Preparation of community health nursing leaders for social action

Abstract

Indiana University School of Nursing graduate Department of Community Health Nursing has been preparing community health nurses for primary health care practice, as defined by the World Health Organization since 1978. The faculty are committed to preparing community health nursing leaders for social action aimed at improving the health of the community in both the Department's major in the master's programme and its new major in the doctoral programme. The core curricula for these majors in both programmes are presented. The master's curricula is based on integrating public health principles with those of community development. The doctoral major builds on this base of primary health care practice with a curriculum focused on the contribution of community health nursing to public and health policy. The graduates of the master's programme are prepared to work with community groups as a social force in promoting the health of the community. The graduates of the new doctoral major entitled “Health Policy and the Health of the Community” are being prepared as community health nursing leaders with expertise in health care policy and the legislative process with a focus on issues related to nursing and community health. These graduates will be able to function within the broader community, including national and international settings. Based on experiences in graduate education in community health nursing recommendations are made for the response graduate nursing education must make in order to prepare appropriate leaders who can work toward the goal of improving the community's health.