History of Nursing

Nursing and the Health of Populations: Past, Present, and Future
Module Objectives
By the end of this module, you will be able to:

1. Describe the historical development of community health nursing. (*co 3)
2. Define population health and relate conceptually to community and public health. (*co 1)
3. Identify models and pathways by which nurses can contribute to the improvement of population health. (*co 1, 2 and 3)
4. Analyze the mission of your practicum setting within the broader context of population/community/public health. (co 2)tied to course objective (co)
   Instructor Commentary
   Health is affected by the conditions in which we live, and all nursing care is provided within this larger context. Given this and the consideration that nursing care, even of individuals, ultimately affects communities and populations, please reflect on the idea that all nurses are community/public health nurses.
   Community and population health is a cornerstone of baccalaureate nursing preparation. This course is designed to enrich your understanding of, and competency to assess, plan and respond to, health concerns with a focus on community-level determinants and outcomes at a community or population level. This type of nursing practice might occur in a traditional community setting, through policy advocacy, or through integrating these elements into acute care practice. The practicum experiences for this course are primarily situated in non-acute community settings in order to support exposure to community-level determinants of health and lived experiences.
   Population and Community Health Nursing (NURS 4015 ) integrates the determinants of health approach with the nursing process to build our potential to improve the health of populations and communities through multiple means of engagement. These broad aims are reflected in the course objectives and will be supported by your work in the readings, assignments, and discussions, as well as by your clinical practicum engagement, project, and practicum portfolio. This 4-credit course assigns 3-credits to didactic content and 1-credit (45 hours) to the practicum experience. For additional information on the practicum, the practicum project, and the practicum portfolio, please see the Practicum Guidelines, Practicum Portfolio Overview, and Practicum Project Explanation in the Course Resources module.
   In module one, we will explore the historical development of community health nursing and place it in context with concepts of public, community, and population health.
   Our textbook by Rector and Stanley (2022) primarily refers to the practice of public and community health nursing (see p.3). The conceptual relationship to population health is also discussed by Rector (see p. 7). In addition to a focus on a specific group of people, population health is also understood as the relationship of health determinants to health outcomes and the distribution of health outcomes. The terminology of ‘population health’ is growing in use both in traditional community and public health settings as well as in hospital systems which are growing in commitment to improving the health of patient and geographic (service area) populations. In this module several models are introduced that speak to the role of health determinants (see Fig.1-3 , Fig. 1-5, Fig. 9-1, and Fig 9-2 in Chapters One and Nine). The concepts of health determinants will be further developed in module two.
   Again, keep in mind the idea that all nurses are community/public health nurses – that in all settings there is always a connection to health determinants in communities and that nurses may have a role both in direct clinical care as well as in addressing the determinants of health (from clean air to quality of care).
   As you progress through the readings in this module, and visit the noted websites, evaluate the historical context of your practicum setting and ask yourself the following questions:
   • Why did it develop?
   • How long has it existed?
   • What is its mission?
   • Who does it serve?
   • What is the relationship to Population, Community and/or Public Health?
   This information will form the basis for your first discussion activity.
   References
   Rector, C. (2022) The journey begins: Introduction. Rector, C., and Stanley, M. J. In Community and public health nursing: Promoting the public’s health(10th ed. pp. 3-23). Wolters Kluwer.

Module 1 Discussion: Population and Community Health in Context
Welcome to the first discussion forum for Population and Community Health Nursing. The purpose of this activity is to introduce yourself to the class, to provide an overview of your practicum setting and project and to relate your practicum setting to concepts of population/community/public health.
Please be sure to complete the readings in the text before submitting your initial post. In our textbook, Rector and Stanley (2022), several models of population health are included. Please see models: Fig.1-3, Fig. 1-5, Fig. 9-1 and Fig 9-2 in chapters one and nine (pages 8, 11, 245 and 246). This discussion asks you to consider your preceptor’s role and the setting of your practicum experience in the context of one of these models. The engagement of these models is a preliminary step in module one and relevant concepts will be further explored in subsequent modules.
Directions:

1. Introduce yourself by including your name, years in nursing, current occupation, and experience in the field of community health.
2. Describe the site for your community health practicum.
3. Explain the origin of this setting and its historical context (why did it develop, how long has it existed, what is its mission). Briefly note how this relates to a historical aspect of nursing as a profession.
4. Identify the primary client(s) of your practicum – who is being served? Can you identify a primary population served?
5. Explain the role of your preceptor in promoting the health of the community or population(s). Relate this work and the practicum setting to one of the public/population health models presented in the reading. Please identify one model and briefly discuss where and how does the work of the preceptor and the clinical site fit might fit with the model?
   Please submit your initial post by the first half of the module and then use the second half of the module to interact with your classmates.
   This activity will be graded using the discussion rubric.
   References
   Rector, C. and Stanley, M. J. (2022). Community and public health nursing: Promoting the public’s health(10th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
   Rubrics
   • Undergraduate Discussion Rubric

This is my current role in nursing, Please use this to answer Module 1 questions above:
I currently work in the emergency room at Queens Hospital in Jamaica, NY and I have been a nurse for 9 years.
My community health practicum will be in the Diabetic Clinic.

Readings for Module 1
• Rector and Stanley
o Chapters 1 & 3, see Fig. 1-3, Fig. 1-5, Fig. 9-1, and Fig. 9-2 in Chapters 1 & 9
• Other Assigned Reading
o Summary | The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity | The National Academies Press(opens in a new window)
o See Fig. 1-A on page 382 of AJPH.93.3.380 (aphapublications.org)(opens in a new window)
o One self-selected scholarly article for the Discussion Assignment
• Optional Additional Resources and Readings
o Mary Eliza Mahoney Lecture Series: May 8, 2023 – YouTube(opens in a new window)
 Accessible version(opens in a new window); do not distribute.