Principles of community health nursing

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY HEALTH

NURSING

PRINCIPLES

• Principles or precepts are rules for practice or action.

• These are the guidelines or directives derived from concepts, theory and philosophy of community health and nursing.

NEED OF PRINCIPLES

• Ensuring relevant, safe, and correct practices to meet the health needs of the individuals, families, groups and community.

• More important in changing socio-economic conditions of the people. More knowledgeable of what is wrong or right, and are more demanding.

• Knowledge on working principles and apply them in their daily activities regardless of their position and training.

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY HEALTH

• Health care should be shaped around the life patterns of the population. it should serve and should meet the needs of the community.

• Primary health care should be an integral part of the national health system and other services should be designed in support of the needs of the peripheral level.

• Health care activities should be fully integrated with the activities of other sectors involved in community development.

Contd…

• The local population should be actively involved in the formulation and implementation of health care activities, so that health care can be brought into line with local needs and priorities.

• The health care offered should place a maximum reliance on available community resources, especially those which have remained untapped and should remain within the cost limitations relevant to each country.

Contd..

• Health care should be an integrated approach of preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative services for the individual, family and community.

• The majority of interventions should be undertaken at the most peripheral practice level of the health services by the workers most suitably trained for performing these activities.

The above principles involve the new philosophical base of community health in the Alma Ata declaration (1978):

• Availability of health care for all• Promotive and preventive aspects of health

care• Integration of curative and preventive care

Contd..

• Active involvement of individuals and communities in planning and providing care.

• Development of maximum potential for self care

• Utilization of all levels and types of health man power.

• Inter-sectoral approach (multisectoral approach)

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING

• Community health nursing is community focused; it is therefore essential to know the defined community, make a map and establish effective working relationship.

• Community health nursing is based on identified community health nursing needs and functions within the total community health programmes.

• Health services should be based on the felt needs.

• Health services should be available and accessible to all without any discrimination.

• Health services should be available to all people irrespective of their origin, culture or social and economic resources and also it should be available to people irrespective of age, sex, creed, nationality and political affiliation.

• The community health nurse should maintain professional dignity and must never accept any gifts or money as bribe.

• Community health nurse must be non political and non sectarian in her relationship with people.

• The community health nurse should be qualified.

• Community health nurses are accountable or responsible to authorized health authority and functions within the policies, general goals and objectives set by the health agency.

• Job condition should be conducive for optimum satisfaction.

• Effective health worker irrespective of position or place of work, functions as a team. / All community health nurses and supervisors should function as a team.

• In the community health, community is the focus and than the individual which is the unit of all health care services.

• Professional relationship and etiquette are essential in community health services.

• Health services should be realistic in terms of available personnel and facilities.

• Follow up services are effective service and it is must in community health.

• Evaluation of services is an important factor in community health programme. / Periodic and continuous appraisal and evaluation of health situation and health services are basic to community health.

• Facilities for further training and continuing education should be provided by the health authority.

• Any influential people in an area or the community development staff should help to carry out the health activities.

• Teaching is an essential part of all health services.

• Supervision and guidance are needed to help the workers to produce a high quality of work.

• Health education, guidance, and supervision are integral part of the community health nursing services.

• The family and community are the units of work.

• Records and reports are very essential in community health services. / Well developed system of records and reports is essential for community health services.

• Community health authority should provide an opportunity for in-service education for all the female and male components periodically.

• Community involvement is integral part of community health nursing practice.

• Individuals and families participate fully in all decision making relating to attainment of health.

• Continuous services are effective services and community health nurse must provide continuous health services.