Session 12: Concurrent Sessions: Issues in graduate – level C/PHN education
Differentiating MSN and DNP Competencies for PHN: Insights and Perspectives,
Pamela A. Kulbok, University of Virginia School of Nursing, Doris F. Glick, University of Virginia
School of Nursing
Faculty involved in development and implementation of DNP curriculum to accommodate
diverse multiple advanced specialties, including acute or primary care, psychiatric-mental
health, administration and/or public health, are confronted with the challenge of differentiating
master's versus doctoral level competencies. AACN Essentials for DNP Education for all
specialty areas include population focus, systems thinking, and leadership, competencies widely
documented as integral to PHN education and practice at the master's level. This paper will
describe the experience of faculty at one university in developing and implementing DNP
curriculum and self-evaluation of the program in preparation for CCNE accreditation. Examples
of accomplishments and barriers encountered in the curriculum development and approval
processes will be discussed. PHN faculty face the age-old challenge of communicating to
colleagues in other specialty areas, consumers, potential applicants, preceptors and other interprofessional stakeholders, the unique characteristics of public health nursing practice in the new
context of DNP education. The ultimate challenge is to delineate the advanced characteristics
that demonstrate the highest level of clinical practice for public health nursing. Discussion will
address the implications for advanced public health nursing roles in local and state agencies
and community based organizations, and potential population focused health outcomes for
improved health systems.
The session participant will be able to:
(1) Describe issues confronting nursing educators in the process of differentiating MSN
and DNP public health nursing competencies.
(2) Identify potential facilitators and barriers related to DNP curriculum development and
implementation for advanced public health nursing.
Integrating Informatics and the Omaha System into Nursing Courses at the
Undergraduate, Masters, and Doctoral Levels, Rosemary Valedes Chaudry, Ohio State
University College of Nursing
Standardized languages for documenting public health (PH) nursing practice can advance the
understanding of population-based PH nursing practice and evaluating outcomes. Nursing
students learn about the use of standardized nursing languages commonly used in the acute
care nursing (e.g., NANDA, NIC, NOC), but generally do not receive the same level of
instruction on standardized languages in PH nursing practice. In keeping with the movement to
improve the use of clinical data to inform nursing practice, nursing faculty in PH nursing and
Informatics have collaborated to present content on informatics and standardized languages
(the Omaha System) into PH and informatics courses at the undergraduate (pre-licensure and
RN-to-BSN), masters, and doctoral PH nursing courses. These courses are taught through
traditional, asynchronous distance education, and synchronous distance education. Teaching
methods (tailored to the learning needs of students at each level) include lecture, text and
literature readings, videos, case studies, discussion, and integration into the PH nursing course
project. Methods of teaching and learning have been revised based on student performance
and feedback. This presentation will 1) discuss the challenges and benefits of integrating the
Omaha System into PH nursing courses (including using both the PH Intervention Wheel and
the Omaha System), 2) excerpts from student feedback, 3) provide examples of content
integration strategies, and 4) invite participants to share their experiences or concerns about
integrating informatics and standardized language content into nursing courses at the
undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels.
Participants will be able to:
1. Identify two barriers to integrating content on informatics and standardized languages
into public health nursing course at the undergraduate and masters levels.
2. Compare the advantages of incorporating content on informatics and standardized
languages into nursing courses at undergraduate, masters, or doctoral levels using three
different teaching/learning modalities.
3. Discuss positive and negative student feedback regarding content on informatics and
the Omaha System as a standardized nursing language in public health nursing courses.
Urban Sustainability: A New Focus for Population-Focused Nurses and Educators
Nancy Menzel, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
The next generation of PhD-prepared community health nurse leaders will face challenges
presented by an increasingly urban population, with 70% of the world's people predicted to live
in cities by 2050. A major concern is urban sustainability; i.e., whether cities will be livable for
present and future generations. Other disciplines have focused on improving or conserving the
physical environment (water, buildings, energy), giving nursing an opportunity to focus on the
urban health environment, where public health nursing began with Lillian Wald in the 19th
century. To address these challenges, we as educators must provide graduate programs that
incorporate principles of urban sustainability that put health at the core. Urban sustainability
factors include the physical, economic, and social environment. These factors may have an
adverse or supportive effect on populations, the health of which in turn has a profound effect on
a city's sustainability. For example, air pollution is associated with asthma and increased
cardiopulmonary mortality. At the same time, an employed population with increased morbidity
and mortality is not as productive as a healthier workforce, affecting economic sustainability.
This presentation will describe a model curriculum for a PhD in population-focused nursing in
urban sustainability: health and emerging roles for population-focused nurse educators and
leaders.
Participants will be able to:
1. Compare and contrast public health nursing's origins with contemporary conditions
2. Describe opportunities for community health nurse educators in urban sustainability:
health.
3. Describe nursing's role in the urban sustainability movement