Community Health

Definitions of a Community And Community Health Nursing

Community is a collection of people who share some attribute of their lives. It may be that they live in the same locale, attend a particular church, or even share a particular interest, such as painting. Groups that constitute a community because of common member interests are often referred to as a community of interest (e.g. religious and ethnic groups). It can also be defined as a social system in which members interact formally or informally and form networks for the benefit of all people in the community. In community health, the community may be viewed as having a common health problem, for example, populations where there is high incidence of infant mortality or communicable disease, such as HIV infection or tuberculosis. Stanhope and Lancaster define community health nursing as the synthesis of nursing and public health practice applied to promoting and preserving the health of populations. The practice is general and comprehensive, with the dominant responsibility being to the population as a whole.For many, this definition is more appropriately used to describe the practice of public health nursing and the term community health nursing refers more broadly to nursing in the community. said by Spradley and Allender. They suggest that the distinction between the two terms might be that community health nursing is the beginning level of specialization and public health nursing is an advanced level of practice.

Five functions of a Community

1. Production, distribution and consumption of goods and services . These are the means by which the community provides for the economic needs of its members. Includes not only the supplying of food and clothing but also the provision of water, electricity, police and fire protection. 2. Socialization. Refers to the process of transmitting values, knowledge, culture and skills to others. Communities usually contain a number of established institutions for socialization: families, schools, media, social organizations and so on. 3. Social control. Refers to the way in which order is maintained in the community. Laws are enforced by the police; public health regulations are implemented to protect people from certain diseases.

4. Social participation. Refers to community activities that are designed to meet peoples needs for companionship. Families, churches, public and private organizations serve this function. 5. Mutual support. Refers to its ability to provide resources at a time of illness or disaster. The family, health and social services usually fulfill this function.

Ten Characteristics of a Healthy Community

A Healthy community: Is one in which members have a high degree of awareness that we are a community. Uses its natural resources while taking steps to conserve them for future generation. Openly recognizes the existence of subgroups and welcomes their participation in community affairs. Is prepared to meet crises. Is a problem- solving community; it identifies, analyzes, and organizes to meet its own needs. Possesses open channels of communication that allow information to flow among all subgroups of citizens in all directions. Seeks to make each of its systems resources available to all members. Has legitimate and effective ways to settle disputes that arise within the community. Encourages maximum citizen participation in decision making. Promotes a high level of wellness among all its members.

Elements of Community Health Nursing Practice

There are six basic elements of community health practice; 1) Promotion of Healthful Living. Health promotion programs are provided to raise the levels of wellness of individuals (programs include smoking cessation, reduction of alcohol), families (family planning, pregnancy and infant care,

immunization), groups (occupational safety and health) and the entire community (toxic agent control and fluoridation of water supplies). 2) Prevention of Health Problems. Health protection activities are highly varied. They may include the prevention of nutritional deficiency, accidents at work and at home, child abuse, cancer, pollution and so on. 3) Remedial Care of Health Problems. Community health care nurses provide direct (home visits for assessment, personal care and dietary planning) and indirect (focus on assisting people with health problems to obtain treatment) services. 4) Rehabilitation. Rehabilitation services that focus on reducing disability and/or restoring function are provided at the individual, family and community level. Examples are colostomy clubs, post mastectomy groups and halfway houses for the discharged mentally ill. 5) Evaluation. Ongoing evaluation is an important component of community health services. Its aim is to determine the effectiveness of current activities, determined the needs and develop improved services. For example, evaluation of services available for rape victims may reveal needs for more comprehensive counseling programs. 6) Research. A critical component of community health care practice, provide the means to identify problems and examine improved methods of providing health services. Researchers may investigate patterns of health and illness, possible causes and identifying specific problems such as child abuse, suicide, homicide and trauma, the effectiveness of treatment programs such as weight reduction, stress management and utilization of existing health services.

School nursing
One of the diverse settings that health nursing can be practiced includes school. Community schools reflect the society they are part of. Today, school systems are encountering increasingly complex health-related morbidities in children such as substance abuse and pregnancies; dealing with major environmental risks, such as violence and poverty; and accommodating children with significant physical and psychosocial impairments. The core components of a school health program are health services, health education and a healthy environment. Nursing services an integral part of the school health program. School nurses provide direct care in school clinics, manage immunization programs, provide health education in classrooms, offer health-related expertise during student conferences, coordinate student health services, promote safety and advocate for student health programs at the local and state

level. Although the health needs of todays children have increased, many school systems have cut support for school health programs in order to cut costs. Other school systems recognize that providing health services today is an investment in childrens future, and they directly or indirectly support health services at school sites by, for example, maintaining primary care clinics. Nurses who wish to pursue a specialty and certification in school nursing will find a variety of graduate programs that provide advanced degrees in this field.