Nursing 456

NURS 456: Community Health Nursing Post-Licensure Track

Prerequisites: Admission to the RN-to-BSN program

Credit hours: (classroom and clinical): 4 semester hours, 3 hours of lecture, 3 hours of indirect clinical practicum hours

Focuses on client/environment interactions incorporating clinical experiences with diverse populations in a variety of community settings and with individuals, families, aggregates, and communities.


Detailed Description of Course

The objectives and content of this Post-licensure course are derived from the School of Nursing’s philosophy and conceptual framework and the AACN Essentials for Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice, and facilitate achievement of the School’s program objectives to include community-based nursing practice. Current research and advancement in theory and clinical practice also determine content.
    1) Community Assessment
        a. Community structure and function
        b. Frameworks, methodologies, and tools for standardizing data collection and
            analysis and reporting
        c. Culturally sensitive community partnerships
        d. Data information sources
    2) Principles of epidemiology
        a. Morbidity and mortality
        b. Natural history
        c. Disease control and surveillance
        d. Screening
        e. Clinical decision making
    3) Providing a safe and healthy environment
        a. Health policy
        b. Regulatory Processes (OSHA, CDC)
        c. Methods/tools for data collection/analysis
        d. Injury registries/ergonomics
        e. Program planning
        f. Bioterrorism
        g. Domestic violence
        h. Abuse and exploitation of children, elderly and disabled
    4) Measuring performance, effectiveness, and outcomes of health services
        a. Comprehensive health planning/Healthy People
        b. Identify assets and gaps in service structure
        c. Health status indicators
        d. Effectiveness of interventions
        e. Accessibility and quality of individual and population-wide health services
    5) Promoting Healthy Communities
        a. Evolution of the US health care system and community nursing and how these
           affect the health of communities.
        b. Effective use of the media to encourage both personal and community
           responsibility for informed decision making
        c. Public awareness/marketing campaigns/Health Fairs
        d. Mobilizing the community for action
        e. Ethical issues of social justice and individual versus aggregate rights
    6) Providing targeted outreach and forming partnerships
        a. Global/international health care
        b. Capitalizing on cultural diversity
        c. Working with vulnerable populations
    7) Providing health care services for high risk aggregates that threaten the health of
        the community
        a. Primary health care
        b. Preventive health services


Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

The following teaching strategies may be employed, but are not limited to lecture, discussion, video, guest lectures, group projects, student presentations, case studies, and written projects.


Goals and Objectives of the Course

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
    1) Apply scientific principles of nursing knowledge in partnership with individuals,
        families, and aggregates in order to improve the health of the population.
    2) Discuss the historical evolution of the U.S. public health care system and
        community oriented-nursing and their influence on the health of individuals,
        families, and population aggregates.
    3) Perform theory and evidence based therapeutic nursing interventions within the
        scope of community health nursing practice.
    4) Apply principles of epidemiology, community health organization, and health policy
        to provide a safe and healthy environment.
    5) Recognize and intervene in the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children, elderly,
        and disabled clients encountered in the community.
    6) Access inter-professional and intra-professional resources to resolve ethical and
        other practice dilemmas and exhibit accountability for care delivery in various
        community settings.
    7) Collaborate with community members and other members of the health care team
        to implement culturally sensitive, holistic care for population aggregates that
        reflects an understanding of the multi-dimensional aspects of community health
        nursing across the health-illness continuum, across the lifespan and in all
        community healthcare settings.
    8) Advocate for consumers and communities on a regional, state, national and global
        level to influence health care policy and promote the health of populations and the
        advancement of nursing practice.
    9) Utilize effective written, oral, and nonverbal communication skills in collaboration
        with community members and other health professionals to improve the health of
        individuals, families and populations
    10) Utilize knowledge and skills in health care and information technologies to support
         a safe community environment for individuals, families, population aggregates, and
         health care workers.
    11) Evidence commitment to lifelong learning to support excellence in community
         nursing practice and foster professional growth and development


Assessment Measures

The course grade is determined by an evaluation of the degree to which the student meets the stated course objectives in theory. Students must earn a minimum of 80% (“C”) grade to pass. Grading Scale: The Radford University School of Nursing grading scale will be used:
    A = 93 - 100
    B = 85 - 92.99
    C = 80 - 84.99
    D = 73 - 79.99
    F = 72.99 and below


Other Course Information

Honor Code: By accepting admission to Radford University, each student makes a commitment to understand, support, and abide by the University Honor Code without compromise or exception. Violations of academic integrity will not be tolerated. This class will be conducted in strict observance of the Honor Code. Refer to your Student Handbook for details.

Students with Disabilities: If you are seeking classroom accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you are required to register with the Disability Resource Office (DRO). The DRO is located in Room 32, Tyler Hall, telephone 540-831-6350. To receive academic accommodations for this class, please obtain the proper DRO forms and meet with me no later than the second week of the semester.


Review and Approval

March 1, 2018