Introduction to Community Health Nursing - Key Terms (Lecture Notes)

Key vocabulary terms and definitions drawn from the lecture notes on community health nursing to aid exam preparation.

Community (general definition)

A group of locality-based individuals who interact in social units and share common interests, values, and goals.

Geopolitical (Territorial) Community

A community defined by natural and man-made boundaries, including barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, regions, and nations.

Phenomenological (Functional) Community

Relational groups where the place is abstract and members share culture, values, history, and a common identity or goals.

Public Health Nursing (CPHN) – definition

The synthesis of nursing practice and public health practice applied to promoting and preserving the health of populations (ANA, 1980).

Definition of Health (WHO)

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease.

Definition of Health (Murray)

A state of well-being where a person can use purposeful, adaptive responses across physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social domains.

Definition of Health (Pender)

Actualization of inherent and acquired human potential through goal-directed behavior, competent self-care, and satisfying relationships.

Optimum Level of Health (OLOF)

An optimum functioning level of individuals, families, and communities, influenced by ecosystem factors.

EcoSystem factors

Influences on health including socio-economic status, hereditary/genetics, health care delivery, behavior, politics, and the environment.

Determinants of Health

Key influences on health: income/social status, education, physical environment, employment, social support, culture, genetics, personal behavior, health services, and gender.

10 Essential Public Health Services (CDC, 2024)

Monitor health status; diagnose/investigate; inform/educate/empower; mobilize partnerships; develop policies/plans; enforce laws; link to services; ensure a competent workforce; evaluate services; research for new insights and solutions.

Public Health – Winslow Definition

Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized community effort.

Public Health – Freeman Focus

An area of services directed toward developing and enhancing the health capabilities of people, singly or collectively.

Jacobson’s OLOF via Health Teaching

Achievement of Optimum Level of Functioning through health teaching.

Public Health – ‘Through Organized Community Effort’

Public health connotes organized, legislated, and tax-supported efforts serving all people via health departments or related agencies.

Mission of Public Health

Social justice that ensures basic necessities (e.g., income, health protection) and accepts collective burdens to make health possible.

Major Goal of CPHN

Preserve health of the community by promoting and maintaining health of individuals, families, and groups within the community; focus on population health, not episodic care.

3 Important Elements of CHN

Population-based focus; four levels of clientele (IFPC) or three (IFC) depending on framing; identification of public health interventions (12–17 in the Interventions Wheel).

IFC

Individual, Family (basic unit of service), and Community.

IFPC

Individual, Family, Population Group, and Community.

Levels of Practice

Practice at three levels: Individual (one person), Community (groups, schools, communities), and Systems (policies, laws, organizations).

Intervention Wheel – Overview

A framework of public health interventions including Surveillance, Disease/health event investigation, Outreach, Screening, Case finding, Referral/Follow-up, Case management, Delegated functions, Health teaching, Counseling, Consultation, Collaboration, Coalition building, Community organizing, Advocacy, Social marketing, and Policy development/enforcement.

Surveillance (Interventions Wheel)

Monitoring health events and conditions to identify and address problems.

Disease/Health Event Investigation

Systematic inquiry into health events to determine causes and risk factors.

Outreach and Screening

Locating populations at risk and identifying individuals with health risks.

Case Finding, Referral/Follow-up

Identifying at-risk individuals and connecting them with needed resources; ensuring ongoing care.

Case Management and Delegated Functions

Coordinating/self-care support; tasks delegated to competent personnel to extend care delivery.

Health Teaching, Counseling, Consultation

Educating individuals/groups; providing interpersonal guidance to enhance self-care; seeking and sharing solutions to problems.

Collaboration, Coalition Building, Community Organizing

Working with others to plan and mobilize resources; forming alliances; mobilizing communities for action.

Advocacy, Social Marketing, Policy Development/Enforcement

Pleading for causes, applying marketing principles to programs, and shaping/enforcing health policies.

School Health Nursing

Nursing focused on promoting health and wellness in students and staff; includes school clinics, vision/hearing screening, and immunization programs.

Occupational Health Nursing

Nursing in workplaces to ensure safety and health, manage OSH risks, and provide preventive and curative care.

Home Health Care

Nursing care provided in patients' homes to minimize illness effects and support chronically ill, elderly, and disabled individuals.

Hospice Home Care

Home-based palliative care for terminally ill patients.

Faith Community Nursing (Parish Nursing)

Nursing integrated with spiritual care to promote health within faith communities.

Correctional Nursing

Nursing within correctional facilities to maintain health, safety, and care for inmates/PDLs.

Public Health Genetics

Interdisciplinary field using genetics and biotechnology to improve public health and prevent disease (e.g., newborn screening).

Newborn Screening (NBS)

Program under RA 9288 to detect congenital conditions early and ensure timely management.

Entreprenurse

Nurse entrepreneurship: nurses pursuing independent or collaborative healthcare-related businesses (e.g., wellness clinics, home health).

Aims of Entreprenurse

Reduce healthcare costs for the indigent, maximize nurse employment, and utilize unemployed health workers to deliver public health services.

Roles of Public Health Nurse

Public Health Nurse as health educator, program manager, facilitator, supervisor, leader/change agent, and researcher.

Definition of Nursing (Maglaya et al.)

Assisting sick individuals to become healthy and helping healthy individuals achieve optimum wellness.

Public Health Worker (PHW) Roles

Key professionals in PHN teams: MO, PHN, RHM, dentist, nutritionist, medical technologist, pharmacist, RSI.

3 Levels of Clientele – Basic Principle

Community health nursing treats four levels (Population-based focus): Individual, Family, Community, and Population Group as needed.

Basic Principles – Active Partnership

The client is an active partner in care, not a passive recipient.

Public Health Mission & Social Justice

Public health aims to ensure basic necessities and a standard of living adequate for health through collective action.

Nursing in the Philippines – Emerging Fields Summary

Growing CHN areas include school health, occupational health, home/hospice care, faith community nursing, correctional nursing, public health genetics, and newborn screening.