This issue of Family & Community Health (27:4) presents several reports of federally funded grants designed to enrich community health nursing in undergraduate education. It also includes an interesting research paper by Reger-Nash et al describing a successful program to get adults into the pattern of regular walking.
I have often found that some undergraduates find community health nursing less interesting than the other clinical areas such as medical surgical, pediatric, and obstetrics. Students may think that the pace is too slow, that this specialty area of nursing that deals with the health of the population is not sufficiently action oriented. They cannot always see the results of their work when they work with communities or groups in the community. Students may question the relevance of their course work in community health nursing. As one author in this issue said "acute care is doing, while public health nursing is more like 'normal conversation' over a cup of tea." That example graphically reflects how students often feel. The speed and action involved in a busy intensive care unit is totally different than working with elected officials to change a smoking policy in a community.
What is so useful about these articles is that each one describes a unique partnership in which the students became actively involved with the community. They worked with staff on real programs, on policy decisions and changes, and they were able to see the results of their work. In these projects, the students often partnered with staff in official public health agencies, which I think added validity and relevance to their clinical work. Students in these projects learned what negative effects reduced state and federal funding for public health has had in their communities.
Three other striking qualities describe these articles: first, they make it clear that understanding cultures other than one's own and being culturally competent is essential in public health nursing. This will only grow in importance as the minority population in the United States grows in number and changes in composition. Second, these articles show real partnerships in which those being served are an integral part of the planning for the community work to be carried out. The services are not planned by professionals and given to the community, but rather the community is a part of the planning for the services. Third, in the Hall-Long article, there is an estimate of the financial value provided by the work of the students. This is important as a reminder that while students do use staff time as they learn, they also provide a service simultaneously.
The research article by Reger-Nash et al reinforces the ideas presented in the partnerships articles by evaluating a well-designed study that encourages community residents to begin and to continue a walking for health program.