The RN-BSN program and CCNE clinical competency requirements

Community Teaching Proposal for Primary Prevention/Health Promotion

The objective of this study is to create a community teaching proposal for primary prevention and health promotion. The work of Kulbok, wet al (2012) reports that public health nursing practice is "population focused and requires unique knowledge, competencies, and skills." (p.1) Public health nursing makes the requirement of working with communities and populations "as equal partner and focusing on primary prevention and health promotion." (Kulbok, et al., 2012, p.1)

Community Teaching

Community teaching for primary prevention and health promotion involves educating community members about what is required to address primary prevention and promotion of health. This can be accomplished through community-wide meetings held at a central location in the community. As noted by Kulbok et al. (2012) "In the 21st century, public health nurses practice in diverse settings including, but not limited to, community nursing centers; home health agencies; housing developments; local and state health departments; neighborhood centers; parishes; school health programs; and worksites and occupational health programs. High-risk, vulnerable populations are often the focus of care and may include the frail elderly, homeless individuals, sedentary individuals, smokers, teen mothers, and those at risk for a specific disease." (p.1) This specific community teaching program is such that focuses on the African-American population in a city in North Alabama where there is a high level of poverty, individuals are poorly educated and families are comprised by primarily younger mothers and fathers, many who failed to graduate from high school and many with two or more children whom they are supporting on a poverty level income.

II. Community Resources

The resources in this particular community are scarce however, there is a community center where educational classes teaching primary prevention and health promotion can be held at no charge. Volunteers plan to talk with families in the community to determine the best date and time for the meetings. After this determination is made the meeting dates and times will be advertised on the local radio and television station and flyers will be posted throughout the community to inform the residents of the meetings.

III. Teaching Plan

The teaching plan for these community meetings will include the following much needed components:

(1) Disease and sickness prevention;

(2) Vaccinations and immunizations schedule for children and information on why these are so vital to promote health and to prevent disease in the community;

(3) Healthy diet and nutrition with a focus on weight maintenance as so many of the community members are overweight or have obesity with other combined conditions;

(4) Smoking cessation;

(5) Education about alcohol consumption;

(6) The importance of screening for disease such as cancer and diabetes;

(7) Diabetes and other disease treatment and maintenance.

As the community educational meetings take place the participants will be allowed to ask questions and express their concerns about health issues which will serve to inform the community project as to what other areas of primary prevention and health promotion educational needs exist in this particular community. The possibility exists that there are other health issues among this population that have not been chosen as focus in the educational materials and information to be provided at the community meetings and the project will make these adjustments as this information becomes available to the projects leadership and teaching nurses.

Summary and Conclusion