History of Community Health Nursing (Notes)

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering CHN concepts, evolution stages, roles, influencing factors, and milestones (global and Philippine history) from the notes.

Community Health Nursing (CHN)

A field combining nursing knowledge and public health to promote health and prevent illness in population groups, delivered using the nursing process in community-based settings.

Early home care stage (before 1800)

Social approval declined nursing for the sick/poor; efforts to better prepare midwives and medical students; industrialization brought epidemics and other health problems.

District nursing stage (mid 1800–1900)

District nurses cared for individuals at home, recorded vitals, provided simple treatments under physician direction, and educated families in hygiene and healthy living.

Public health nursing stage (1900–1970)

Nurses broadened focus to public health with programs like infant welfare, enabling more independent work and health teaching.

Community health nursing stage (1970–present)

The term CHN emerged; nurses work in community settings (clinics, offices, workplaces, schools) to serve various populations.

Caregiver (CHN role)

Delivers holistic care emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention; identifies at-risk populations and provides preventive services.

Educator (CHN role)

Acts as a health teacher, empowering clients with knowledge for self-care and broader public health impact.

Advocate (CHN role)

Upholds clients’ rights to fair treatment and intervenes for disadvantaged individuals; ensures health system responsiveness.

Managerial (CHN role)

Oversees care delivery, assesses needs, plans interventions, directs staff, and evaluates outcomes.

Collaborator (CHN role)

Works jointly with clients, healthcare professionals, educators, and community leaders to coordinate care.

Leader (CHN role)

Inspires and guides others toward healthier behaviors and systemic health improvements.

Researcher (CHN role)

Engages in systematic inquiry to improve community health practices, including data collection and sharing findings.

Advanced Technology (in CHN)

Innovations in health tech and telehealth that expand access and efficiency in community care.

Causal Thinking (in CHN context)

Improved understanding of disease causation and epidemiology for targeted interventions.

Education changes (in CHN)

Evolving curricula and teaching methods to prepare nurses for community-based roles.

Consumer Movement (in CHN context)

Increased patient autonomy and demand for transparency shaping care models.

Changing Demography (in CHN)

Shifts in population age, migration, and diversity affecting health needs.

Economic Forces (in CHN context)

Funding, healthcare costs, and resource allocation shaping service delivery.

1601 Elizabeth Poor Law

Established government responsibility for care of the poor in England.

1617 Dames de Charité

Religious sisterhood organized by St. Vincent de Paul to provide home care for the sick poor.

1789 Baltimore Health Department

One of the earliest local public health agencies in the United States.

1798 Marine Hospital Service

Created to care for sick and disabled seamen; later became the U.S. Public Health Service.

1813 Ladies Benevolent Society (SC)

Provided charitable care to the poor, especially women and children; early organized community nursing in the U.S.

1836 Lutheran Deaconesses (Germany)

Trained women to provide home visits and nursing care.

1851 Florence Nightingale visits Kaiserwerth

Nightingale’s training influenced nursing philosophy and public health.

1860 Nightingale Training School (London)

First formal nursing school emphasizing hygiene, public health, and professional standards.

1864 Founding of the Red Cross

Initiated global humanitarian nursing efforts and expanded public health nursing.

1901 Act No. 157 & Act No. 309 (Philippines)

Established Board of Health and Provincial/Municipal Boards of Health.

1905 Board of Health abolished (Philippines)

Functions transferred to the Bureau of Health; centralized national control.

1912 Act No. 2156 (Fajardo Act)

Created Sanitary Divisions, precursors to Municipal Health Offices (MHOs).

1919 Act No. 2808 (Nurses Law)

Legalized nursing practice and recognized Filipino nurses; Carmen del Rosario as first Filipino nurse supervisor.

1922 Filipino Nurses Organization

Unified professional body for Filipino nurses, advocating standards and education.

1923 Zamboanga & Baguio General Hospital Schools of Nursing

Among the first government-run nursing schools in the Philippines.

1928 First Nursing Convention

Consolidated professional development, ethics, and public health roles for nurses.

1940 Manila Health Department created

Growth of urban public health systems focusing on sanitation and disease control.

1941 Dr. Mariano Icasiano appointed City Health Officer

Leadership appointment marking formal Manila health system leadership.

1941 Office of Nursing established

Office created through Vicenta Ponce (Chief Nurse) and Rosario Ordiz (Assistant Chief Nurse).

1942 31 nurses freed from Bilibid Prison

Nurses imprisoned by Japanese forces were released; humanitarian act.

1946 Nursing workforce reduced (556 to 308)

Post-war shortage highlighting rebuilding needs for PH health services.

1948 First Bureau of Health Training Center (Pasay City)

Center focused on training nurses for public health roles.

1950 Rural Health Demonstration and Training Center

Strengthened rural health services by training nurses and health workers.

1953 First 81 Rural Health Units

Beginning of structured rural health delivery.

1957 RA 1891 amended RA 1082

Eight categories of Rural Health Units created; expanded service coverage.

1958–1965 Division of Nursing abolished; EO 288

Administrative restructuring aligning nursing services with public health goals.

1961 Annie Sand – National League of Nurses of DOH

Unified nurses under DOH to promote standards and collaboration.

1967 Zenaida Nisce – Nursing program supervisor

Oversaw nursing programs for six major diseases (TB, leprosy, VD, cancer, filariasis, mental illness).

1975 Expanded roles for nurses and midwives

Broader responsibilities in clinical and community settings due to health system restructuring.

1976–1986 Rural Health Practice Program

Addressed rural health needs; reinforced community-based care.

1990–1992 Local Government Code (RA 7160)

Decentralized health services; LGU-led health systems.

1993–1998 Office of Nursing did not materialize

Advocacy for a dedicated nursing office within DOH not realized.

1999 Nelia Hizon appointed nursing adviser

Nurse leader appointed through Department Order #29 shaping nursing input in DOH.

1999 May EO #102

Executive Order redirected DOH functions to regulatory roles and devolved service delivery to LGUs.