Public Health Nursing Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary, historical milestones, and organizational structures of Public Health Nursing as presented in the NRS 4180 lecture notes.

Public Health

The science of protecting and improving the health of communities through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research for disease and injury prevention.

Community and Public Health Nursing

The practice of promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social, and Public Health Sciences as defined by the Association of Public Health Nursing (2018).

Declaration of Alma-Ata

A commitment signed in September 1978 by governments, including Zambia, to achieve the goal of Health for All by the Year 2000 through primary health care.

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

A set of eight global development goals adopted in September 2000 by 189 states to create an environment conducive to the elimination of poverty by 2015.

District Level

The core implementation level where Public Health Nursing is actively planned and coordinated through the District Health Office (DHO).

Vertical Communication

A system where information flows upward (from community to Ministry of Health) and downward (from Ministry of Health to community).

Horizontal Communication

Information shared between services or sectors at the same level, such as coordination between a Public Health Nurse and Environmental Health Technologists.

Neighborhood Health Committees (NHCs)

Core community-level structures that serve as the foundation of Public Health Nursing organization.

S-A-D strategies

Key strategies to achieve public health goals: Support for frontline health workers, Assurance of health care through investment, and Development of national standards.

Public Health Nursing (PHN) in Zambia

The organized delivery of nursing services aimed at promoting, protecting, and maintaining the health of individuals, families, and communities based on the Primary Health Care (PHC) approach.

Principle of PHN 1

Active participation of the individual, family and community in planning and making decisions for their health care needs, determine, to a Large extent, the success of the PHN programs

Principle of PHN 1

The recognized need of individuals, families, and communities provides the basis for Community Health Nursing (CHN) practice.

Principle of PHN 2

Knowledge and understanding of achieving the objectives and policies of the health care system are essential.

Principle of PHN 3

Community Health Nursing (CHN) considers the family as the unit of service.

Principle of PHN 4

Respect for the values, customs, and beliefs of clients contribute to the effectiveness of care.

Principle of PHN 5

Public Health Nursing (PHN) integrates health education and counseling as vital parts of its functions.

Principle of PHN 6

Collaborative work relationships with co-workers and health team members facilitate the accomplishment of goals.

Principle of PHN 7

Periodic and continuing evaluation provides the means for assessing the degree to which CHN goals and objectives are being attained.

Principle of PHN 8

Continuing staff education programs for quality services to clients are essential to upgrade and maintain sound nursing practices.

Principle of PHN 9

Utilization of indigenous and existing community resources maximizes the success of Public Health Nurses' efforts.

Principle of PHN 10

Active participation of the individual, family, and community in planning and making decisions for their health care needs largely determines the success of PHN programs.

Principle of PHN 11

Supervision of nursing services by qualified CHN personnel provides guidance and direction for the work to be done.

Principle of PHN 12

Accurate recording and reporting serve as the basis for evaluating the progress of planned programs and activities, guiding future actions.

PHILOSOPHY 1

Every one irrespective of race, sex has the right to good health and a long productive life.

PHILOSOPHY 2

Everyone has some kind of learning needs.

PHILOSOPHY 3

Assist people and communities that need help to recognize that they need assistance to regain, maintain or attain a high level of wellness.

PHILOSOPHY 4

Health and health care enables a society to be productive and preserve their culture which affects the standard of living of its people.

PHILOSOPHY 5

Different cultural groups, religious groups and others have different concepts and values of health.

PHILOSOPHY 6

Individuals and community autonomy vary overtime.

PHILOSOPHY 7

People are flexible and their demands may change.

PHILOSOPHY 8

Health is a dynamic adjustment of humans to their environment.

PHILOSOPHY 9

Systems (Individuals, Families, Communities) have ups and downs in the wellness continuum.

PHILOSOPHY 10

After a while, new health knowledge and technology evolve to meet health needs.

PHILOSOPHY 11

Main purpose of PHN is to help control the health needs of systems and to offer comprehensive quality nursing services that will help them attain, maintain and/or regain a high level of wellness.

PHILOSOPHY 12

Accept the health dynamic processes and believe that through interacting in this process and using knowledge of natural history of disease and nursing, everyone can attain a high level of wellness.

PHILOSOPHY 13

We also believe that systems and the environment change and interact.

PHILOSOPHY 14

New disease patterns also evolve which bring about change in health knowledge and health care.