A comparison of the Well Child Clinic services in Norway and the Nurse Family Partnership programme in the United States

Abstract

To present a comparison and a discussion of the Well Child Clinic model in Norway and the Nurse-Family Partnership model in the United States. The Nurse Family Partnership programme in the United States is voluntary and not universal. The Well Child Clinic programme in Norway is voluntary but universally available for Norwegian families. As the Well Child Clinics are used by the vast majority of the families in Norway, it is difficult to determine the benefits and outcomes for the families who receive universal services. Qualitative design. Authors reviewed the literature on the Norwegian Well Child Clinics and the Nurse Family Partnership programme in the United States and interviewed public health nurses experts on evidence-based home visiting programmes in Minnesota. The similarities between goals and content of the Nurse Family Partnership programme in the United States and the Well Child Clinic services in Norway are emphases on (1) intensive services, (2) a focus on behaviour, (3) the inclusion of both parents and children and (4) programme fidelity. The major difference in the programmes is the focus on a targeted population for the Nurse Family Partnership programme vs. the universal offer of Well Child Clinics in Norway. Norway should continue with universal approach to support new families. A model similar to Nurse Family Partnership could be developed in Norway as an addition to the existing universal services, as an offer to the high-risk families. Public health nursing leaders in Norway need to advocate for public health nurse ratios that make it possible for public health nurses to follow government guidelines. A model similar to Nurse Family Partnership could be developed in Norway as an addition to the existing universal services, as an offer to the high-risk families.