5287.0: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 - 4:50 PM

Abstract #15059

Public health nursing practice for the 21st century: Population-based practice

Linda Olson Keller, MS, BSN, CS1, Susan Strohschein, MS, BSN1, Laurel Briske, RN, MA, CPNA1, and LaVohn Josten, PhD, RN2. (1) Section of Public Health Nursing, Minnesota Department of Health, Metro Square Building, P.O. Box 64975, St. Paul, MN 55164-0975, 651-296-9176, linda.keller@health.state.mn.us, (2) School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455

The Section of Public Health Nursing/MN Dept. of Health was awarded a Division of Nursing Special Nursing Project grant culminating in 2001. The project will culminate with three satellite programs that will be presented in the fall of 2000 to prepare staff public health nurses for population-based practice. The project team developed a population-based curriculum that is being piloted at eleven sites in 5 states. The curriculum delineates the public health nursing process for each of the three practice foci (community, systems, and individual/family) in the population-based model. It also includes the development of the evidence base for the original PHN interventions presented at APHA in 1997. These have been extensively expanded through an extensive literature review and analysis for practice application by a panel of public health nursing experts. An important component of this program was the development of a preceptor network, a group of 33 expert public health nurses who facilitated the application of theory into practice with the 120 participating PHNs. The first three sessions were presented via interactive video conference in the fall of 1999. The last three sessions are being presented on site in the winter of 2000. The program is being evaluated through a PHN competency instrument developed through the University of Minnesota. This session will present samples of the curriculum, information on the development and evaluation of the preceptor model, and participant evaluation of the curriculum content and multiple modes of learning (telelecture, on site presentation, preceptor-facilitated discussion, and experiential learning assignments.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to:

  1. Describe the components of a population-based curriculum
  2. Describe at least two considerations in developing and utilizing a preceptor network for training programs
  3. Identify benefits, disadvantages, and participants responses to multiple modes of learning.

Keywords: Public Health Nursing, Population

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA