The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #65328

Carol Beth Isaac, MA, RN¹, Ellen M. Reichenbach, MSN, RN², and Bevely J. Hays, PhD, RN². (1) Public Health Association of Nebraska, PO Box 6366, Omaha, NE 68106-0366, (402) 558-1410, itsmybagne@aol.com, (2) University of Nebraska Medical Center, 6501 Mesaverde Dr., Lincoln, NE 68510

Competency among public health nurses (PHNs) practicing in rural communities is critical to building public health infrastructure and carrying out the core functions of public health. However in many rural areas there is not a sufficient cadre of baccalaureate prepared nurses who understand population based practice. The purpose of this presentation is to describe the first year of a successful grant funded continuing education program developed by the PHN section of our statewide public health association to promote population based competency among nurses practicing public health in rural communities. The first year of the project reached 45 nurses with varying educational backgrounds across the state using live distance delivery methods to four sites, each with a local facilitator. Each nurse attended three half-day satellite training sessions over a three month period. A five page, 62 item competency instrument (C.I.) developed by the PHN Section of the Minnesota Department of Health was used as a pretest (before session 1) and post-test (after session 3), producing 25 pairs for t-test analysis. Results to be presented will focus on the aggregated C.I. results and their correlation with specific public health related categories and items with individual/family, community, and systems foci. Discussion will include the strengths and challenges of using distance delivery to promote understanding of population based practice and the implications for continuing education offered to nurses practicing public health in rural areas to increase their self-rated competency for population-based PHN practice.

Learning Objectives:

"At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to:
• Articulate three approaches to barriers frequently encountered when offering distance delivery education to PHNs practicing in rural communities.
• Identify two implications for population-focused continuing education offered to nurses practicing public health in rural communities."

Keywords: Public Health Nursing, Competency

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.

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