Communicating with the Public: Community‐Based Nursing Research and Practice

Abstract

This paper presents examples of community-based nursing research in relation to selected health care trends that affect practice and considers ways the media can help community health nurses be more effective communicators with the public. Research provides evidence that community-based nursing practice includes quality services that can control costs; a focus on disease prevention and health promotion; the organization of services where people live, work, and learn; partnerships and coalitions; service to people across the life span; services to culturally diverse populations; access to services for at-risk populations; development of the community's capacity for health; work with policy makers for policy change; and efforts to make the environment healthier. Two approaches to communication with the public through the media, social marketing and media advocacy, are compared. It is recognized that community health nurses are well prepared and suited for media advocacy. Media advocacy can be used to not only communicate the effectiveness of community-based nursing practice but also to support the community's voice for public health.

Using mass media within health‐promoting practice: a nursing perspective

“…The fact that most nursing‐related interventions are likely to be individualistic face‐to‐face encounters may equate to the belief that mass media are unsuitable for nursing. It is claimed, however, that mass media resources are particularly appropriate tools to utilize within all clinical arenas (Nandy & Nandy 1997, Flynn 1998, Grilli et al . 1999, Thomson‐O’Brian et al .…”

“…He suggests that there is no such thing as the mass media and states that it exists as a contradiction in terms; in the respect that any form of communication, mass or otherwise, remains an ‘intensely personal’ one‐to‐one process. Such a notion is perhaps helpful when applied to nursing, as it serves further to dispel the belief that mass media exist as impersonal processes (Flynn 1998, Aminzadeh & Edwards 1998). Other viewpoints also help to diffuse the arguments surrounding the personal/impersonal nature of mass media.…”

“…They are already a valuable and necessary part of some nursing health promotional practices; particularly so in relation to the provision of community‐based primary health‐care services (MacDonald 1998). Although there is still little evidence of nursing activity in this field of health promotion, Flynn (1998) states the position of mass media in relation to community nursing settings. Flynn identifies that mass media can communicate the effectiveness of community‐based nursing practice, support the community's voice for public health and allow nurses to become more effective communicators with the public at large.…”

“…Where many nurses are still unable to identify with the circumstance under which the mass media might be incorporated into practice, as well as what is required to initiate a successful mass media campaign (Table 2), they can at least begin the process of investigating its potential proactively. It is felt that many nurses are already well equipped to make decisions as to whether or not specific mass media resources are both possible and appropriate within their own practice setting (Flynn 1998). From such a position it would only usually require acknowledgement and actioning to implement the changes required.…”

“…They are as well placed as any other health professional group to do so. For instance, Flynn (1998) suggests that community‐based nurses are well prepared and particularly suited for media advocacy roles. Such evidence is indicative of the fact that certain nursing disciplines could already possess the skills to be co‐opted collaboratively into existing mass media progammes or even to begin to develop their own specific programmes.…”