care, nutrition, and lifestyle. Better meeting the needs of the elderly population and addressing chronic conditions. This has caused an increase in life expectancy.

However: Population density leads to many health-related problems, particularly the spread of diseases and increased stress. In addition, changes in transportation and energy sources in industry also have increased environmental pollution and industrial hazards.

Progress in Causal Thinking Relating disease or illness to its cause is known as causal thinking in the health sciences. Progress in the study of causality, particularly in epidemiology, has significantly affected the nature of community health nursing. The germ theory of disease causation.

A second advance in causal thinking was the model interactions among: a causative agent, a susceptible host, and the environment. Further progress in causal thinking led to a multiple causation approach: not just one single agent, but many factors contribute to a disease.

Nursing’s application of causal thinking Nurses promote healthier lifestyle practices as: eating low-fat diets, exercising Managing stress, and maintaining social support systems

Changes in Education: Changes in nursing education, had an important influence on community health nursing practice. Health teaching had greater importance in practice. For the learner, education has led to more responsibility. Scientific inquiry (البحث الصحي) considered basic to progress, has created a dramatic increase in knowledge.

Now, community health nurses needs skills in such areas as population assessment, policy making, research, management, collaborative functioning, and critical thinking. As the result of expanding education, community health nurses have to improve their skills, sharpen their knowledge, and clarify their roles.

demographic changes and the role of women Changing demographics, such as changing role of women, varying numbers of births and deaths, immigration and rapidly increasing population of elderly persons, affect community health nursing. Salaries for nurses have improved especially who have four years of education.

Consumer movement دور المستهلك Health care consumers are viewed as active members of the health team rather than as passive recipients of care. This has contributed to: increased quality of health services. provide holistic care.

Economic Forces Unemployment and the rising cost of living, combined with increasing health care costs, have resulted in: numerous people with no health insurance. With limited or no access to health services, Poor people become more vulnerable to health problems.

PREPARTATION FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING

Academic Preparation: The minimum preparation for community health nurses is a graduation from a baccalaureate- level nursing program: a comprehensive nursing education that is rich in leadership, management, research, health maintenance and promotion, disease prevention, and community health experience is needed to meet the demands of this specialty.

Professional Development: Completion of a baccalaureate education may not be sufficient educational preparation for the more demanding community health nursing settings. It is mandated that nurses participate in continuing education programs and receive continuing education units. A master’s degree program in nursing is a longer commitment and gives the nurse greater marketability.

A master’s degree in business, public health, education, or epidemiology can lead to management positions, agency teaching, or research positions. A doctoral program may be the next educational step for those wanting university teaching, research, or upper-level administrative positions. Thank you