Recommendation for public health nurses to be more population focused

MADISON, Wis. - Oct. 27, 2005 - New guidelines urge public health nurses to move away from direct service provision and toward more collaborative and population or community-focused intervention. A recent study published in Public Health Nursing looked at public health nursing in one state ( Wisconsin) and the extent to which the practice of public health nursing has changed in accordance with these guidelines presented by national groups, such as the Institute of Medicine . The study shows that public health nursing practice in Wisconsin is becoming more population focused following the national guidelines. However, nurses recommended more support for this change, including more education in concepts and skills that support population-focused practice, more resources available for public health practice, and more collaboration with academic partners for education and research.

This study was led by Susan J. Zahner, Dr.P.H., R.N., Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing. She can be reached for questions and interviews at sjzahner@wisc.edu.

This study is published in Public Health Nursing. Media wishing to receive a PDF of this article may contact medicalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net.

About the Journal
Public Health Nursing publishes thought-provoking theoretical discussions, timely reviews, dynamic clinical reports, and commentary by the nation's health care leaders. This bi-monthly publication focuses and places in context the rapidly changing issues which concern public health professionals as they manage today's system and invent the next decade's. The Journal's highly respected contributors provide a vehicle for remaining on the cutting edge of current thinking and research in the field.

About Blackwell Publishing
Blackwell Publishing is the world's leading society publisher, partnering with more than 600 academic and professional societies. Blackwell publishes over 750 journals annually and, to date has published close to 6,000 text and reference books, across a wide range of academic, medical, and professional subjects.

---

---