Community Health Nursing
Course Description: This deals with concepts, principles,
theories and techniques in the provision of basic care in
terms of health promotion, disease prevention,
restoration and maintenance and rehabilitation at the
individual and family level. It includes the study of the
Philippine Health care Delivery System, national health
situation and the global context of public health. The
learners are expected to provide safe, appropriate and
holistic nursing care to individual and family as clients in
community setting utilizing the nursing process
Public Health
 The science and art of preventing disease,
prolonging life, promoting health and efficiency
through:
o organized community effort for the
sanitation of the environment,
o control of communicable diseases,
o the education of individuals in personal
hygiene,
o the organization of medical and nursing
services for the early diagnosis and
preventive treatment of disease, and
o and the development of the social
machinery to insure everyone a
standard of living adequate for the
maintenance of health, so organizing
these benefits as to enable every citizen
to realize his birthright of health and
longevity.
 Dedicated to the attainment of the highest level
of physical, mental, and social well being and
longevity consistent with available knowledge
and resources at a given time and place.
 It holds this goal as its contribution to the most
effective total development and life of the
individual and his society.
 Is the practice of promoting and protecting the
health of populations using knowledge from
nursing, social, and public health science.
 Public health nursing is a specialty practice
within nursing and public health.
 Nursing practice includes advocacy, policy
development, and planning, which addresses
issues of social justice.
 With a multi-level view of health, public health
nursing action occurs through community
applications of theory, evidence, and a
commitment to health equity.
Community Health
 A special field of nursing that combines the
skills of nursing, public health & some phases of
social assistance and functions as part of the
total public health programme for the
promotion of health, the improvement of the
conditions in the social and physical
environment, rehabilitation of illness and
disability (WHO).
Public Health Nursing
 The nurse uses skills in the application of public
health functions & social assistance to promote
health & prevent diseases.
Community Health Nursing
 The nurse renders service with communities,
groups, families, individuals at home, in health
centers, in clinics, in schools, in places of work
for the promotion of health, prevention of
illness, care of the sick at home and
rehabilitation.
 Learned practice discipline with ultimate goal of
contributing, as individuals and in collaboration
with others, to the promotion of the client’s
optimum level of the functioning through
teaching and delivery care.
 Unique blend of nursing and public health
practice:
o Human service
o Care & supervision of individuals,
families, places of work, schools and
clinics.
Concepts of CHN
 Health promotion.
 Benefit not only the individual but the whole
family.
 CH nurses are generalists in terms of their
practice through life’s continuum
 Contact with client and/or the family may
continue over a long period of time which
include all ages and all types of health care.
 Requires that current knowledge derived from
the biological and social sciences, ecology,
clinical nursing & community health
organizations be utilized.
 The dynamic process of assessing, planning,
implementing and intervening, provide periodic
measurements of progress, evaluation and a
continuum of the cycle until the termination of
nursing is implicit.
Public Health Nursing Standards: Scope and Standards  1970s – the Philippines health care Delivery
of Practice system was restructured.
o Health services are classified: primary,
STANDARDS OF CARE secondary, tertiary levels
 1991 – RA 7160 (Local Government Code)
1. Assessment
o Devolution of basic health services
2. Population diagnosis and priorities
o Establishment of local health board in
3. Outcome Identification
every province, city, & municipality.
4. Planning
5. Implementation
Roles & Responsibilities of a CH Nurse
6. Evaluation
 Management Functions
7. Quality of practice
 Supervisory functions
8. Education
 Nursing care function
9. Professional Practice evaluation
 Collaborating & Coordinating function
10. Collegiality & Professional relationships
 Health promotion & education function
11. Collaboration
 Training function
12. Ethics
 Research function
13. Research
14. Resource Utilization
THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS
15. Leadership
Introduction
Evolution of Public Health & Public Health Nursing
 1577 (Intramuros)– public health services  A well-functioning health system working in
opened by a Franciscan Friar Juan Clemente. harmony is built on having trained and
 1805 – Dr. Francisco de Balmis introduced motivated health workers, a well-maintained
smallpox vaccination infrastructure, and a reliable supply of
 1876 – first medicos titulares (provincial health medicines and technologies, backed by
officers) adequate funding, strong health plans and
 1888 – UST offered a 2-year course of evidence-based policies.
fundamental medical & dental subjects.  Integrated health services encompasses the
 Cirujanos Ministrantes – male nurses & management and delivery of quality and safe
sanitation inspectors. health services so that people receive a
 1901 – United States Philippine Commission continuum of health promotion, disease
(ACT 157) created the Board of health of the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, disease
Philippine Islands. management, rehabilitation and palliative care
 BOH evolved into DOH. services, through the different levels and sites
 Subsequently, provincial & municipal board of of care within the health system, and according
health were formed. to their needs throughout the life course
 1915 – PGH began to extend PHN services in the
homes – Social & Home Care Service. The Global and National Health Care Systems
 Community organizations
 It focuses at its centered care for people which
 Women’s club
includes organized health needs to meet the
 1905 – La Gota de Leche, first center to serve
expectations of communities.
mothers and babies, charity clinics
 The health care system is well functioned by its
 1947 – DOH was reorganized into bureaus
trained and motivated health professionals that
 1954 – Congress passed RA 1082 (Rural Health
is well maintained and trusted in supplying
Act)
medicines as well with technologies by
o Or the creation of rural health unit in
providing strong health plans and evidence
every municipality.
from its policies.
o Physician, nurses, midwives, sanitation
 This includes the management and delivery of a
inspectors.
safe health services with good quality to
o Provincial health officers
provide a continuum health promotion, disease
o Dentist
prevention, disease management, and palliative
 1957 – RA 1891 was enacted & amended
care services in different levels of intervention
provisions in RA 1082.
  World Health Organization (WHO) is a
specialized agency of the United Nations (UN)
that manages the international public health. It
initiates the principles and the governing
structure.
 Their objective is "the attainment by all peoples
of the highest possible level of health
 WHO is supporting countries in implementing
people-centered and integrated health services
by way of developing policy options, reform
strategies, evidence-based guidelines and best
practices that can be tailored to various country
settings.

Values of World Health Organization

It reflects on:

 The principles of human rights

 Its universality
 Its established equity
 Ethical Standards of the organization
 Adheres to the UN values of integrity,
professionalism and respect for diversity.