Public health nursing practice is the synthesis of nursing theory and public health theory applied to promoting and preserving the health of populations. Its focus is the community as a whole, including how the community's health status and resources affect individuals, families, and groups. Care is provided within the context of preventing disease and disability and promoting, protecting, and maintaining the health of the total community. Public health nursing is population focused, meaning the population, especially vulnerable subpopulations, is the center of interest.

Key points

Public health nursing practice synthesizes nursing theory and public health theory to promote and preserve population health.
The primary focus is the community as a whole and the effect of community health status and resources on individuals, families, and groups.
Practice emphasizes disease and disability prevention, health promotion, health protection, health maintenance, health restoration, and health surveillance.
It is population focused and population centered, with the population as the central interest rather than only individual patients.
Interventions are made at the community or population level, with special concern for vulnerable subpopulations.

Define public health nursing practice and explain its focus.

Related questions