Specialty Roles in Community Health Nursing: A National Survey of Educational Needs

Abstract

This study identified population groups, health conditions, and employment settings considered appropriate for graduate-level community health nursing (CHN) practice and employment, and described the relative importance of each of these areas as assessed by CHN leaders. According to 588 leaders in CHN service and education, (1) the population groups most in need of graduate-prepared CHNs are the elderly, persons of low socioeconomic status, the homeless, adolescents, and the unemployed; and (2) the health conditions most in need of CHN services are AIDS, pregnancy and prenatal problems, low birth weight and infant mortality, stress-related illness, and Alzheimer's and other chronic diseases of the elderly. Among the many employment settings rated as having a great need for CHNs are state and local health departments and home health agencies. The findings provide the direction and justification for developing specialty options within CHN that correspond to these identified and changing needs. This article provides suggestions and possible alternatives for initiating educational change to prepare graduate-level CHNs for these various specialties and for the settings in which the specialties will be applied.

The effects of job characteristics and individual characteristics on job satisfaction and burnout in community nursing

“…As a result of projected demographic changes, the changing demands of health care services and the need for the cost-effective use of resources a new course for the development of the profession has been mapped (Gibbs et al, 1991). On the one hand the past decade has witnessed an increase in the employment of specialized nurses in primary health care to make more complex nursing care at home possible (Riportella-Muller et al, 1991;Bergen, 1991;Haste and MacDonald, 1992;Jansen and Kerkstra, 1993;Moons et al, 1994;Griffiths and Iuker, 1994;Wilson-Barnett and Beech, 1994). On the other hand, special attention is paid to skill mix or differentiated practice: the restructuring of roles and functions of nurses according to education, experience, and competence (Gibbs et al, 1991;American Organization of Nurse Executives, 1990;Martin and McGuire, 1990;Cowley, 1993;Jamen and &&l&ra, 1993;Heath, 1994).…”

Women's Health and the Practice of Public Health Nurses in Northern British Columbia

“…Some authors have attempted to be more descriptive about the roles of public health nurses. Riportella‐Muller, Selby, Salmon, Quade, and Legault (1991) and Zerwekh (1992) have discussed specialty and expert roles in public health nursing in the United States. Bigbee (1993) and Bushy (1990, 1993, 1994) have addressed rural nursing and women's health in American rural settings.…”

Bringing the Population into Focus: A Natural Development in Community Health Nursing Practice. Part I.

“…Some literature assumes that practice beyond the individual and family level is more appropriately in the realm of the masters‐prepared specialist ( Josten, Clarke, Ostwald, Stoskepf, & Shannon, 1995; Riportella‐Muller, Selby, Salmon, Quade, & Legault, 1991). There is little doubt that graduate community health nursing programs, which focus on aggregates and communities, may better prepare the specialist in nuances of program planning and evaluation; but as this data set attests, the baccalaureate‐prepared generalist, as well as the masters level specialist, can be quite adept and skillful in formulating and applying population‐focused assessments and interventions.…”

“…roles and responsibilities that have been adopted by public One of the major findings of the study focused on experiences and community health nurses over the past two to three of the nurses as they developed the population aspects of their decades (Salmon, 1993;Gottschalk & Teymour, 1992; everyday practice. Part I describes the natural development of Zotti, Brown, & Stotts, 1996). As programmatic funding a population focus of CHN generalists whose care most often for home visiting shifts to managed care entities and their targeted individuals and families.…”

“…Documents supporting elements of population-focused practice in the community include: an ANA position paper (1995), ANA Community Health Nursing Standards of Practice (1986), the NLN in its Vision for Nursing Education (1993), a statement from the Public Health Nursing Some literature assumes that practice beyond the indi-pretive Study of CHN Practice'' launched by three midwestern university CHN faculty in 1994. Stories told by vidual and family level is more appropriately in the realm of the masters-prepared specialist (Josten, Clarke, Ostwald, many of the two dozen CHN participants provide intimate, first-hand views of everyday CHN practice (SmithBattle, Stoskepf, & Shannon, 1995;Riportella-Muller, Selby, Salmon, Quade, & Legault, 1991). There is little doubt Drake, & Diekemper, 1997;Drake, Diekemper, SmithBattle, 1996).…”