Public and Community Health Nursing Overview

Public Health Nursing

• Focuses on population health through disease prevention, health promotion, and policies.
• Addresses community or global health issues.
• Includes activities like surveillance, policy development, health education, and program implementation.
• Works in government agencies, non-profits, and international organizations.
• Aims to improve health for entire populations or large segments.
• Key areas include epidemiology, environmental health, global health, and health policy.

Community Health Nursing

• Centers on community well-being, disease prevention, and health maintenance.
• Individual and community-focused, addressing specific population needs.
• Activities include direct care, health education, community assessments, and advocacy.
• Works in local health departments, schools, community clinics, and homes.
• Aims to improve health for specific communities or groups.
• Common focus areas include maternal and child health, school health, occupational health, and environmental health.

Public Health Nursing Examples

• Implementing a national vaccination program.
• Educating the public about the risks of smoking.
• Developing policies to reduce obesity.
• Conducting surveys to find health risks in specific areas.
• Advocating for better air quality.
• Collaborating with international organizations on global health crises.
• Tracking infectious diseases through data analysis.
• Developing programs to increase access to primary care.
• Organizing a national campaign to target cardiovascular diseases.

Community Health Nursing Examples

• Organizing community flu shot clinics.
• Educating community members on healthy diets.
• Creating programs to manage weight.
• Conducting surveys to understand local health needs.
• Collaborating with local governments on policies (smoke-free areas).
• Partnering with schools and businesses to enhance health initiatives.
• Using data to identify and plan local health programs.
• Setting up mobile clinics in underserved areas.
• Running community fitness programs.

History of Community Health Nursing in the Philippines

• Early beginnings involved religious orders providing healthcare, with institutions like San Lazaro Hospital.
• The American colonial period established the Board of Health (1901) and Bureau of Health (1905).
• Sanitary Divisions (1912) were the predecessors of modern municipal health offices.
• Nurses laws (1919) formalized nursing education and practice.
• Rural Health Units (RHUs) (1950s) provided primary care to rural areas.
• Professional organizations like the Filipino Nurses Organization supported nurses in community settings.
• The Local Government Code of 1991 supported community-level healthcare.
• Technological advancements like electronic health records and telehealth have improved practice.
• Global health initiatives play a significant role in improving health outcomes internationally.

Specialized Fields in Community Health Nursing

• School Health Nursing: Focuses on student health and well-being within educational settings.
• Occupational Health Nursing: Addresses the health and safety of workers in various industries.
• Mental Health Nursing: Provides care and support to individuals with mental health conditions.

The Philippine Health Care Delivery System

• The World Health Organization is a specialized United Nations agency focused on international public health.
• Established in 1948, its roles include coordinating, directing international health efforts, setting health standards, and promoting well-being. It works around the world, providing support through guidance, standards, capacity building, education and advocacy around public health issues.
• The WHO provides guidance and helps improve nursing practices worldwide.

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

• A set of eight international development goals established in 2000.
• Targets include eradication of extreme poverty, hunger, disease, gender inequality, and environmental degradation.
• Goals were intended to be met by 2015. Some of the notable goals were Zero hunger, quality education, gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, combatting HIV/AIDS, Malaria.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Adopted in 2015, SDGs build on the MDGs and aim to address a broader range of issues.
• SDGs have 17 goals focused on global issues by 2030.
• Notable goals include no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy and etc.

Two-Way Referral System in the Philippines

• Designed for appropriate care at the right time by transferring patients between health care levels (primary, secondary, and tertiary).
• Involves referrals from lower to higher levels for specialized care (inpatient) and from hospitals back to communities in outpatient settings for follow-up care.
• This system improves patient access to care and optimizes health care resource use.

Inter-Local Health System (ILHS)

• A system that fosters collaboration among local governments within a region (Inter-Local Health Zones-ILHZ).
• Focuses on providing comprehensive healthcare services and creating an efficient system for sharing resources among health facilities.
• Aims for health outcomes, financial security, and resource sustainability within the ILHZ.

Explore the essential concepts of Public Health and Community Health Nursing. This quiz covers key areas such as disease prevention, health promotion, and the roles of nursing in improving population health. Understand the differences and similarities between public and community health nursing practices.