3 Features of CHN

Learning Objectives:
 Illustrate the different responsibilities of a CHN nurse;
 Appreciate the different roles of a nurse;
 Understand the important functions of a nurse.

A community nurse can serve direct care, educate individuals or the public,
advocate for health improvements and perform research in community health. It is the
job of a community health nurse to help and keep the community health problems
under control

Characteristics of Community Health Nursing

There are six important characteristics of community nursing; those are mentioned in
the following:
 It is a specialty field of nursing.
 Its practice combines public health with nursing.
 It is population based.
 It emphasizes on wellness and other than disease or Illness.
 It includes inter-disciplinary collaboration.
 It amplifies client’s responsibility and self-care.

Functions of Community Health Nursing

The four core functions of community health nursing practices are described in the
below:
1. Identification of community culture and resources that lead as a key factor in
the community health care delivery system.
2. Evaluate community health conditions, health risks and problems to identify
the health-care demands of the people.
3. Plan and implementation of comprehensive community health interventions,
care, services and programs.
4. Develop health policy at the local community level to drive
policies/agreements at the state and national levels for collaborative endeavors
and actions.

ROLES OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE

 Clinician or health care provider- utilizes the nursing process in the
care of the client in the home setting through home visits and in public health
care facilities; conducts referral of patients to appropriate levels of care when
necessary. (ex: The PHN conducts follow up home visits to families with
children who are taking antibiotics for pneumonia.)

Health Educator - utilizes teaching skills to improve the health

knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the individual family and the community,
and conducts health information campaigns to various groups for the purpose
of health promotion and disease prevention (ex: The PHN conducts a lecture
on the different vaccines covered in the EPI and its importance to children at
the health center.)

Coordinator and collaborator - establishes linkages and collaborative

relationships with other health professionals, governments agencies, the
private sector, non-organizations and people’s organizations to address health
problems. (exotherm PHN taps a local NGO for a joint sponsorship of a one-
day free circumcision program during summer.)

Supervisor - monitors and supervises the performance of midwives and

other auxiliary health workers, also initiates the formulation of staff
development and training programs for midwives and other auxiliary health
workers as part of their training function as supervisors. ex: (The PHN assigns
midwives under her supervision to attend a provincial training on updates
regarding IMCI.

Leader and Change agent - influences people to participate in the

overall process of community development.

Manager - organizes the nursing service component of the local health

agency or local government unit.

Researcher -participates in the conduct of research and utilizes

research findings in practice.

Others

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NURSE

In the implementing rules and regulations of the Philippine Nursing Act of 2020(RA
9173), through the board resolution number 425, series of 2003, RULE Nursing
Practice, Section 28 scope of Nursing, as published in the Philippine journal of
nursing, it is stated that:
Section 28. Scope of nursing
 A person shall be deemed to be practicing nursing within the meaning of RA
9173 when he/she, singly or in collaboration with another, initiates and performs
nursing services to individuals, families, and communities in any health care sitting it
includes, but is not limited to, nursing care during conception, labor, delivery,
infancy, childhood, adulthood, and old age. As independent practitioners, nurses are
primarily responsible for the promotion of health and prevention of illness. As
members of the health team, nurses shall collaborate with other health care providers
for the curative, preventive, and rehabilitative aspects of care, restoration of health
alleviation of suffering, and when recovery is not possible, towards a peaceful death.

Duties and responsibilities of a nurse:

Provides nursing care through the utilization of the nursing process. Nursing
care includes, but is not limited to, traditional and innovative approaches, therapeutic
use of self, executing health care techniques and procedures, essentials primary health
care, comfort measures, health teachings, and administration of written prescription
for treatment, therapies, oral, topical and parenteral medication, internal examination
during labor in the absence of antenatal bleeding and delivery. In case of suturing of
perineal laceration, special training shall be provided according to the protocol
established;

Establishes linkage with community resources and coordination with the

health team

Provides health education to individuals families, and communities;

Teaches, guides and supervises students in nursing education programs

including the administration of nursing services in varied settings such as hospitals
and clinic

Undertake consultation services

Engages in such activities that require the utilization of knowledge and

decision -making skills of a registered nurse; and,

Undertakes nursing and health human resource development training and

research, which shall include, but is not limited to, the development of advance
nursing practice.

Responsibilities of a community health nurse

 Participates in the development of an overall health plan, its
implementation and evaluation for communities

 Provides quality nursing services to the four levels of clientele

 Maintains coordination/ linkages, with other health team members,

NGO / government agencies in the provision of public health services.
  Initiates and conducts research relevant to CHN services to improve
provision of healthcare

 Initiates and provides opportunities for professional growth and

continuing education for staff development

(The public health nurse will take charge of the municipal health officer's (MHO)
responsibilities in the event that the MHO is unable to perform his duties/ functions or
is not available.)
In the care of families:
 Provision of primary health care services
 Development and utilization of family nursing care plan in the provision of
care

In the care of communities:

 Community organizing, mobilization, community development, and people
empowerment
 Case Finding and epidemiological investigation
 Program planning, implementation and evaluation
 Influencing executive and legislative individuals or bodies concerning health
and development.

Name: ______________________________________________________________
Course & Yr: _______________________________ Date: ___________________

Learning Activities

Activity 1: Comprehend!

Direction: Read the Philippine Nursing Act of 2020(RA 9173), and create a summary
of your understanding of what RA 9173 is. (500 word Essay)
Lesson 2

PHILOSOPHY OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING PRACTICE

A philosophy is defined as ``a system of beliefs that provides a basis for and guides
action’’A philosophy provides the direction and describes the whats,the whys and the
hows of activities within a profession.
CHN practice is guided by the following belief

Rubrics:

Short Essay
1 2 Needs 3 Satisfactory 4 Outstanding
Unsatisfactory Improvement
Content & - Content is - Content is not - Content is - Content is
Development incomplete. comprehensive accurate and comprehensive,
- Major points and /or persuasive. accurate, and
are not clear. persuasive. - Major persuasive.
-Specific - Major points points are - Major points are
examples are are addressed, stated. stated clearly and
not used but not well - Responses are well
supported. are adequate supported.
- Responses are and address - Responses are
inadequate or do topic. excellent, timely
not address topic. - Content is and address topic.
-Specific clear. - Content is clear.
examples do not -Specific -Specific
support topic examples are examples are
used used.
Organization & - Organization - Structure of the  Structure is -Structure of the
Structure and structure paper is not easy mostly clear paper is clear and
 detract from to follow. and easy to
easy to follow.
the message. - Transitions follow.- Transitions are
- Writing is need - Transitions
logical and
disjointed and improvement. are present.
maintain the flow
lacks transition - Conclusion is - Conclusion
of thought
of thoughts. missing, or if is logical.
throughout the
provided, does paper.
not flow from the - Conclusion is
body of the logical and flows
paper. from the body of
the paper
Grammar, - Paper  Paper contains - Rules of - Rules of
Punctuation & contains few grammatical, grammar, grammar, usage,
Spelling numerous punctuation and usage, and and punctuation
grammatical, spelling errors. punctuation are followed;
punctuation, are followed spelling is correct.
and spelling with minor
errors. errors.
Spelling is
correct.