271522 Making a difference: Advanced public health nursing practice

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 5:00 PM - 5:03 PM

Susan Swider, PhD, APHN-BC , Community, Systems and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University, Chicago, IL
Pamela Levin, PhD, APHN-BC , Department of Community, Systems, and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University College of Nursing, Chicago, IL
Advanced Public Health Nurses (APHN) function in critical roles across the health care system. Indeed, many of them are state health officers ensuring policies and services to protect the public's health. APHNs help advance the overall health of the public by developing and implementing evidence based population level interventions. This long standing nursing role is integral to the health of the public, and these nurses deserve to be highlighted for their work, which will serve to encourage young nurses to consider this as a nursing career option. The rewards of being an APHN are in making a difference in the lives of an entire group of people, often those who are most vulnerable. The nursing profession recently approved the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Consensus model, delineating special educational requirements for advanced practice nursing which includes diagnosis and prescriptive authority. This was a positive development for many nurses engaging in advanced practice throughout the country as it established a standard of preparation that promotes safe and effective care for clients. However, the focus on the APRN consensus model has meant that other advanced nursing roles, equally valuable to improving national health outcomes, have been overshadowed, such as the APHN role. Nurses contemplating specialty education in areas of nursing are often unaware of options other than the APRN roles. This video, developed by faculty from an APHN graduate program, highlights some dedicated APHNs to demonstrate the rewards, career options, and ways in which APHNs are leading the effort to improve our nation's health.

Learning Areas:
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe 2 key aspects of the Advanced Public Health Nurse's role. 2. Discuss 3 career options for Advanced Public Health Nurses as presented in the video.

Keywords: Public Health Nursing, Workforce

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am certified as an advanced public health nurse, teach in an advanced public health nursing graduate program, and served as executive producer of the video.
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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