WEEK 1
OBJECTIVES:
by the end of the lesson, the students should be able to :
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understand the CHN terminologies
identify supportive organizations
differentiate between public health nurse and community health nurse
explain community health nursing
describe the qualities of the community health nurse.
DEFINITIONS
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Health: it is a state of complete physical, mental, and social
wellbeing of an individual and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity (W.H.O).
Public health: is the science and acts of preventing disease,
prolonging life and promoting mental and physical health and
efficiency through organized community efforts.
Public health: can also be defined as the science and act of
preventing disease and prolonging life by using available resources
in the community and involving the community members in
efficiency.
DEFINITIONS
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Public health nursing: is the branch of professional nursing that utilizes human
and material resources in the community for the promotion and maintenance
of health, prevention and control of communicable diseases and not merely the
care and rehabilitation of the sick.
Nursing : is to assist the individual, sick or well in the performance of those
activities contributing to health or its recovery or to a peaceful death which he
would have performed unaided if he has the necessary strength and will or
knowledge and to do this in such a way as to gain independence as rapidly as
possible.
DEFINITIONS
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Community health nursing: is defined as a field of nursing practice that blends
knowledge and skills from both the nursing and the public health sciences and
applies them to the promotion of optimal health for the total population.
(Turner and chavigny).
Community health nursing: is a combination of nursing and public health
practice that is, knowledge, skills and attitudes used to:
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Promote and maintain good health
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Prevent and control illness
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Treat minor common illness
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Aid rehabilitation (to help people live full normal lives after an illness or
disability).
The CHN provides care which is:
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Comprehensive: embraces all ages, all types of persons, and all conditions.
Continuous: care is not just for a limited period as in hospital, but it embraces
all ages and aspects of care in any community ie antenatal care, maternity,
under fives clinics, school health, occupational health, care for the handicapped
and elderly.
Personalized: care is adapted to the particular health needs of individuals,
families and communities according to needs.
AREAS OF WORK OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE (CHN)
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HOMES
VILLAGES
SCHOOLS
WORK PLACES
CLINICS
MATERNITY HOMES,
HEALTH CENTERS
OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING
Include the following, to:
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Provide antenatal, maternity and postnatal care to ensure safe pregnancy, delivery and
puerperium for the mother and child.
Provide under fives’ clinics for:
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Immunization
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Developmental assessment
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Advice on nutrition and child care
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Treatment of minor ailments
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Providing encouragement and support to mothers.
Provide clinics for treating adults and children for:
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Minor ailments
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Referral of major illness
OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING
Include the following, to:
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Health education
Provide facilities for family planning.
Teach the correct use of common medicines and drugs and the dangers of buying
medicines at the chemist and market.
Explain and promote the use of local health services in the community, advising people
to seek health care from safe, qualified heath personnel.
Promote projects in the community that will improve life for the people there eg.
Women’s cooperatives, literacy programmes, provision of safe water.
Teach and demonstrate healthy ways of living (health education) according to local
needs.
OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING
Include the following, to:
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Assist in the prevention and control of communicable disease.
Visit people in their own homes and villages to identify health needs and priorities, and
deal with the, effectively.
Promote the health of school children (through the health service.)
Promote the health of the worker (occupational health).
Maintain and promote the health of the elderly and handicapped.
Work in close cooperation with government and other local organizations to promote
health and welfare of individuals, families and communities.
DUTIES OF A COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE
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Home visiting
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Running child welfare clinic
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Running family planning clinic or assisting
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Assist in running ANC and PHN
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Conducts school health services (hygiene inspection)
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Carries out or assist the PHN in inspection of day care centres
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Collection of information or data from the community
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Health education
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Record keeping
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHN’S DUTIES MAINLY INVOLVE:
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Disease prevention
Health promotion
Community mobilization
Health information
Advocacy
Improvement in communication for behavior change
PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING
When posted to a new community under takes the following:
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Introduces self to the in charge and other team members.
Surveys area to acquaint self with important structures like chief’s palace, schools
churches, hospital etc.
Study previous records if any to identify existing problems.
Understands the people’s way of life their traditions, beliefs etc to identify useful ones
and discourages harmful ones.
Address health needs of the people through their own efforts and materials available in
the community.
Identify felt needs and put them in other of preference.
PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING
When posted to a new community under takes the following:
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Involve community members in planning and implementation of services so that she can gain
support.
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Never decide for the people but use knowledge to educate them on service rendered.
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Procedures and duties must be systematic making sure that people understand.
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Be familiar with organized groups and opinion leaders and work through them
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Help people to assume responsibility so that in your absence work can still be carried out.
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Do not give a promise which cannot be fulfilled.
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Find out how people feel about your work so that you can institute the necessary changes to suit
them.
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Do not expect any material reward from community members.
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Write report on work done and submit to immediate supervisor.