308301
Taking action for the future of public health nursing
Description: Twenty-five participants with varied disciplinary expertise, assigned to groups, i.e., education, practice, or research, proposed five-year goals and objectives. Each group responded to a specific question related to their topic. What are the three most important actions to help PHNs (in practice, education, or research) enhance their capacity to improve the public’s health?
Lessons learned: From an array of goals and actions items, there was agreement across the three groups. 1) Identifying and supporting current and emerging PHN roles; 2) Creating and securing innovative models for sustainable funding for PHN practice; 3) Developing and supporting leadership skills at all levels and areas of PHN practice. The list of priorities also identified action steps for PHN organizations and leaders. The conference report will guide the Quad Council in selecting priorities for future action.
Implications: The major issues influencing PHN will shift with future healthcare policy and environmental changes. Although this agenda is ambitious, the prioritized plan outlines significant steps to meet the overall goal of maximizing the impact of public health nurses on improving the health of the public.
Learning Areas:
Public health or related nursingLearning Objectives:
Describe three priority actions to meet the goal of maximizing the influence of public health nurses on improving the health of the public.
Keyword(s): Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce Development
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a public health nursing educator and researcher. I am Coordinator of the Public Health Nursing (PHN) Leadership track of the MSN Program at the University of Virginia. I was Co-Chair of the American Nurses Association (ANA) workgroup to revise the Public Health Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (2011-2013) and a member of APHA PHN Section workgroup to revise the Definition of Public Health Nursing (2013).
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.