Preparing Nursing Students for PHN Practice in the 21st Century

This session will present strategies for public health nursing clinical education and competency-based learning experiences for nursing students. Challenges facing nursing educators and public health agencies in preparing a public health nursing workforce include a dearth of clinical sites, resulting in competition between schools of nursing for public health learning experiences. In addition, fewer resources for both nursing faculty and PHNs in practice impact the learning environment for students. In some situations, nursing faculty who teach public health nursing might have little or no experience in public health nursing practice or education and might also have inadequate guidance on effective strategies for teaching public health nursing. To respond to these challenges, a group of PHN educators and practitioners worked in partnership to develop a clinical manual organized by population-based entry level competencies required for entry into public health nursing practice. The manual reflects a consensus of public health nursing faculty and practicing public health nurses. Manual features include: 1) population-based learning activities organized by competency, 2) use of an evidence-based model that incorporates all levels of evidence, 3) a systematic approach to reflective learning threaded through all learning experiences, and 4) scenarios of interest to nursing students developed through partnership with agency staff and schools of nursing. The authors recommend that nursing programs evaluate the way they are providing clinical education in public health nursing. Is the clinical curriculum competency-driven, evidence-based, and consistent with recognized practice standards and the needs of populations and agencies in the 21st century?