257021 Integrating Healthy People 2020 across an undergraduate nursing curriculum: Theory to practice

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Norma Conner, PhD, RN , College of Nursing, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Angeline Bushy, PhD, RN, PH/CNS-BC , College of Nursing, University of Central Florida, Daytona Beach, FL
Background and Issues: Recently the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR) and the Healthy People Curriculum Task Force issued a call for exemplar cases to health professions programs outside of the public health discipline. The Successful Practices Initiative highlights curricula that connect the Education for Health Framework with the Healthy People 2020 objectives. UCF's nursing program is an innovative exemplar case focusing on four courses in the undergraduate baccalaureate nursing program. Description: Annually, about 500 students are introduced to, write about and ultimately carry out the activities of health promotion/disease prevention reflective of Healthy People 2020 objectives. The components of integration include lecture, examination and 6 specific assignments across 4 theory/clinical courses delivered through multiple modalities. Lessons Learned: By grounding interventions in policy students identify outcomes and measures more readily. Assignments are not considered free standing, but rather as a linkage with previous and subsequent assignments. Recommendations: Teaching Healthy People 2020 Policy allows nursing students to gain theoretical and practical experience with prevention/wellness interventions across the lifespan. Assignments featuring a Healthy People 2020 focus, throughout a program of nursing, will develop nursing graduates with the skills to meet the goals set forth in Healthy People.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the importance of preparing future health care providers to achieve Healthy People 2020 objectives. 2. Identify 3 assignments that prepare nursing students to design public health interventions that meet Healthy People 2020 objectives. 3. Identify 3 assignments that prepare nursing students to implement public health interventions that meet Healthy People 2020 objectives.

Keywords: Education, Healthy People 2000/2010

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a Professor & Bert Fish Chair at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing. I have been a professor of Community/Public Health Nursing at this institution for 17 years. This poster reflects student clinical activities for those courses.
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.

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