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COLLEGE OF NURSING
NCM 101
Health
• A State of complete physical, mental and social well- being, not merely an absence of disease
or infirmity (WHO, 1948).
• A State of well being and using every power the individual possesses to the fullest extent
(Nightingale, 1969).
• Optimum Level of Functioning (OLOF)
Public Health
• The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, promoting health and
efficiency through organized community effort for the sanitation of the environment, control
of communicable diseases, the education of individuals in personal hygiene, the organization
of medical and nursing services for the early diagnosis and preventive treatment of disease
and the development of the social machinery to ensure everyone a standard of living adequate
for the maintenance of health, so organizing these benefits as to enable every citizens to
realize his birthright of health and longevity. (Dr. C.E. Winslow).
• The art of applying science in the context of politics so as to reduce inequalities in
health while ensuring the best health for the greatest number. It points to the facts that public
health is a core elements of governments’ attempts to improve and promote the health and
welfare of their citizens (WHO).
• The core business of public health cannot be achieved without the proper delivery of essential
public health functions which Yach described as “a set of fundamental activities that address
the determinants of health, protect a population’s health and treat disease.
Philosophy
Based on the worth and dignity of man, according to Dr. Margaret Shetland.
Concepts
1. The primary focus is on health promotion.
2. Practice is extended to benefit not only the individual but the whole family and community.
3. These nurses are generalists in terms of practice through life’s continuum – its full range of
health problems and needs
4. Contact may continue over a long period of time which includes all ages and all types of
health care.
5. The nature of practice requires that current knowledge derived from biological and social
sciences, ecology, clinical nursing and community health organizations be utilized.
6. The dynamic process of assessing, planning, implementing and intervening provide
periodic measurements of progress and evaluation.
Goal
To raise the level of health of the citizenry
Principles
1. Community Health Nursing is based on recognized needs of communities, families,
groups and individuals.
2. The community health nurse must fully understand the objectives and policies of the
agency she represents.
3. The family is the unit of service.
4. Community Health Nursing must be available to all regardless of race, creed and socio-
economic status.
5. Health Teaching is a primary responsibility of community health nurse.
6. Community health nurse works as a member of the health team.
7. There must be provision for periodic evaluation of Community Health Nursing services.
8. Opportunities for continuing staff education programs for nurses must be provided by the
Community Health Nursing agency. She has a responsibility for his/her own professional
growth.
9. The community health nurse makes use of available community health resources.
10. Community health nurse utilizes the already existing active organized groups in the
community.
11. There must be provision for educative supervision in Community Health Nursing
12. There should be accurate recording and reporting in Community Health Nursing.
Family
• It is generally considered as the basic unit of care in the community.
• It may contribute knowingly or unknowingly to the development of health and nursing problems
of its members.
• It performs health-promoting, health maintaining and disease preventing activities.
• In many cases, the family is the locus of decision making on health matters.
Population Group
• A population group or “aggregate” is a group of people who share common characteristics,
developmental stage or common exposure to particular environmental factors, and
consequently common health problems.
Children
• Children are usually the first to suffer from socio-economic difficulties and political upheavals in
a country.
• Children in especially difficult circumstances (CEDC) deserve immediate attention from
government and other concerned groups because of the magnitude and urgency of their
problems.
Elderly
• Probably the most commonly documented problems of older people are those related to their
health.
• A major problem among poor older people is access to health care.
• Health care services for older people are limited because these are intended for the general
population.
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Community
• The community is a group of people sharing common geographic boundaries and/or common
values and interests.
• A community is regarded as an organism with its own stages of development. Just like a
person, if subjected to different situations, a community matures through time.
• Urban and rural communities differ in terms of a number of characteristics such as physical
environment, population size and density, economy, culture, political dynamics, availability and
adequacy of social services, and availability and accessibility of health resources.