Collaborative public health rotation using Public Health Nursing community liaisons

Background/Issues

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH) accommodates approximately 500 Bachelor of Nursing or Accelerated Master students which equates to 46 rotations on an annual basis. There is a maximum of 12 students per rotation, and each rotation lasts from 7 to 17 weeks. The majority of students are assigned to health centers to conduct Public Health Nursing home visits. Unfortunately, due to decreases in Public Health Nursing personnel, available sites, and increases in student rotations, the number of clinical requests will be decreasing to 31 rotations per year.

Description

Since mentoring nursing students is an important goal of the Department, Nursing Administration is collaborating with affiliates, mainly University of California Los Angeles to pilot a community based-rotation. In place of home visits, students will work on a project with a community organization such as a homeless mission, parish nursing or YMCA. Throughout the project, a Community Liaison Public Health Nurse (CLPHN) will provide guidance and assistance as needed. At the end of their rotation, the students will present their project to the CLPHN and the district PHNs. The project is then continued by the next set of students until the goal or objective is achieved.

Conclusion

The community-based rotation not only provides a clinical rotation for our affiliates, but it also teaches students of the extensive role of a Public Health Nurse. For LAC DPH, it raises Public Health Nursing's visibility in the community. As LAC DPH moves away from home visitation, community-based projects will become even more significant for the district PHN role.