Public Health Nursing Practice Research Articles

Culture: A determinant of breastfeeding in SCPHN practice

The health benefits of breastfeeding are well researched and are recognised by professional bodies both nationally and globally, yet breastfeeding rates for many countries globally fall short of their respective national targets. Efforts have been made within both maternity services and Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) practice to provide training for professionals to improve breastfeeding rates, yet in many areas there remains a focus on the biological factors more than cultural beliefs, despite culture being widely accepted as an integral aspect of needs assessment in the field of SCPHN practice. This article explores the literature to identify cultural beliefs surrounding breastfeeding from both positive and negative perspectives, which further highlighted how SCPHNs can improve their practice in sensitively approaching this subject with new and expecting mothers. The purpose of this review was to identify the significance of culture as a determinant of breastfeeding and highlight potential methods for improving SCPHN practice in this area.

New Web-Based System for Recording Public Health Nursing Practices and Determining Best Practices: Protocol of an Exploratory Sequential Design

Background Digitalization and information and communication technology (ICT) promote effective, efficient individual and community care. Clinical terminology or taxonomy and its framework visualize individual patients’ and nursing interventions’ classifications to improve their outcomes and care quality. Public health nurses (PHNs) provide lifelong individual care and community-based activities while developing projects to promote community health. The linkage between these practices and clinical assessment remains tacit. Owing to Japan’s lagging digitalization, supervisory PHNs face difficulties in monitoring each department’s activities and staff members’ performances and competencies. Randomly selected prefectural or municipal PHNs collect data on daily activities and required hours every 3 years. No study has adopted these data for public health nursing care management. PHNs need ICTs to manage their work and improve care quality; it may help identify health needs and suggest best public health nursing practices. Objective We aim to develop and validate an electronic recording and management system for evaluating different public health nursing practice needs, including individual care, community-based activities, and project development, and for determining their best practices. Methods We used a 2-phase exploratory sequential design (in Japan) comprising 2 phases. In phase 1, we developed the system’s architectural framework and a hypothetical algorithm to determine the need for practice review through a literature review and a panel discussion. We designed a cloud-based practice recording system, including a daily record system and a termly review system. The panels included 3 supervisors who were prior PHNs at the prefectural or municipal government, and 1 was the executive director of the Japanese Nursing Association. The panels agreed that the draft architectural framework and hypothetical algorithm were reasonable. The system was not linked to electronic nursing records to protect patient privacy. Phase 2 validated each item through interviews with supervisory PHNs using a web-based meeting system. A nationwide survey was distributed to supervisory and midcareer PHNs across local governments. Results This study was funded in March 2022 and approved by all ethics review boards from July to September and November 2022. Data collection was completed in January 2023. Five PHNs participated in the interviews. In the nationwide survey, responses were obtained from 177 local governments of supervisory PHNs and 196 midcareer ones. Conclusions This study will reveal PHNs’ tacit knowledge about their practices, assess needs for different approaches, and determine best practices. Additionally, this study will promote ICT-based practices in public health nursing. The system will enable PHNs to record their daily activities and share them with their supervisors to reflect on and improve their performance, and the quality of care to promote health equity in community settings. The system will support supervisory PHNs in creating performance benchmarks for their staff and departments to promote evidence-based human resource development and management. Trial Registration UMIN-ICDR UMIN000049411; https://tinyurl.com/yfvxscfm International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/45342

Evaluating Knowledge of Public Health Nursing Competencies in Baccalaureate Nursing Students.

Community health workers are projected to grow in number by 17 percent by 2030. A baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN) provides a foundation for public health nursing practice. The Competencies for Public Health Nursing Practice instrument was distributed to BSN students at a Midwestern university before and after an educational intervention. Students completed a pretest ( n = 269) and posttest ( n = 154). All four subscales and total score indicated a significant increase in competence ( p < .001). There is a need to develop interactive public health nursing simulations with an interprofessional venue to help students improve teamwork and communication competencies.

An Investigation of Nursing Students' Anxiety Regarding the Practice of Public Health Nursing

Bu çalışmada hemşirelik bölümünde okuyan son sınıf öğrencilerinin halk sağlığı hemşireliği uygulamasına yönelik olarak düşünce ve kaygı düzeylerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırma evrenini bir devlet üniversitesinde ki Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Hemşirelik Bölümünde son sınıfında okuyan ve Halk Sağlığı Hemşireliği dersi alan öğrenciler oluşturmaktadır. Toplanan veriler için araştırmacılar tarafından hazırlanan tanıtıcı özellikler formu ve Durumluk-Sürekli Kaygı Ölçeği kullanıldı. Anket formu uygulama öncesi ve sonrası olmak üzere iki kere toplanmıştır. Araştırmaya dâhil olan hemşirelik öğrencilerinin yaş ortalaması 22,23±1,32’dir. Son sınıfta okuyan öğrencilerin %60,6’sı teorik bilgisinin halk sağlığı uygulaması için yeterli düzeyde olduğunu, %70,4’ü uygulamaya çıkmaya hazır olduğunu, %64,8’i halk sağlığı hemşireliği uygulaması esnasında olumsuz deneyim yaşamaktan korktuğunu, %50,7’si yapmaktan korktuğu bir uygulama olduğunu, %35,2’si uygulama ile ilgili hissettiği duygularında belirsizlikler hâkim olduğunu ifade etmiştir. Halk sağlığı hemşireliği uygulama öncesinde ve sonrasında öğrencilerin kaygı puanları karşılaştırıldığında aralarında anlamlı bir fark bulunmamıştır (p

A Sisyphean task: Developing and revising public health nursing competencies.

BackgroundCompetencies are intended to enhance the public health workforce's skills. Competencies used to evaluate public health nursing (PHN) practice and education have been promoted by several nursing organizations. Having multiple sets of competencies raises questions about redundancies and their usefulness in evaluating PHN, as well as the central question about the value of the competencies themselves.MethodsA literature review of psychometric evaluation research of the competencies was performed. Qualitative content analyses were conducted of seven documents: Association of Community Health Nursing Educators’, 2000 and 2010 essentials; Quad Council Coalition's 2004, 2011, and 2018 competencies; and the American Nurses Association's, 2013 and the 2021 draft of PHN scope and standards of practice with respect to competency definition, conceptual basis, and use of an established taxonomy.ResultsNo psychometric evaluations of the competency sets were found. Textual content analysis revealed inconsistent and or missing competency definitions and theoretical frameworks with competencies proliferating over time. Taxonomy analysis identified minimal competencies at higher complexity levels according to Bloom's revised taxonomy.ConclusionsAnalyzed competencies lack reliability and validity testing, making assessment difficult for PHN educators and practitioners. Multiple and competing competencies further erode PHN's visibility, even among public health nurses. With unending revisions of PHN competencies and lack of supporting evidence regarding their effect and their integration into education or practice, recommendations for future efforts are offered.

Learning Outcomes of Public Health Nursing Practice Using Online Conducted under the Influence of COVID-19

Learning Outcomes of Public Health Nursing Practice Using Online Conducted under the Influence of COVID-19

Survey Report on Public Health Nursing Practice in 2020

Survey Report on Public Health Nursing Practice in 2020

Students’ Learning in Public Health Nursing Practice Conducted in the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Students’ Learning in Public Health Nursing Practice Conducted in the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Organizational Support for Social Justice in Public Health Nursing Practice: A Conceptual Framework.

Notwithstanding the significant representation of social justice as a theoretical ideal of public health nursing (PHN), there is little agreement about how the concept is applied in PHN practice and supported by nurse leaders and organizations. A framework for social justice praxis in PHN was developed after a critical review of the literature to advance the ability of nurse leaders and healthcare administrators to support social justice praxis in PHN. This conceptual framework provides a foundation from which nursing leaders can launch meaningful conversations and make specific efforts toward achieving social justice to improve health equity.

Twenty years with the public health intervention wheel: Evidence for practice.

The Public Health Intervention Wheel (PHI Wheel) is a population-based practice model for public health nursing practice that encompasses three levels of practice (community, systems, individual/family) and 17 public health interventions. This article shares the story of how the PHI Wheel was created, disseminated, implemented by public health nurses (PHNs) and educators across the globe, and updated with new evidence published in the second edition of Public Health Interventions: Applications for Public Health Nursing in 2019. Evidence on the relevance of PHI Wheel interventions for public health practice in cultural and international settings supports the model's value in explaining PHN practice. This article highlights the experiences of various countries with the PHI Wheel including Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The evidence update confirms the relevance of the model to PHN education and practice and reinforces the conviction that development of new evidence is essential for promoting population health.

Review of pre-registration standards

The specialist community public health nursing and specialist practice qualification standards are under review by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Crystal Oldman urges you to share the opportunity to participate in the consultation

第9回日本公衆衛生看護学会学術集会ワークショップ報告 公衆衛生看護の実践・教育・研究の発展に貢献する専門家認証制度を考えよう ～日本公衆衛生看護学会認定専門家認証制度（案）について～

第9回日本公衆衛生看護学会学術集会ワークショップ報告 公衆衛生看護の実践・教育・研究の発展に貢献する専門家認証制度を考えよう ～日本公衆衛生看護学会認定専門家認証制度（案）について～

Civic engagement: School-based health centers and public health nursing.

To understand how the events of the 1996 formation of a school-based health center (SBHC) both illustrate the concept of civic engagement and embody historic aspects of public health nursing practice. Case study design. Interviews, documents, epidemiologic records, and field observations. The three themes discovered were collaboration to achieve public good, equity and social justice, creation of a long-term partnership, and demonstration of leadership using grassroots advocacy. The SBHC case serves as a contemporary example of public health nurses' leadership in the current practice arena. The experience of nurse leadership evokes the historic mission and practice of public health nursing.

Learning Effects of Public Health Nursing Practice and Issues on Them

Learning Effects of Public Health Nursing Practice and Issues on Them

公衆衛生看護学実習の到達度を高める教育方法に関する研究 ―実習前後の学生の「保健師に求められる実践能力と卒業時の到達目標と到達度」自己評価の変化から―

公衆衛生看護学実習の到達度を高める教育方法に関する研究 ―実習前後の学生の「保健師に求められる実践能力と卒業時の到達目標と到達度」自己評価の変化から―

Mothers' experiences after coming home from the hospital with a moderately to late preterm infant - a qualitative study.

Mothers of preterm infants are at greater risk of symptoms of stress and anxiety compared to mothers of term infants. This study aimed to explore mothers' experiences after coming home from the hospital with a moderately to late preterm infant. A qualitative and explorative method was used. Ten mothers who had given birth to a preterm baby with a gestational age between 30.0 and 36.0 were interviewed. The interviews were conducted two to three months after the mothers and their babies were discharged from hospital. The data were analysed by means of latent and manifest qualitative content analysis. One overall theme emerged from the analysis: 'Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel' and four categories were identified 'Finding a safe haven at home', 'Gaining support and learning to ensure optimal feeding', 'Seeing the child's possibilities' and 'Receiving professional attention and reassurance'. In particular, adequate breastfeeding guidance and help with practical tasks at home were emphasised as important for the mothers, and need to be incorporated into the practice of public health nurses. Practical help and support from close people, combined with individual professional follow-up, were important for the mothers' ability to cope with the hospital-to-home transition. There should be a strong focus on breastfeeding guidance as the mothers experienced problems for several months after discharge, and felt they were missing out on breastfeeding guidance given to term babies in hospital.

A New Public Health Nursing Practice at Master’s Course Developed in Collaboration with Public Health Facilities

A New Public Health Nursing Practice at Master’s Course Developed in Collaboration with Public Health Facilities

Significance and Roles of the Visualization and Accumulation of Knowledge about Excellent Public Health Nursing Practice through Activities in the JAPHN

Significance and Roles of the Visualization and Accumulation of Knowledge about Excellent Public Health Nursing Practice through Activities in the JAPHN

Ontology elements identified in different nursing classification systems

Introduction: The International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP®) includes an ontology to represent the terms contained within it. In Brazil, in order to contribute to the development of this classification, an ontology was elaborated, comprising the representation of concepts and terms from the International Classification of Public Health Nursing Practice (Classificacao Internacional para as Praticas de Enfermagem em Saude Coletiva – CIPESC®). The identification of ontology elements in the aforementioned classification systems helps to understand how they might be used to represent the elements of nursing practice in an automated manner. Objectives: To identify ontology elements in the ICNP® and CIPESC®. Methods: Documentary, exploratory, and descriptive study. Data collection was based on the capture of structural characteristics of the various versions of the ICNP® and of the CIPESC®, including axis structure and term hierarchy structure. Data analysis was performed by comparing the elements of the captured characteristics with the following ontology elements: concepts, instances, properties, relationships, constrains and axioms. Results: The structural characteristics of ICNP® and CIPESC® are presented. Concepts, properties, relationships, constrains, and axioms were identified in both classifications. Conclusions: An ontology ensures consistency to nursing terminologies, providing evidence for practice and contributing to the unification of the nursing language. This research facilitates the development of ontologies for nursing practice based on nursing terminologies, contributing to the development of health policies by using ontologies in information systems.

The Global Health Nursing Imperative: Using Competency-Based Analysis to Strengthen Accountability for Population Focused Practice, Education, and Research

BackgroundThe Quad Council Competencies for Public Health Nurses are used to guide community and public health nursing course development in baccalaureate nursing programs. As clinical practice has expanded to global settings, the appropriateness of the 2011 Quad Council Public Health Nursing (PHN) Competencies to guide global clinical practice and evaluation was questioned. ObjectiveTo describe a comparison and analysis of three sets of competencies: PHN competencies, competencies for global health nurses, and interprofessional competencies for health professionals. MethodA literature review identified the most current guidelines and competencies for global health practice. Two seminal articles, “Global Health Competencies for Nurses in the Americas” and “Identifying Interprofessional Global Health Competencies for 21st-Century Health Professionals,” were reviewed and compared with the 2011 Quad Council Public Health Nursing Competencies. A six-member multi-site team conducted a qualitative thematic approach to competency analysis. A four column crosswalk spreadsheet grid was used for comparison of the three sets of competencies. Column four was created to identify possible exemplars for clinical practice. FindingsGaps exist in the PHN competencies for specific global and interprofessional competencies. RecommendationsEnhanced and consistent emphasis on population/global health, and interprofessional content throughout nursing curricula is necessary to prepare providers for practice in global settings. Incorporation of global and interprofessional competencies should be considered in the revision of competencies for PHN practice to enhance productive contributions to community health outcomes. Consideration of proper placement of content gaps within basic and advanced nursing education as well as leveling for community/public health nursing practice needs to be addressed by nursing education and practice. In the interim, a special course or elective may be appropriate, especially for schools having clinical nursing practicums in international settings. Clinical evaluation in low-resource settings needs to be enhanced and aligned with competencies.