Family Health Nurse (FHN) Project Education Programme Report Introduction The following report covers the delivery

y of the FHN programme over the period of the Scottish pilot project, which ran from 2001-2005. The educational programme will be described in its evolving format over the two phases of the project; that being the remote and rural context of the Highlands and Islands in 2001/2003 and subsequently the modification of the programme ahead of the urban phase of the pilot project in 2004/05. The conceptual framework that underpinned the development of the curriculum will be described and the programme situation within a national and local context vis--vis the NHS in Scotland. The student evaluation of the programme is discussed as are the views and experiences of those involved in the delivery of the programme. Finally recommendations are made regarding the future delivery of the curriculum. National and Local Education Context The WHO produced The Family Health Nurse: Context, Conceptual Framework and Definitive Curriculum (2000), in which the FHN was described as a nurse who is a: care provider decision-maker communicator community leader manager Nurses in all sectors and in all settings would claim most of these roles but it is the particular way in which these emerge in the context of families and Family Health Nursing that was the hallmark of the students who successfully completed this Programme. The Scottish Executives paper, Nursing For Health: a Review of the Contribution of Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors to Improving the Publics Health (2001a), highlights the

potential for the role of the Family Health Nurse in stating that it is based on the following principles: A skilled generalist role encompassing a broad range of duties, dealing as the first point of contact, with any issues that present themselves, referring on to specialists where a greater degree of expertise is required. A practitioner who will base practice on a model based on health rather than illness - the family health nurse would be expected to take a lead role in preventing illness and promoting health as well as caring for those people who are ill and require nursing care. A role founded on the principle of caring for families rather than just individuals within them. A concept based on the nurse as a first point of contact. In addressing the development of the University of Stirling curriculum the above principles, both WHO and Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) played a major role in informing and guiding the decisions of the curriculum development team. The Programme was designed around the roles as described by the WHO. The curriculum outlined by the WHO Curriculum Planning Group detailed the broad thrust of the Programme and set this in the context of the potential practice roles of the FHN. The curriculum was modified to be responsive to the context in which it was delivered, whilst staying faithful to general principles and precepts. The programme addressed the educational needs of both staff nurses working in the community and experienced qualified community nurses. The academic award was a Bachelor of Nursing in Community Studies (FHN), and Graduate Certificate in Community Studies (FHN) for those undertaking a shortened programme. The Programme was also approved by NES against the NMC standards for Specialist Practitioner Qualification. The current programme is an adaptation of the original programme that was delivered during the initial two-year remote and rural pilot phase. It has been amended in response to internal

and external evaluation, the details of which will be covered later. The phase-two programme acknowledged the challenges posed by an urban pilot albeit there were some students from remote and rural areas within the phase-two pilot. The main concern of the curriculum development team was to remain true to the philosophy of the original programme and the principles that underpin the concept of the FHN.